© Ha Hessen Tourismus, Roman Knie© Ha Hessen Tourismus, Roman KnieThe Spessart mountains are home to one of Germany’s largest contiguous areas of mixed forest as well as one of Germany’s largest conservation areas, the Spessart Nature Reserve. On foot, you can make the most of the region’s crisp air, unspoilt nature and peace and quiet that’s broken only by the sound of birdsong or the streams that course down into the valleys. There’s lots of culture and history to soak up in the Spessart too: as the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, there’s plenty here that inspired the folklore they collected for their books of fairy tales, and the forests and villages are steeped in mystery and legends. The region is also home to several spa towns with varying wellness facilities, should you need to relax further at the end of a long day’s hike.
Connecting two towns - Langenselbold and Schlüchtern – that sit on the River Kinzig, the Spessart Bow is a 90km hiking trail that arcs its way through the Spessart Nature Reserve. A gentle, relaxing route that takes in the best of the region’s natural landscapes, the scenery alternates between quiet forests and sweeping vistas of green valleys. The Spessart Bow also takes in two renowned spa towns, Bad Orb and Bad Soden-Salmünster, which make for excellent places to stop and relax along the way.
For further information about hiking the Spessart Bow, visit the Spessart Tourism website.