The Ostweg is a north-south long-distance path through the Black Forest from Pforzheim to Schaffhausen. The roughly 240-kilometre-long ridgeway was laid out in 1903 and has been managed and maintained since then by the Black Forest Club. Its waymark is a black and red diamond on a white background.
Day tours/stages First stage: Pforzheim – Bad Liebenzell Overview Distance: 25 km Journey time: c. 6 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Pforzheim-Kupferhammer 0 254 Starting point of the three Black Forest ridgeways: the Westweg (Pforzheim – Basel), Mittelweg (Pforzheim – Waldshut) and Ostweg (Pforzheim – Schaffhausen) Pforzheim-Würm 4.0 327 Liebeneck Castle 3.0 340 Hamberg 4.0 484 In the municipality of Neuhausen Steinegg Castle 1.5 391 Neuhausen 4.5 482 Monbachbrückle 1.5 450 Entry to the Monbach valley Bad Liebenzell 6.5 333
Route description The starting point is the Kupferhammer south of Pforzheim. The path runs initially parallel to the road into the Würm valley and then climbs up to the right through the Pforzheim district of Würm and back down to the valley again. At a forest car park the path crosses a wooden bridge and continues to the ruins of Liebeneck. Carrying on up the Würm valley it reaches Hamberg, leaving it on the Schlossstraße. After a chapel it runs past the ruins of Steinegg to Neuhausen. Next the walk crosses the little bridge of Monbachbrückle into the Monbach valley. The Monbach empties into the River Nagold. At their confluence the path turns right and runs parallel to the railway line to Bad Liebenzell.
Second stage: Bad Liebenzell – Oberhaugstett Overview Distance: 21 km Journey time: c. 5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Bad Liebenzell 0 333 Wolfsschlucht 3.0 380 near Ernstmühl Hirsau 2.0 341 In the municipality of CalwAbbey Ruins of Calw 3.5 347 Zavelstein 6.0 585 In the municipality of Bad Teinach-Zavelstein Castle ruins and viewing tower Bad Teinach 1.0 391 In the municipality of Bad Teinach-Zavelstein Liebelsberg 3.0 614 In the municipality of Neubulach Oberhaugstett 2.5 569 In the municipality of Neubulach
Route description
After leaving the outskirts of Bad Liebenzell the path leads to the Wolfsschlucht gorge near Ernstmühl and then to the village of Hirsau with its ruined abbey dating to the 11th century. Calw itself is then reached via the Hirsauer Wiesenweg. Along Inselgasse and Lederstraße the path continues via the market place (Marktplatz) and Salzgasse out of the town to the rock massif of Gimbelstein and on to the Zavelstein Hostel which lies next to the Zavelsteiner Krokuswiesen Nature Reserve, In Zavelstein the route continues along Staufer Straße and Krokusstraße to the castle. Then the walk descends steeply to Bad Teinach. At the church the path turns right into Badstraße, goes past the Kurhaus and through the spa grounds uphill to Liebelsberg. Just before the village there is a water tower, which is also used as a viewing tower. From Liebelsberg a tarmac path leads to Oberhaugstett, which is reached along the road called Am Schleifberg.
Third stage: Oberhaugstett – Pfalzgrafenweiler Overview Distance: 22 km Journey time: c. 5.5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Oberhaugstett 0 569 Buhlerwaldstern 4.0 618 Wart 1.5 600 In the municipality of Altensteig Berneck 3.5 455 In the municipality of Altensteig Altensteigdorf 1.5 558 In the municipality of Altensteig Altensteig 1.5 444 Kohlsägmühle 3.5 470 Zinsbachmühle 3.5 530 Büchelesbrunnen 1.0 630 Pfalzgrafenweiler 2.0 636 Intersection with the Gäurandweg
Route description We leave Oberhaugstett on Martinsmooser Straße; the path goes past the watchtower (Wart) to the castle and village of Berneck. Other destinations are Altensteigdorf, Altensteig, the Kohlsägmühle mill, the Zinsbachmühle mill and the end of the stage at Pfalzgrafenweiler.
