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Hiking trails & Routes
Germany
Bavaria
Upper Franconia
Franconian Switzerland
Forchheim
Gößweinstein

Grotto near the Esperhöhle – Esper Cave loop from Moritz

Moderate

4.8

(74)

297

hikers

Grotto near the Esperhöhle – Esper Cave loop from Moritz

03:54

12.7km

430m

Hiking

Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.

Last updated: July 2, 2026

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz - Frankenjura

Waypoints

A

Start point

Bus stop

Get Directions

1

2.90 km

Cave in Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz - Frankenjura

Highlight • Cave

2

3.22 km

Grotto near the Esperhöhle

Highlight • Cave

Near the Esper cave lies this small grotto with its large arches. You should definitely go here, if you are at the Esper cave.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

3

3.38 km

Esper Cave

Highlight • Cave

Even before you reach the cave entrance, you can feel in summer the much cooler air that flows from the cave. In the summer months, the cave is walkable and definitely worth a visit. Information boards provide information about the cave and its exploration. The most dangerous places are secured by grates, but the shafts are up to 20 meters deep - therefore it is essential to leash the dog.

From Wikipedia: de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperh%C3%Bhle

The cave was first explored in the 18th century by the pastor Johann Friedrich Esper, after whom it is named, until its end.

In the cave, now classified as a Bodendenkmal, one could find a variety of human bones and artifacts from the Late Hallstatt and Early La Tène period, so there is a burial place or place of sacrifice suspected; the finds are in the Natural History Museum Nuremberg.

The cave ruin consists of caves, burglaries and side rooms. The most interesting part of the cave is a 22-meter-deep shaft, which can only be accessed by means of a rope technique. At the bottom of the so-called Klingloch are several pools with continuous stalactites (stalagmites) in the cave wall. There are small side chambers in which one can climb and from which one comes out in the Klingloch, two meters higher.

The cave was used by the residents for a long time to store ice. The front cave parts are relatively easily accessible and are deep. In the cool cave, a layer of cold air formed by the deposit on the ground, which preserved the ice into August.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

4

5.85 km

Here you can take a short break and fill your bottle. The water bubbles from the Burggaillenreuther spring and can be drunk without hesitation.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

5

8.45 km

Wiesent River

Highlight • River

The Wiesent winds its way through Franconian Switzerland for 81 kilometers. You can follow the course of the river on varied paths from the source to the mouth.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

6

8.59 km

Very nice view from Wiesenttal to Gößweinstein Castle

Translated by Google •

Tip by

7

9.09 km

Stempfermühle

Highlight • Natural Monument

The Stempfermühle is located in Wiesenttal, on the B470 between Behringersmühle and Muggendorf. The Stempfermühl spring of the same name is one of the strongest karst springs in Franconian Switzerland. Its water flows into the nearby Wiesent and operated the Stempfermühle until the 1920s.

The Stempfermühlquelle is the starting point for outdoor activities such as canoeing, hiking, Nordic walking and cycling. There is also a stop for the museum railway, which runs between Ebermannstadt and Behringersmühle from May to October. You can find more information here: stempfermuehle.de

Translated by Google •

Tip by

8

9.11 km

Wiesent Valley

Highlight • River

The climb to the rock formations is definitely worth it, once you reach the top you reach Gößweinstein Castle

Translated by Google •

Tip by

B

12.7 km

End point

Bus stop

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Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

7.92 km

3.23 km

1.23 km

302 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

5.31 km

2.53 km

2.52 km

1.20 km

1.16 km

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Elevation

Elevation

Nothing selected – click and drag below to see the stats for a specific part of the route.

Highest point (490 m)

Lowest point (330 m)

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Weather

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Today

Tuesday 28 July

32°C

14°C

0 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 13.0 km/h

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Comments

September 29, 2024,166. Esperhöhle – Felsensteig Runde von Behringersmühle
Hello everyone,
before the bad weather comes, we enjoyed the beautiful weather again today with a great hike. Today we went to Gössweinstein in the Forchheim district. The first few kilometers were more of a leisurely hike, but that quickly changed 😅. In addition to the grotto and the Esperhöhle, the Felsensteig was waiting at the end. Unfortunately, this was …

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