FOREST LOOP (5 km)

A Break in the Tranquility of the Forest

This easy walking path offers a little escape from the hustle and bustle of the cities. If you want to enjoy the peace of the forest, this is the place for you. You can let nature work its magic undisturbed, and the forest provides pleasant coolness on hot summer days.

A Sea of White Blossoms

A special feature here is the largest wild garlic area in southern Hesse, especially during the flowering season in early May, when the forest floor is covered with white blossoms. The meadow ecosystem and the Old Shooting Range biotope, with their untouched flora and fauna, are also worth a stop.

Nature and Ecology in Focus

For those eager to learn, there is plenty of information along the way about nature and ecology, as well as some history. The path starts near the Ritterweiher, at the end of Ritterstraße. Passing the meadow project of the Naturfreunde, it quickly enters the forest. Along the Old Shooting Range biotope, animals and plants can be observed—native orchids even bloom here. An elevated rest area offers the opportunity for a picnic with a beautiful view over the marshy areas.

Bloody Good Friday

Next, you reach the Berger Wiese, the site of the legendary Battle of Bergen and Vilbel in 1759—the “Bloody Good Friday.” On the path between meadow and forest, light effects are created through the foliage of the trees onto the forest floor. On one side, the view sweeps across the meadow; on the other, into the forest—rest areas in this section also invite you to linger.

The path leaves the meadow edge and leads back into the forest, all the way to the gardens in Hexenloch and then back to the Ritterweiher.