recommended route
Luther Trail Tour Tip: 'Listening to your inner voice' – Heldburg Fortress
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Luftaufnahme - Veste HeldburgPhoto: Paul Hentschel, Lutherweg - Thüringer Tourismus GmbH
Hike along a short section of the Luther Trail in the southernmost part of Thuringia.
moderate
Distance 8.5 km
3:00 h
141 m
145 m
395 m
286 m
A typical example of how the Reformation found its way into the social ranks of the mid-16th century can be found in the southern region of Thuringia around Veste Heldburg Castle. The rapid change from Catholic to reformatory, Protestant beliefs can be easily seen here.
Many little things that you discover on this round trip bear witness to these changes. See for yourself and search for traces left by the first Protestant witnesses at the castle and in the small farming hamlet of Heldburg. Today you can still see signs of former everyday village life, and in the right light and with a little imagination you can, for a fleeting moment, almost see Martin Luther himself ride through the region and the landscape with a horse and cart on one of his long journeys.
Author’s recommendation
Every summer, hot air ballooning enthusiasts from all over Germany meet in Heldburg for competitions and championships. The night glow ritual in the evening is a spectacle not to be missed.
Author
Paul Hentschel
Update: February 22, 2017
Difficulty
moderate
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
Veste Heldburg, 395 m
Lowest point
Altstadt Heldburg, 286 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Safety information
The ascent and descent to and from Heldburg Fortress is very steep in places. Make sure you watch your step and hold tight where possible, particularly in bad weather.Tips and hints
Bad Colberg – Heldburg website (German only)Rodach Valley Action Group website (Germany only)
Start
Heldburg Fortress (364 m)
Coordinates:
DD
50.289579, 10.730486
DMS
50°17'22.5"N 10°43'49.7"E
UTM
32U 623269 5572260
w3w
///heraldry.warehouse.harvest
Destination
Heldburg Fortress
Turn-by-turn directions
Heldburg old town – Kuhsee Lake – Grünes Haus rest area – Heldburg Fortress – Heldburg old town
Note
all notes on protected areas
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
Take the Werra bus towards Hildburghausen to get to Bad Colberg-Heldburg . TimetableGetting there
By car coming from Coburg, take the B303 towards Schweinfurt to Heldburg. At Dietersdorf, head north and follow the signs to Bad Colberg-Heldburg.Parking
You can park in the centre of Heldburg near the church. LinkCoordinates
DD
50.289579, 10.730486
DMS
50°17'22.5"N 10°43'49.7"E
UTM
32U 623269 5572260
w3w
///heraldry.warehouse.harvest
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
http://frankenland.franconica.uni-wuerzburg.de/login/data/1990_137.pdf (German only)
Author’s map recommendations
Printed maps are available in all good book stores. Digital hiking maps can be found on OpenStreetMaps.
Book recommendations for this region:
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Equipment
Sturdy shoes and hiking sticks
Reviews
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
8.5 km
Duration
3:00 h
Ascent
141 m
Descent
145 m
Highest point
395 m
Lowest point
286 m
Statistics
Maps and trails
- 9 Waypoints
- 9 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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Rating
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