Fourth stage: Pfalzgrafenweiler – Freudenstadt Overview Distance: 18.5 km Journey time: c. 4.5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Pfalzgrafenweiler 0 636 Russenbusch 0.5 650 Findelhütte 3.0 659 Fuchstrieb 1.0 713 Hausers Heuscheuer 1.5 693 Beim Glattbächle 0.5 695 Obermusbach 2.0 660 In the municipality of Freudenstadt Untermusbach 1.5 680 In the municipality of Freudenstadt Tal des Aunbachs 1.0 632 In the municipality of Freudenstadt Frutenhof 1.0 670 In the municipality of Freudenstadt Haldenberg 2.5 670 Sportplatz Wittlensweiler Freudenstadt 2.5 728 Joins the Mittelweg from Pforzheim–Waldshut
Route description We leave Pfalzgrafenweiler on Christoph-Decker-Straße. After 9 kilometres the path reaches Obermusbach. There the walk continues along Kälberbronner Straße, Klosterstraße and Mühlhaldenstraße to Untermusbach. Here it continues along Mühlhaldenstraße, past the sports field, along Merzenbergstraße and Müllerstraße out of the village. Passing Frutenhof and Wittlensweiler it leads to Freudenstadt. In the town the route passes the cemetery and reaches the railway station. It then goes along Musbacher Straße and Stuttgarter Straße to the market place (Marktplatz).
Fifth stage: Freudenstadt – Alpirsbach Overview Distance: 21.5 km Journey time: c. 5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Freudenstadt 0 728 Friedrichsturm / Kienberg 1.5 799 Kohlberg 4.5 730 Vogteiturm 1.0 740 viewing tower Sandwiese 1.0 752 Adrionshof 1.0 724 Schömberg 3.5 744 In the municipality of Loßburg Alpirsbach 9.0 441 End point of the Querwegs Gengenbach–Alpirsbach
Route description After the market place the route continues through Freudenstadt along Loßburger Straße, Straßburger Straße, Lauterbadstraße, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße and Herzog-Friedrich-Straße to the Friedrichsturm tower on the Kienberg. The route then runs past the Vogtei Tower to the Adrionshof and on to Ödenwald. About 2 kilometres further on it reaches a large forest clearing. It continues along the edge of the wood and the road to Schömberg, leaving via Reinerzauerstraße and Altenburgstraße. After 2 kilometres the route leaves the track in the forest district of Hardt and follows a narrow footpath. After the Heilenberger Hut it continues, in places very steeply, down to Alpirsbach, which is reached via Forchenweg.
Sixth stage: Alpirsbach – Schramberg Overview Distance: 19 km Journey time: c. 5.5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Alpirsbach 0 441 Rötenbach 1.5 420 In the municipality of Alpirsbach Adelsberg 1.0 518 Fräulinsberg 2.0 530 Holzebene 3.0 583 Naturfreundehaus Brandsteig-Schänzle 1.5 690 Römische Straßenstation Zollhaus 1.5 720 Aichhalden 2.5 716 Paradieshof 3.5 670 Schramberg 2.5 424
Seventh stage: Schramberg – Villingen Overview Distance: 27.5 km Journey time: c. 7 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Schramberg 0 424 Tischneck 2.5 720 In the municipality of Schramberg Benediktinerhöhe 1.0 798 Hardt 1.5 800 Mönchhof 2.0 794 Lindenloch / Glasbachtal 2.0 760 Albblick / Martinsweiler 1.5 770 Kreuzung mit dem Querweg Rottweil–Lahr Ruine Waldau 1.5 737 Kulturdenkmal Hof Beck Königsfeld 2.0 761 Kreuzung mit Querweg Rottweil–Lahr Mönchweiler 5.5 801 Kurgarten Villingen 5.5 721 Kreuzung mit dem Black Forest-Jura-Bodensee-Weg Villingen 2.5 704
