Spring has now fully arrived in Munich, and on weekends, residents of the Isar metropolis are regularly drawn to the mountains. But you don’t necessarily have to go high up for a beautiful nature experience . Bavaria’s gorges also offer enchanting landscapes that you can explore on a discovery tour. If you ’re looking for an easy hike where you don’t have to tackle much elevation gain, then the Schwarzachklamm is ideal for you.
Over hill and dale
The Schwarzachklamm, also known as the Schwarzachschlucht, is named after the Schwarzach, the river that flows through it. Along the Schwarzach, you’ll find several other sights besides the gorge, such as Grünsberg Castle near Altdorf or the Löwengrube. Near the Schwarzachklamm lies the Franconian village of Schwarzenbruck in the Nürnberger Land region, where you can start your walk. It is considered one of the 100 most beautiful geotopes in Bavaria.
The gorge is about 2.2 kilometers long and is visually characterized by the varied rock formations. The walls of the Schwarzachschlucht are made of sandstone and form overhangs, depressions, and caves. You definitely shouldn’t miss the Karlshöhle and the Gustav-Adolf-Höhle. The former forms a large chamber that you reach via a small staircase and offers a view of the surrounding forest in the gorge. It’s a popular photo spot among hikers. The latter owes its name to the Swedish King Gustav Adolf, who attended a sermon here after the Thirty Years’ War. A plaque at the Gustav-Adolf-Höhle commemorates this event. The semi-cave is characterized by honeycomb weatheringon the rock face in front of the entrance.
Both caves aren’t particularly deep, but they’re definitely worth seeing and lie along your path through the Schwarzachklamm. But it’s not just the caves you’ll discover in the gorge—you’ll also find the former granite quarry. This opens up to you along the way across a large area and forms a “lost place” in the middle of the gorge. You can still see its remains, as well as those of an old inn, today. At the end of the Schwarzach Gorge, an imposing bridge arch finally welcomes you, providing a fitting conclusion to your tour.
A walk through the Schwarzachklamm
The route through the Schwarzachklamm is easy to navigate and the terrain is mostly flat. If you choose the loop trail starting from Schwarzenbruck, the hike takes about two hours, assuming you take short breaks and take your time to fully admire the scenery. If you’re arriving by car, you can park at the Brückkanal or in Schwarzenbruck at Kirchweihplatz. If you’re coming by public transit, take the S2 from Nuremberg to Feucht and then continue by bus to Gsteinach. From there, it’s a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the gorge.
During your visit to the Schwarzachklamm, you shouldn’t miss the Brückkanal either. On Open Monument Day in September, you’ll even have the opportunity to explore it in detail. At the Brückkanal, you’ll find not only a parking lot from which you can hike into the Schwarzachklamm, but also the Waldschenke. After your tour, you can stop by and wind down the day in the beer garden.
