Eckental: Hiking and Local History

Eckental lies in the hilly Schwabach Valley in Middle Franconia, in the district of Erlangen-Höchstadt in Bavaria. The municipality is located near Franconian Switzerland and the Sebalder Reichswald forest and comprises 13 constituent communities. Hiking trails of varying lengths, a fitness and health park in the forest, and historic sites shape the local focus for visitors. Explore Eckental according to your interests: with a circular hike, a shorter walk, or a look at the history of its mills and communities.

Hiking Trails and Walks

There are eight circular hiking trails of varying lengths and eight shorter walking routes in and around the municipality. When planning a trip, you can first choose between these options and then consider the specific route. The starting point and local availability are important for any particular route; check locally to confirm that the trails are available.

One example of a longer route is “To Old Castles and Churches in and around Eckental.” The route document, dated September 2011, gives a distance of 16 kilometres, an easy difficulty rating, an estimated duration of around four hours, and 78 metres of elevation gain. The starting point is Eschenau railway station. As this information comes from an older route document, check the current trail conditions locally before setting out.

The municipality provides GPX downloads for its hiking trails; the route data reflects the status in 2019/20. It also recommends a free fold-out hiking map, available at the town hall reception desk. Include the recommended fold-out map in your planning and choose a specific route.

A Shorter Circular Trail in the Forest

Eckental Fitness and Health Park is in a forest between Eckenhaid and Herpersdorf. It has a 2.1-kilometre circular trail and nine exercise stations. In terms of length, this circular trail is considerably shorter than the 16-kilometre “To Old Castles and Churches in and around Eckental” route; the exercise stations also offer a different focus from hiking. Eckental therefore offers both signposted hiking routes and a compact forest activity area with exercise stations.

Mills, a Memorial Site and Audio Trails

The Brander Mill is part of local history. It was one of the oldest of the 29 mills along the Schwabach and was probably built around 1300. The mill is no longer in operation.

A memorial site with a commemorative plaque was created in the “In der Fraisch” area of Forth. Another cultural topic is explored by Eckental’s three audio trails. They were created through the local adult education centre and the Bavarian Broadcasting Corporation’s “Klingende Landschaften” (Soundscapes) project, and were published online on BR websites. As an audio format, they differ from the hiking and walking routes and add an auditory perspective to local history.

Eckental’s present-day municipal structure also has its own history. The municipality was formed on 1 July 1972 by the merger of the former municipalities of Benzendorf, Eckenhaid, Eschenau with Oberschöllenbach, Forth with Frohnhof, Herpersdorf and Unterschöllenbach. Brand was added in 1978. These two dates mark distinct steps: the 1972 merger and the later addition of Brand.

Travel by Regional Train

Eschenau is served by VGN regional rail line RB 21, the Gräfenbergbahn, between Nürnberg Nordost and Gräfenberg. If you are travelling by train, check the current timetable before your journey to plan your connection.

Discover more destinations: Erlangen, Uttenreuth, Gremsdorf, Höchstadt An Der Aisch, Bubenreuth, Herzogenaurach, Weisendorf, Heroldsberg.

For the broader travel overview: Erlangen-Höchstadt.