The Markgrafen Weg - where the Markgrafen once resided - from Kulmbach to Bayreuth
The Markgrafenweg begins in the barracks courtyard of Plassenburg Castle. The footpath is signposted several times from the main square and the town hall.
From Kulmbach to Waldau
We leave the barracks courtyard through the eastern castle gate. On the left we see the remains of the fortifications of the Hohe Bastei, which were left after Napoleon ordered their dismantling in 1806. We soon turn right onto a shady slope path into the beech forest, which drops steeply down to the Höllgrund. After just under 1000 m, we reach the Sommerrangenhütte on a natural path. The slope path leads us through light mixed forest to the first house in Maierhof - past the former excursion destination “Waldschlösschen” - and soon to the local road, which we cross.
We go through Tennach, keep left there and then walk along a field path with beautiful views to the small parking lot at the beginning of the coniferous forest. We take a sharp right turn, walk downhill for approx. 500 m, turn left, follow another forest path to a spider trail and turn left there. On an incline, we turn right and walk on near-natural paths on the lower slope through a coniferous forest, cross a forest path after some time and continue through the forest, initially quite steeply, then more gently uphill, until our path finally turns right downhill to the Lindau-Leuchau road.
We cross it and, at the fork between the two paths, climb the Rauhen Berg (464 m) on a path in the forest, first briefly and steeply, then slightly uphill on a comfortable forest path, and after about 750 m we reach the top with a charming view to the south. We come to a field path and follow it in a left-hand bend to the Schwingen-Lindau road, which we cross, still enjoying impressive views.
We walk along the field path in the open to the elevated tank next to the forest, then up the slope of the Hohenberg (484 m), initially very steeply, soon moderately ascending. We walk on very pleasant paths and tracks through the sparse pine forest to a forest path. We turn left and then follow a level path through the forest. After the end of the forest, we cross the A 70 (Kulmbach-Bamberg) straight ahead to a row of trees with mighty oaks. Through the hollow path we reach Waldau at the fire station.
From Waldau to Bayreuth
At the end of the village, we turn right onto the Zoltmühlenweg and walk along an old road through the fields, accompanied by beautiful views. At the end of the paddock, we turn right, walk along the fence and a pond to the field path and follow it to Pechgraben. Views along the way: Pechgraben fields, the street village in front, looking back to the left the Hohenberg (484 m), to the right the Tierleite.
We hike in Pechgraben - at the fire station briefly along the road to the left and then immediately right again (Oberkeil) - through the Gräfentaler Fluren to a road (view of the Ramsenthaler Höhenzug), which leads us along the sand pits and the first biotopes (abandoned sand pits). In a bend to the right (watch out!), we leave the road to the right to a beautiful path that leads us through sparse pine forests with changing forest sections along the Fürstenleithe and past abandoned quarries to Theta.
We follow the road through the village to the left uphill to the forest. We turn right and walk on easy forest paths and trails in a straight main direction close to the edge of the forest and briefly along the edge. At times we have to watch out not only for roots on the ground but also for forks. We take a forest path briefly to the left, soon turn right again onto a path and soon come to a meadow. We walk along the edge downhill to the forest and reach the Cottenbach stream at the foot of the Hohe Warte, walking steadily downhill on paths and beautiful trails in the forest.
We cross the stream and walk steadily up the mainly pine-covered slope to the Victory Column on the Hohe Warte (463 m). In the lower half, our path is partly washed out, not very wide and quite steep. It then climbs more leisurely, becoming wider and comfortable. After the view over the Bayreuth countryside, we walk down a forest path to a road and take it downhill to the right to the “Wagnerwiese”, which is very busy during the Festival, to the edge of the town “An der Bürgerreuth” and to the restaurant of the same name in the Wagner town of Bayreuth - and straight on, after about 500 m, to the Festival Hall on the Green Hill.
The station can be easily reached by city bus or on foot: We follow Siegfried-Wagner-Allee (together with the Nortwaldweg and Jakobusweg) and then Bürgerreuther Straße in a straight line.
