Warzenried: Trails, Border History and Tradition

Warzenried can be explored on foot, by bike, and through its architectural and cultural history. The Bankerlweg offers walking and hiking opportunities with views and places to sit; at the Schanzgraben, ramparts recall the securing of the border. There is also a church with several datable phases of construction, religious traditions, and cycle routes that include Warzenried as part of longer routes. This brings together a range of interests to consider when planning a trip.

Walks, hikes and traces of the border

The Warzenrieder Bankerlweg offers walking and hiking opportunities with views and places to sit in the former municipality. If you like to take breaks along the way, you can plan to stop at these spots as a practical part of your day. The views complement the trail’s walking and hiking character.

The Ek07 hiking trail, the Schanzgrabenweg, offers a different perspective: occasional ramparts built to secure the border are still visible along the Schanzgraben. The two trails therefore have different focuses. The Bankerlweg highlights views and places to sit, while the Schanzgrabenweg follows a named hiking trail past visible traces of border fortifications.

Church and religious traditions

The Herz-Jesu-Expositurkirche in Warzenried was built in 1858–1859 and extended in 1896 and 1957. Its sanctuary was renovated in 1997; it contains a stained-glass image of the Good Shepherd and colored windows. The building history and interior design offer two distinct points of interest: the extensions mark later construction phases, while the stained-glass image and windows shape the sanctuary’s appearance.

Religious customs are also among the town’s traditions. At the Martiniritt in Warzenried on November 6, 2022, 153 horses and their riders rode through the border village. A parish report dated August 21, 2022, also describes the traditional Hahnenbergbittgang of the Warzenried parish district. It leads to the Wetterkreuz on Hahnenberg on a Sunday in August or September. While the Martiniritt is recorded as a specific event featuring horses, the procession is defined by its seasonal timing and named destination.

By bike: circular route and route itinerary

Cycle Tour 2 runs from Eschlkam via Ritzenried, Unterfaustern, Neukirchen b. Hl. Blut and Warzenried to Neuschwarzau and Seugenhof, then back to Eschlkam. Neuschwarzau lies right on the border with the Bohemian Forest. Another route option is EuroVelo Route 13, which runs through the Bavarian Forest from Waldmünchen via Warzenried to Železná Ruda.

Cycle Tour 2 returns to Eschlkam; EuroVelo Route 13 runs from Waldmünchen via Warzenried to Železná Ruda. When planning, you can therefore choose between a route that returns to Eschlkam and one that passes through the places listed above.

More to discover in the wider Eschlkam destination

The wider Eschlkam destination offers further cultural attractions. The permanent exhibition of the Waldschmidt Association in Eschlkam documents Maximilian Schmidt’s life and career using personal belongings, documents, books, display panels and models. The art trail on Leminger Höhe near Eschlkam features six works on the theme “Border Encounters – Paths between East and West.” The art pavilion in Stachesried features large-format paintings.

The circular trails at the Drachensee also offer a choice of outings: there is a circular route of about 10 kilometers for walkers and one of about 11 kilometers for cyclists. Both take in the surrounding landscape as well as the lakeshore. About three-quarters of the Drachensee reservoir area lies within the city limits of Furth im Wald and about one-quarter within the municipality of the market town of Eschlkam.

For the wider travel overview: Eschlkam.