Discover Lauf: Goat Trail, Castle and Energy Trail

Lauf offers several themed options for a stay: trails for walks and physical activity, a route exploring the history of hydropower, and cultural landmarks such as Neuwindeck Castle. When planning your day, it helps to understand how the options differ. On the Goat Trail, you can spend time outdoors and may encounter a herd of goats; the Fitness Trail offers exercise equipment. The Energy Trail adds the history of hydropower in Lauf to your itinerary. This lets you decide whether exercise, nature or culture should shape your stay.

Goat Trail and Fitness Trail

The family-friendly Goat Trail is signposted from the town center and can be walked at any time of day. When hiking the Goat Trail in Bruderhöfel, you may find yourself surrounded by a herd of curious goats. However, the animals may be in different places at different times: an encounter is possible, but it is not a guaranteed part of every hike.

The Fitness Trail has a different focus. It is around one kilometer long and has a total of 17 exercise stations. It is suitable for walks, brisk walking for exercise and several running laps. It is also suitable for families, older adults and ambitious athletes. The trails therefore offer different experiences for the day: the Goat Trail centers on the possibility of encountering the animals, while the Fitness Trail focuses on exercising at the stations.

Energy Trail and Laufbach Valley

The Energy Trail runs from the power station building in Au to the reservoir in Glashütte. It follows the route of the conduit built in 1923/1924 and provides information about the history of hydropower in Lauf. The return route goes around the reservoir and along the Laufbach Trail to the Iron Bridge and back to the power station in Au. The Energy Trail is 6.7 km in total. At around one kilometer, the Fitness Trail is considerably shorter than the Energy Trail; the trails therefore differ in the time and type of exercise they involve.

The Laufbach Valley and its side valleys also offer opportunities for hiking and mountain biking. The range of activities therefore extends from a roughly one-kilometer route with exercise stations to hikes and mountain bike rides in the valley area. If you are planning outdoor activities during your stay, you can take these different forms of exercise into account without combining them into a single loop.

Neuwindeck Castle and the Old Wine Press

Neuwindeck Castle, popularly known as “Laufer Schloss,” was built around 1300 by the Lords of Windeck. The courtyard is accessible to pedestrians at all times. A weekend schedule is listed for the castle tower: in summer, from April, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; in winter, from October, Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Check before your visit whether these hours are still valid.

Another local historical landmark is the old wine press at Alsenhof. Its basic structure probably dates back to the 16th century. Together with the castle, it adds a glimpse into the region’s past to the trails and outdoor activities. When planning your visit, you can consider the freely accessible courtyard, the listed tower schedule and the historic wine press as different cultural attractions.

The Ortenau district as a regional setting

The wider travel destination of the Ortenau district is a landscape between the Rhine and the Black Forest. The district has 23 nature reserves covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares. They extend from the Rhine plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. This regional context places the local trails and cultural landmarks in Lauf within a broader landscape setting.

Discover more destinations: Meißenheim, Biberach, Sasbachwalden, Ottenhöfen Im Schwarzwald, Mühlenbach, Berghaupten, Schwanau, Hausach.

See the main travel overview: Ortenau district.