Discover Schutterwald

Schutterwald can be experienced from several perspectives during a stay: nature in the Unterwassermatten area, walking and cycling routes, and local traditions and history. If you are looking for hotels in Schutterwald, these topics provide an objective guide to the aspects that could shape your stay.

Nature in and around Schutterwald

The Unterwassermatten nature reserve is located in Schutterwald. It is intended to help protect and reintroduce the great snipe. The woods around Schutterwald also include extensive FFH and bird protection areas. For a broader landscape perspective, it is worth looking at the Ortenau district, which is explicitly the wider area: it lies between the Rhine and the Black Forest. There are 23 nature reserves there, covering a total area of around 3,110 hectares and stretching from the Rhine plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest.

Exploring on foot: the Legends Circular Trail and the Way of St. James

The Schutterwald Legends Circular Trail starts at the bathing area of the quarry lake and is 10.7 kilometres long. The stated total elevation gain is 7 metres, and the estimated duration is 2 hours and 35 minutes. The route alternates between meadows, woods and fields; the paths are mostly easy to walk. Highlights along the way include numerous sculptures by the quarry lake and traces of the West Wall in the woods. Signposting and seasonal conditions may change, so it is advisable to check the current situation before setting out.

The Kinzigtal Way of St. James follows a historic pilgrimage route towards Santiago de Compostela. The 130-kilometre route runs from Lossburg to Kehl and is divided into seven stages. St. James’ Church in Schutterwald marks the transition between two stages: the sixth ends here and the seventh begins. Unlike the Legends Trail, which is described as a circular route, the Way of St. James is organised in stages and forms part of a longer route. The two trails therefore offer different planning frameworks.

Cycling route and local history

A cycling tour also has a clearly named landmark: the Lakes Tour passes the Schutterwald bathing lake and continues through Schutterwald to Höfen. It complements the walking routes with a cycling route whose course through the town is described. When considering several activities, you can distinguish between the staged structure of the Way of St. James, the Legends Trail with its stated duration, and the Lakes Tour as a cycling route.

Schutterwald is known as an island of dialect and traditional costume because of its distinctive local traditions. The women’s traditional costume developed particularly colourful and varied forms. The town’s history also has a specific point of reference in time: Schutterwald was first mentioned by name in 1268. Art experts classify the church in Schutterwald as an important transition from the Late Baroque to Classicism. Together, these aspects point to different sides of the town: inherited traditions, an early written mention and an architectural classification.

Plan your dining and stay

Restaurants in Schutterwald include options serving German and Italian cuisine. The selection may change; if you have a particular restaurant in mind, it is helpful to check the current offerings. When planning a stay, you can combine local cuisine, town history and outdoor routes without treating the activities as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Durbach, Hohberg, Friesenheim, Biberach, Hornberg, Zell Am Harmersbach, Bad Peterstal-Griesbach, Mahlberg.

To the wider travel overview: Ortenau district.