Ginselsried: Building History and Routes

Discover Ginselsried through its distinctive details: a listed historic farmhouse tells the story of local building history, and several routes pass through the village. The wider destination of Bischofsmais offers more to explore in nature and culture.

Building History and Village Life

At Ginselsried 43 stands the listed historic farmhouse of a four-sided farmstead. The two-storey building has a shallow-pitched gable roof and is built using block construction; two of its sides are shingled. It probably dates from the first third of the 19th century. A farmhouse combines living quarters and a stable. Together with its shallow-pitched gable roof and timber construction, it offers a vivid example of historic building styles in the village.

The settlement history also places Ginselsried in a broader context: the village is one of the nearby settlements with names ending in -ried and -mais, founded at around the same time. A playground in Ginselsried is also listed for families with children. At Barbara Hintermair’s address, Ginselsried 7, elderberry products and turned wooden goods are listed as available. Check before visiting to confirm that this listing is up to date.

Routes with Different Itineraries

The 2025 Rusel hiking map features a 3.1-kilometre circular hike from Bischofsmais via the Schochert Chapel and Ginselsried, returning to Bischofsmais. Another route, 7.6 kilometres long, runs from Bischofsmais via Ginselsried, Hochdorf, the Langbruckmühle mill, and Großseiboldsried to Weißenstein. The distances and itineraries offer concrete points of comparison for planning a day out: a circular hike back to Bischofsmais or a longer route ending in Weißenstein.

Tour No. 3, “Bischofsmais – Dösingerried – Hochdorf Loop,” passes through Ginselsried on forest roads through shady woodland and goes by the Todtenau raised bog and the Kaesermühle mill. The return to the starting point at Bischofsmais Town Hall partly follows roads. On Tour No. 4, a field path climbs from Hochdorf for a stretch in the direction of Ginselsried and Bischofsmais. The two tours can therefore also be distinguished by their described route sections.

Nature and Culture in the Wider Destination of Bischofsmais

Bischofsmais, in the Bavarian Forest, offers numerous hikes through the natural landscapes of the Bavarian Forest Nature Park. The Devil’s Table can be reached via Hiking Trail No. 3; from there, views extend to Weißenstein Castle ruins and the district town of Regen. On the Oberbreitenau plateau on Geißkopf are the ruins of an abandoned village and a raised bog. In Bischofsmais’s spa park, a viewing and tobogganing hill has a 35-tonne balancing rock at its summit.

Bischofsmais also has a strong cultural heritage. Two rooms in the Baderhaus are dedicated to Max Peinkofer, a local writer from Bischofsmais, and his brother-in-law, the Augsburg Bishop Dr. Joseph Freundorfer. The ground floor houses a permanent nativity scene exhibition. The venue’s events programme includes music, readings, and art and photography exhibitions; check the latest leaflet for specific dates. The villages’ traditions include Wolfauslassen: on the day before St. Martin’s Day (November 11), the Wolf goes through the village, making a great deal of noise together with the Goaßlschnalzer whip-crackers.

For a winter holiday, the wider destination of Bischofsmais also offers nine downhill runs on the 1,097-metre-high Geißkopf and the neighbouring 1,121-metre-high Einödriegel, inviting visitors to ski and snowboard. Before making plans, check the current season with the ski operator.

Choose Accommodation Based on Your Travel Interests

Discover more destinations: Habischried.

Back to the wider travel overview: Bischofsmais.