Altenschwand: Hiking Destinations and History

Altenschwand combines a long history with hiking destinations around Totenbühl. Visitors interested in historic settlements or who enjoy including a range of hikes in their travel plans will find specific points of interest here. The Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua and the paths to Totenbühl each offer a distinct perspective on the area.

Local History and Historic Traces

Altenschwand is home to the Chapel of St. Anthony of Padua, dating from 1895. The origins of the village are also part of its history: Altenschwand developed as a dispersed settlement and was first documented around 1300. The term “dispersed settlement” refers to a settlement pattern that is not organized around a single, densely clustered village center.

Another historic trace leads to Glashütten, one of the Black Forest’s oldest glassmaking settlements. It was first documented in 1257, when Glashütten was a small glassblowing village. A farm belonging to the Beuggen Teutonic Order Commandery in Glashütten is documented for 1301. Together, these historical details show different aspects of local history: Altenschwand’s early written record, glassmaking in Glashütten and the commandery’s farm.

Hikes Around Totenbühl

In the area around Altenschwand, the Marienkapelle (Chapel of Our Lady) on Totenbühl is a hiking destination. From the forest edge to the southwest, the view extends across Altenschwand and Rickenbach to Switzerland; when weather conditions are suitable, the panorama also takes in the Swiss Alps. A hike therefore combines a named destination with expansive views across the landscape, although visibility of the Alps depends on the weather.

A circular hike from Rickenbach to Totenbühl is 9.41 kilometers long. On the hike to Totenbühl, the route passes Abhau, at an elevation of 935 meters. Another route is the Strick–Naturfreundehaus–Abhau–Altenschwand winter hiking trail: it leads from the Strick hiking car park via Naturfreundehaus and Abhau to Altenschwand. The circular hike and the winter hiking trail differ both in how they are classified and in their routes: the former is described as a circular route to Totenbühl, while the latter is defined by the sequence of stops leading to Altenschwand.

More Destinations in the Wider Rickenbach Travel Destination

Nature and hiking destinations in the wider Rickenbach travel destination provide additional inspiration for planning your trip. Solfelsen has been a registered natural monument since 1950. The stone, which is 5.40 meters high and weighs about 230 tonnes, is not a glacial erratic but was formed by prolonged weathering. At Strahlbrusch Waterfall, a rocky outcrop protected by a railing offers a view of the rugged cliffs over which the Seelbach plunges into the Murg Valley. Rickenbach’s network of well-maintained, waymarked hiking trails offers routes through valleys and uplands, along rivers, and through forests and meadows.

The wider Rickenbach travel destination also includes the certified “Hotzenpfad” premium hiking trail, which is waymarked separately along its entire length. If you are looking for other leisure activities instead of hiking, the municipality of Rickenbach offers the Maisenhardt forest adventure trail and mountain biking trails. The wider travel destination therefore offers a range of activities, distinct from the trails in Altenschwand.

Culture and Accommodation Planning

Cultural attractions also shape the wider Rickenbach travel destination. The Catholic parish church of St. Gordian and Epimachus features unique stained-glass windows and a modern choir painting by glass artist Emil Wachter. The Historic Rampart is the partially well-preserved remnant of an old fortification; its course can be followed along the Pirschweg from Bergalingen to Rüttehof. This architectural and artistic history offers a different focus from the hiking destinations at Totenbühl.

When planning your accommodation, you can first decide which of these interests you would like to make the focus of your trip: settlement and glassmaking history, hiking destinations near Altenschwand, or other nature and cultural attractions in the wider Rickenbach travel destination. This will help you connect your accommodation search with the experiences you would like to prioritize.

Go to the wider travel overview: Rickenbach.