Pfälzer-Land-Cycle Route

Difficulty level: Suitable for everyone, has only one longer moderate ascent.

Route characteristics:

Route:

Predominantly agricultural roads and forest tracks, cycle paths and quiet district roads.

Railway trails:

9 km between Reichenbach and Weilerbach

Surface quality:

40 km of asphalt surfaces

8 km of crushed brick/stone surfaces

The route in the cycle network: The Pfälzer Land Cycle Route connects the valleys of the Alsenz, the Odenbach, the Lauter and the Glan to create a valuable addition to the region’s cycle path network. Starting at the train station in Altenglan, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route
runs along a designated path to Friedelhausen, sometimes alongside the road. On hot days it is worth paying a visit to the swimming pool in Altenglan or taking a quick detour to the pool in Bosenbach. The route continues through Friedelshausen, Niederstaufenbach and Oberstaufenbach to Reichenbach-Steegen, sometimes using local roads. Passing Kissel bakery in Reichenbach-Steegen and the climbing forest near Schwedelbach, the cycle path runs along a disused railway track to Weilerbach. A visit to the town’s Reinhard Blauth Museum is recommended. It is also worth making a detour to neighbouring Rodenbach, with its Celtic wagon grave, chieftain’s tomb and outdoor court. Leaving Weilerbach, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route continues through the Pfeifertal valley to Hirschhorn. Following the course of the river Lauter, the cycle route picks up the same trail as the lauter Cycle Route as it passes the open-air theatre in Katzweiler en route to Otterbach. There you have the opportunity to visit the

Stellwerk Museum, a signal box museum located directly on the cycle route, or the motorcycle museum in the centre of Otterbach. The Pfälzer Land Cycle Route now continues along a disused railway line, passing through the natural scenery of the Ottertal valley, as it makes its way to the Walloon town of Otterberg. It is worth taking a detour to the historic old town with its 12th-century monastery church. From Otterberg, the path continues towards Mehlingen, past the Jewish cemetery and Mehlinger Heide, the largest heathland in south-western Germany. The cycle route then heads towards Baalborn, where it is worth paying a visit to the

perfume museum before continuing on to Mehlingen. From there, the route goes to Enkenbach-Alsenborn, which is known as the "home of tightrope walkers" and also features the Bajasseum, a museum of circus life. At its end point in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route meets the Barbarossa Cycleway, which connects the Palatinate Forest with the Rhine Plain.

Visit Otterberg’s historic town centre. In addition to the 12th/13th century Cistercian monastery church, the Walloon town features a wealth of fascinating half-timbered houses and is surrounded by a well-preserved town wall.

Visit Mehlinger Heide moorland, with its interactive heathland trail. The nature reserve and bird sanctuary is one of the largest heathland areas in south-western Germany and provides a habitat for native, rare and endangered species in an extraordinary biotope.

One of the starting points of the draisine tour in Glantal is located in Altenglan, and the cross-border Glan-Blies Cycle Route also passes through the town. Combine your cycling tour with a draisine tour, or extend your trip with a ride along the Glan-Blies Cycle Route to the river Nahe or into France. www.draisinentour.de / www.glan-blies-weg.de 

 Some parts of the trail offer very little shade in summer. There are rest stops along the way, but we recommend taking plenty of drinks with you.

A good bike, an explorer’s attitude and something to eat and drink – that’s all you need on this tour.

The Pfälzer Land Cycle Route starts at Altenglan train station and runs parallel to the Glan-Blies Cycle Route as far as the river Glan (or the rail crossing) and then turns east into the Reichenbach valley. The cycle path now runs parallel to the road, past Altenglan swimming pool, through a grazing project featuring Heck cattle and Konik horses, and on to Friedelhausen. We travel along the roads of Im Brühl and Im Pfaffental before leaving the town and continuing on the cycle path. At the intersection of the country roads there is a connection to the cycle path to Bosenbach, which has a swimming pool. The main Pfälzer Land Cycle Route turns right and continues through the Reichenbach valley to Niederstaufenbach, where it follows Hauptstraße all the way through the town. From there, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route runs alongside the road to Oberstaufenbach. From the entrance of the village, it continues along Hauptstraße through Oberstaufenbach. The roadside cycle path continues on the L367 country road to Reichenbach-Steegen. The cycle route passes through the town along Hauptstraße until it reaches Bahnhofstraße. Continue straight on Bahnhofstraße. After crossing the L366, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route moves onto a disused railway line, which it follows from Reichenbach-Steegen to the outskirts of Schwedelbach. From there, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route continues onto the street marked Am Hübel. Turn right into Bahnhofstraße again. At the end of the street, the cycle path turns right and then immediately left again onto the disused railway track in the direction of Weilerbach. After crossing Mackenbacher Straße and Obergasse in Weilerbach, the cycle path runs along Bahnhofstraße. Turn left onto Hauptstraße and then immediately right into the street marked In der Naßerde. At the end of the street, continue straight ahead along the agricultural road before the cycle route crosses the main road at Ziegelhütte and continues along the road through the Pfeifertal valley. Shortly before entering Hirschhorn, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route meets the Lauter Cycle Route and continues to the right along an agricultural road towards the

open-air theatre in Katzweiler. Turn right onto an agricultural road past the sports fields to the district road (23). Turn left and travel a short distance on the road before turning right onto an agricultural road after crossing the bridge. The route passes the Bonanza Ranch as it runs along Eisenbahnstraße in Katzweiler, before turning right at the end, crossing the railway line and then immediately turning left into Austraße. Following the route past Sambach, the cycle path continues to the Stellwerk Museum, a signal box museum, in Otterbach. Here you turn left and cycle for a short distance on the road before turning right onto a roadside path towards the roundabout. At the roundabout, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route turns left onto the disused railway line and, together with the Odenbach Cycle Route, follows it to the outskirts of

Otterberg. Continuing straight ahead, the cycle path takes riders along Otterstraße before turning right into Bachstraße at the T-junction. Continue straight ahead for a few metres and then turn right again onto Lauterter Straße. The cycle path follows this road to the street Am Rothenberg. Turn left here and then immediately left again into Am Sixmeisterwoog. The route follows this road, passing the tennis courts, until it reaches a quiet district road. The route continues right, passing Weinbrunnerhof farm as it heads uphill. At the top of the hill the cycle path turns right onto a forest track and follows it past the Jewish cemetery and up onto the Mehlinger Heide moorland. It now heads left along a good agricultural road in the direction of Baalborn. Just outside Baalborn, the Pfälzer Land Cycle Route takes a right turn onto a Roadside cycle path which it follows all the way into Mehlingen. Continue along Hauptstraße through Mehlingen before the route reaches Mehlingen cemetery, where it picks up a roadside cycle path to Enkenbach. The cycle path continues straight ahead along Neukircher Straße until it reaches Donnersbergstraße. Following Donnersbergstraße to the left, the cycle path turns right at the filling station into Wolfstraße, which it follows to its end point, the train station in Enkenbach-Alsenborn, where there is a direct connection to the Barbarossa Cycleway.