Wachtenburg Castle Ruins – Basalt Lake (Nordbruch) loop from Wachenheim an der Weinstraße

Hiking trails & Routes

Germany

Rhineland-Palatinate

Palatinate Forest

Landkreis Bad Dürkheim

Wachenheim an der Weinstraße

Wachtenburg Castle Ruins – Basalt Lake (Nordbruch) loop from Wachenheim an der Weinstraße

Easy

4.6

(263)

1,104

hikers

Wachtenburg Castle Ruins – Basalt Lake (Nordbruch) loop from Wachenheim an der Weinstraße

01:49

5.99km

200m

Hiking

Easy hike. Great for any fitness level. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: September 24, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through protected areas

Please check local regulations for:

Haardtrand - Am Bechsteinkopf

Biosphärenreservat Pfälzerwald-Vosges du Nord

Waypoints

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

672 m

Stairs to Wachtenburg Castle

Highlight • Castle

Steep stairs, but the walk is definitely worth it.

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845 m

Picnic Area Below Wachtenburg Castle

Highlight • Rest Area

Rest area directly at the ruins of Wachtenburg.

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905 m

The Wachtenburg ruin is being volunteered by
"Friends of the Wachtenburg Ruins Conservation Association"
looked after and maintained by committed members in their free time.
Tasks and goals:
The most important and outstanding task of the association is the preservation of the Wachtenburg ruins. After partially uncovering the still existing foundation and outer walls of various construction periods, it is necessary to carry out the securing and renovation with suitable materials, based on modern and modern knowledge and techniques, so carefully that the substance is secured for the next generations. In addition, maintaining the surroundings of the castle is an important matter so that the castle walls can be seen from all sides. Order and cleanliness of the castle grounds should give a visually positive picture.
Source: wachtenburg.de

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3.34 km

Basalt Lake (Nordbruch)

Highlight • Lake

From the path, the ballast quarry offers an impressive view of the lake that has formed there.
It is located on the Pechsteinkopf, which takes its name from the basalt found there.
The ballast was mined in open-cast mining until the 1980s. In addition to a smaller crater in the southwest, a larger one was created in the northeast, which is 100 m deep and 200 m in diameter. Initially, the rock was transported by a circular cable car to a loading station with a grinding mill on the Neustadt-Bad Dürkheim railway line. The cable car was more than 2 km long and ran between Forst an der Weinstraße and Deidesheim across the German Wine Route.

After basalt mining was stopped, the grinding mill and cable car were dismantled and the edges of the craters were cordoned off to prevent access. Because the water escaping in the mining area is no longer pumped out as it was during mining times, two ponds formed on the bottom of the mining craters, which are now natural biotopes.

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4.59 km

Thomas' Forest Wine Tavern

Highlight • Mountain Hut

Great cuisine with local suppliers - based on the Palatinate, interpreted according to the season! Very good value for money!

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4.83 km

Bench with a view of the Rhine Plain

Highlight • Viewpoint

If the weather is right, the view is breathtaking.

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5.22 km

View of Wachtenburg Castle from the Pfälzer Mandelpfad

Highlight • Viewpoint

Great view of the Wachtenburg

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5.33 km

View of Wachtenburg Castle from the Schönste Weinsicht 2016 (Pfalz)

Highlight • Viewpoint

Most beautiful wine view 2016 in the Palatinate with a view of the Wachtenburg

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5.99 km

End point

Bus stop

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

3.05 km

1.50 km

1.44 km

Surfaces

2.36 km

1.56 km

1.09 km

685 m

149 m

148 m

Elevation

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Weather

Wednesday 7 October

16°C

8°C

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Comments

September 28, 2025,Wachtenburg und Basaltseen

Unfortunately, there was no view. The new platform at the lower basalt lake and the signs are quite nice. Unfortunately, the weather was rather unspectacular, although the lake in the deeply cut quarry certainly doesn't look like the Palatinate Forest! From picture 7, you can see Bad Dürkheim! Suddenly, the sun shone! We had Thai food and then the obligatory …

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May 26, 2022,Wander dich Glücklich - Tour 11

Father's Day Tour - from the Wachtenburg to the basalt lake

Stronghold and romantic lake

The symbol of the town of Wachenheim is the imposing Wachtenburg, a Salian castle from the 12th century, which can be seen from afar. The popular excursion destination is the starting point for a relaxed hike to the basalt lake, where you can relax on …

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