page_title: Odenwald
section_title: Special day trips
hierarchical_section_title: Odenwald / Transport and tourism / Special day trips
context_page_description: The Odenwald is a low mountain range in the German states of Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
context_section_description: In Hainstadt, Hesse (a constituent community of Breuberg) in the Mümling valley is a quarry which has been turned into a climbing facility by the Odenwälder Kletterfreunde (“Odenwald Climbing Friends”). There is also a climbing path secured by wire cables. The Odenwald Climbing Friends take care of the paths. The quarry also lies in the DAV's (Deutsche Alpenverein e. V.  – a mountain climbing club) Darmstadt Section feeder area.
  Beneath the 514 m-high Felsberg and north of Lautertal-Reichenbach is found a Felsenmeer – literally “cliff sea” – consisting of many weathered stones strewn about the ground which have fallen down from the cliff after having come loose from erosion. The Romans used it as a stone quarry.
  In Eberstadt, a constituent community of Buchen, one of southern Germany's most important dripstone caves was discovered in 1971. It is open to the public.
  Around the Katzenbuckel runs the Kristall-Lehrpfad (“Crystal Teaching Path”), which graphically shows the volcanic development in the Odenwald.
  From Höchst im Odenwald snakes the Obrunnschlucht (gorge) as a romantic fairytale path towards Rimhorn with many model buildings (palaces, castles and mills) along the valley.
  The Odenwald is threaded with a network of more than 10,000 km (6,214 miles) of hiking trails.
  Because the roads have so many bends, the Odenwald is a popular outing destination for motorcyclists.
  Every year one of the greatest Halloween events in Germany is organized on the Frankenstein Castle (see above). The same name suggests a connection with Mary Shelleys famous filmed novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus. The horror scenery and the comedians dressed up as ghosts and witches spook the huge audience.
  Walking and climbing through the Margarethenschlucht (Neckargerach) or the Wolfsschlucht (Wolf's Glen) near Zwingenberg castle (Zwingenberg/Neckar)
  Zwingenberg Castle (see above) is the place of an annual castle festival. Carl Maria von Webers romantic opera Der Freischütz (translated as The Marksman or The Freeshooter.) is performed at the entrance of the gorge Wolfsschlucht. The plot is based on a German folk legend which the composer discovered in the Gespensterbuch (ghostsbook) during his sojourn in Neuburg Abbey near Heidelberg in 1810. It is believed, that he also was inspired by the Wolf's Glen in a Neckar tributary valley, but there are many places in Germany with the same name. Anyway. In act 2 the protagonist Max meets the diabolic Caspar in the supernatural greepy opera scene Wolfsschlucht to become the best shooter with the assistance of magic power. Now a risky action starts.
  For half a week early July the Heppenheimer (see above) Street theatre named Gassensensationen occupies several places und corners of the old town with presentations for children and adults. The outdoor performances include very popular loud and simple genres with music, dance, mime, circus arts and slapstick, but also sensitive theatre plays or songs in discrete spaces.
  The granite rocks of the Juhöhe near Heppenheim inspired people to imagine fairy tales. They told, that the holes were offering cups for the devil. Stones nearby got chapped, when he sharpened his claws. According to a local version of the Rodensteiner legend the Wild Hunter crossing the Juhöhe lost his cry of hounds: They crashed and where rammed in the ground. Even today the petrified dogheads are on view at the top of the hill. So the rocks are called Hundsköpfe. Flat iron is the name of another granite formation near the Juhöhe. A long time ago Giant-ladies made use of it to set their Sunday dresses in order.
caption: Every year the Heppenheimer Street Theatre Gassensensationen occupiesEberstadt the marketplace and other corners of the old town
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