Eggolsheim between architectural heritage and hiking trails

Eggolsheim lies in the Regnitz Valley on the western edge of Franconian Switzerland. The town combines visible architectural history with two hikes whose details allow you to choose according to your destination and available time. In Eggolsheim, St. Martin’s Parish Church, the Shepherd’s Gate and the old town hall offer different points of historical interest. At the same time, the routes lead out of town via named stops: one goes through Schirnaidel, Schießberg and the Lias Clay Pit; the other leads to Lock 94 and Neuses an der Regnitz. This means you can focus your stay on culture, nature activities or exercise without needing to combine all your interests in a single outing.

Architectural heritage and traces of history

St. Martin’s Parish Church was built to the plans of Baroque architect Leo von Kleinze (1784–1864). Its much older church tower is visible from afar and serves as a landmark of the market town of Eggolsheim. The Holy Trinity Chapel is on Bammersdorfer Straße. The old town hall is also one of the town’s attractions.

The Shepherd’s Gate, also known as the Forchheim Gate, was rebuilt as a gatehouse after the fire of 1684. The community centre offers a different architectural combination: it brings together traditional Franconian building methods, including a former brewery and inn, with functional contemporary architecture. The former dance hall is also part of the complex.

Two routes with different time estimates

Route 1 starts in Eggolsheim and goes via Schirnaidel, Schießberg and the Lias Clay Pit before returning. The approximately 8.5-kilometre route is estimated to take around three hours on foot. Route 2 starts at Eggolsheim town hall, leads to Lock 94 and Neuses an der Regnitz, and then returns. It is about 8 kilometres long and takes around two hours on foot.

The approximate figures show a greater difference in walking time than in distance: Route 2 is estimated to take about an hour less, even though the two routes differ in length by only around half a kilometre. When planning, you can therefore take the estimated time as well as the stops along each route into account.

Nature experiences at the Lias Clay Pit

The Lias Clay Pit is a stop on Route 1. Nearby, the Lias Clay Pit Environmental Education Centre offers nature walks and excursions for children and adults. Families with their own facility or larger groups can enjoy a bespoke afternoon of nature activities there.

The environmental education centre’s open-air grounds cover 17 hectares. They are a former clay quarry that has been restored to nature and now provides the conditions for sustainable environmental education. The combination of former industrial use, restored land and environmental education gives the site its own distinctive focus alongside Eggolsheim’s architectural history and hiking destinations.

Lock 94 and routes through the Regnitz Valley

Lock 94 is within the market town of Eggolsheim. It is exceptionally well preserved and is the only one of the former 100 locks on the old Ludwig-Donau-Main Canal that visitors can walk through. The canal ran from Kelheim on the Danube to Bamberg on the Main. Today, the remains of the lock are an industrial monument of European significance, dating from the first half of the 19th century. As a destination on the second route, the lock links the route with a landmark of canal history.

The Regnitz Valley also provides a guide to cycling routes: the Canal and Valley Route of the RegnitzRadweg runs through the valley and connects with cycling routes at regional, national and international levels. When looking for accommodation, you can weigh up the different priorities for your stay: architectural history, the stated walking times, activities at the nearby environmental education centre, or a trip connected to the cycling routes.

More destinations

Discover more destinations: Wiesenthau, Poxdorf, Pinzberg, Gräfenberg, Weißenohe, Obertrubach, Neunkirchen Am Brand, Egloffstein.

Go to the main travel overview: Forchheim.