Discover Mistelgau: Trails, art and Franconian customs

Circular trails, art and seasonal customs give Mistelgau its distinctive character. Along the Ehrlichbach in Obernsees, there are twelve iron sculptures made from old agricultural implements. The area also offers hiking trails with specified distances and traditions tied to particular dates throughout the year.

Compare circular trails by distance

Four circular trails offer a clear choice of routes between 5.5 and 6.5 kilometres. The Hohe Berg trail is 5.5 kilometres long, starting and finishing at the Rot-Kreuz-Haus Mistelgau. The Schobertsberg circular trail is 5.7 kilometres long, with its start and finish on Culmer Straße. The Kulmleite trail is 6 kilometres long and starts and finishes at the Mistelgau municipal depot. The circular trail around Mistelgau is 6.5 kilometres long and also returns to the Rot-Kreuz-Haus. The two shortest routes are close in length; Kulmleite and the circular trail around Mistelgau extend the comparison with routes of 6 and 6.5 kilometres. Route descriptions for these four trails are still being prepared.

A longer option is the 14-kilometre St. Rupert circular trail. It passes through places including Obernsees, the St. Rupert Chapel, Geislareuth, Mistelgau, Frankenhaag and Streit; a shortened route is 8 kilometres long. You can choose a route based on its stated distance and the places listed, without treating the different trails as equivalent.

Art and customs throughout the year

The twelve sculptures along the Ehrlichbach in Obernsees were created by Fritz Föttinger, who lives there. He made them from iron taken from old agricultural implements. The combination of local art and reused materials gives this stretch its own distinctive character. In Mistelgau, the Hummel Costume Preservation Association maintains an annual tradition: on 30 April, it carefully erects a maypole by hand in the village square.

The Easter fountains are also part of the seasonal customs: during Holy Week, Mistelgau associations set them up in Mistelgau and some parts of the municipality. From July to October, the municipality of Mistelgau also hosts eight multi-day Kerwas festivals organised by the local young men’s associations. Together, these dates offer different occasions spread over several months—from the maypole on 30 April and the Easter fountains during Holy Week to the Kerwas festivals from July to October.

Nature and special sites in the municipality

In the municipality of Mistelgau, the Knockhütte stands on a 547-metre-high White Jurassic elevation, which has been a nature reserve since 1997. On Sundays and public holidays, drinks and light meals are offered at the hut for up to 40 guests. Check locally for the current details of what is available before your visit.

The “Zum Donnerkeil” fossil pit contains remarkable fossils, including a belemnite mass-death site and dinosaur remains. Fossil collecting and digging there are restricted. The “Zum Donnerkeil” geotope is located in the municipality of Mistelgau. These nature attractions offer a different focus from the circular trails or the dates of local customs.

In the wider Bayreuth destination

The wider Bayreuth destination offers further cultural attractions. Fantaisie Palace Park brings together design elements from the Rococo, Sensibility and Historicist periods. The Garden Art Museum at Fantaisie Palace opened in July 2000 as the first German museum at the time devoted exclusively to the history of garden art. The Devil’s Cave is another place to visit in the region; it can only be explored as part of a guided tour.

Mistelgau therefore offers several different options for planning your trip: you can compare trail distances, take seasonal customs into account, or focus on art and nature. You can choose accommodation to suit the focus of your stay.

Discover more destinations

Also discover Braunersberg, Glashütten, Bad Berneck Im Fichtelgebirge, Betzenstein, Ahorntal, Fichtelberg, Hollfeld and Goldkronach.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Bayreuth.