Eighth stage: Villingen – Sunthausen Overview Distance: 16.5 km Journey time: c. 4 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Villingen 0 704 viewing tower Wanne 2.5 777 Bertholdshöfe 1.0 758 Intersection with the Black Forest Jura-Bodensee-Weg Hölzlekönig 1.0 748 Ehemaliges Naturdenkmal Kugelmoos 2.5 710 Schwenninger Moos 1.0 706 Naturschutzgebiet Bad Dürrheim-Kurhaus Hüttenbühl 2.0 700 Waldcafé 2.0 795 Aussichtspunkt Hirschhaldehütte 2.0 759 Kleine Schutzhütte Sunthauser See 2.0 707 Sunthausen 0.5 706 In the municipality of Bad Dürrheim
Ninth stage: Sunthausen – Geisingen Overview Distance: 16 km Journey time: c. 4 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Sunthausen 0 706 Öfingen 5.0 820 In the municipality of Bad DürrheimIntersection with the Black Forest Jura-Bodensee-Weg Blatthaldenhütte 5.0 915 Schutzhütte mit GrillplatzAussichtspunkt Hörnlekapf 1.5 875 HubertushütteAussichtspunkt Geisingen 4.5 667
Tenth stage: Geisingen – Achdorf Overview Distance: 23 km Journey time: c. 6 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Geisingen 0 667 Wartenberg 2.0 825 Gutmadingen 2.5 673 In the municipality of Geisingen Wendthütte 3.0 859 Grillplatz Längewiesen 1.5 914 Wegabzweigung nach Hondingen 0.5 921 Höchster Punkt des Ostwegs Neue Hütte 1.5 835 Hondingen 1.5 720 In the municipality of Blumberg Eichberg 6.0 913 SchutzhütteAussichtspunkt Achdorf 4.5 540 In the municipality of Blumberg
Eleventh stage: Achdorf – Stühlingen Overview Distance: 16.5 km Journey time: c. 4.5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Achdorf 0 540 Kreuzung mit dem Querweg Freiburg–BodenseeKreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig Wutachflühen Bei der Muttergottes 4.0 575 NaturschutzgebietKreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig Footbridge over the Wutach 2.5 505 Flüheweg durch das Wutachtal Gasthaus Wutachschlucht 1.5 500 Ehemaliger Haltepunkt Lausheim-Blumegg der stillgelegten Wutachtalbahn (Sauschwänzlebahn) Ehemaliger Bahnhof Weizen 4.0 471 Bahnhof der stillgelegten Wutachtalbahn (Sauschwänzlebahn)Kreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig Katzenloch 1.0 530 Stühlingen 3.5 501 Kreuzung mit dem Schluchtensteig
Twelfth stage: Stühlingen – Schaffhausen Overview Distance: 19 km Journey time: c. 5 hours Place/Attraction Route(km) Höhe(m ü. NHN) Further information Stühlingen 0 501 Stühlingen-Grenzübergang 1.0 450 Schleitheim 2.5 467 Strickhof 2.5 580 Schleitheimer Schlossranden 2.0 901 Schleitheimer Randenturm Zelgli 1.0 865 Bräunlingsbuck 2.5 778 Chlosterfeld 2.0 655 Schaffhausen 5.5 400
Route description
The route leaves Stühlingen via Hauptstraße and Bahnhofstraße.
Literature Reinhard Distel und Heinz R. Wittner: Wanderführer Schwarzwald-Höhenwege. 7th edn., Ostfildern, 1997. . pp. 111–141
External links Wanderservice Black Forest: web service by the Black Forest Club for visualising the Black Forest trails on Google Maps with various overlays (trail network, waysigns, accommodation, …) GPS Wanderatlas Deutschland: complete tour description with current GPS data and digital hiking map