Petershöhle Loop

Hiking trails & Routes

Germany

Bavaria

Middle Franconia

Petershöhle Loop

Moderate

4.8

(232)

694

hikers

Petershöhle Loop

02:16

7.83km

200m

Hiking

For this hike, it is best to pack a flashlight and something warm to put on. Because on this circular route you will explore the Petershöhle. Where Stone Age people once lived, you can now explore dark halls and passageways on your own. The cave is only closed between the end of September and the beginning of April, as the bats that live here need their peace and quiet.

You start your hike directly from Velden train station, so it is easy to arrive by train. There is also a parking lot there. Directly behind the train station, you cross the Pegnitz and are immediately in nature, where the tough climb continues with a steep climb through the forest. There is a short breather on comfortable paths before you continue uphill to the Petershöhle. Take your time here to explore the cave in detail.

After that, a few more meters of altitude await you. These are quickly completed, because the exciting stations of a forest nature trail along the way attract your attention. Finally, you reach the highest elevation: the Frauenberg. From now on, the path goes downhill and you will soon reach the town of Hartenstein, which is adorned with a medieval castle. You can take a detour there and stop off in the beer garden with a beautiful view. Then you leave Hartenstein in a northerly direction, where you will meet the path from the beginning of your hike again in the forest. You follow this back to Velden train station.

by Nürnberger Land

Last updated: September 17, 2024

Tips

Your route passes through a protected area

Please check local regulations for:

Naturpark Fränkische Schweiz - Frankenjura

Waypoints

Start point

Train Station

Get Directions

2.55 km

Peter's Cave

Highlight • Cave

The cave should not be entered from the end of October to March. The bats are in hibernation there.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

3.49 km

Natural instruments

Highlight • Trail

Listen very carefully! It's not as quiet in the forest as you sometimes think. At various stations that are part of a nature trail, you can listen to nature and create sounds yourself.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

5.40 km

Hartenstein Castle

Highlight • Castle

Beautiful beer garden, good food, great view of Hartenstein and the surrounding forests.

Translated by Google •

Tip by

7.83 km

End point

Train Station

Way Types & Surfaces

Way Types

3.58 km

2.40 km

953 m

818 m

< 100 m

Surfaces

4.19 km

1.23 km

838 m

809 m

648 m

< 100 m

Elevation

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

Highest point (530 m)

Lowest point (390 m)

Weather

Thursday 8 October

12°C

4°C

69 %

Additional weather tips

Max wind speed: 16.0 km/h

to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route

Comments

July 23, 2023,Rundwanderweg: Velden - Petershöhle - Hartenstein - Velden

Varied circular hike. Start in Velden with the blue line. If you prefer to park in the shade, you can park a little below the station. This is where the path with the bridge over the Pegnitz starts. On the "Rosstritt" it goes uphill. The path leads past a quarry. For nature lovers. With some inclines. Again and again wooded …

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August 28, 2023,Petershöhle – Hartenstein Runde von Velden (b Hersbruck)

Hello outdoor enthusiasts,
The tour from Velden takes us to the Petershöhle cave near Hartstein. A tour that not only promised a lot from the start, but completely exceeded expectations. Through magnificent nature and a very steep climb up the mountain, this tour led us past wonderful cliffs and a magnificent forest to the Petershöhle cave. We didn't really expect …

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February 1, 2025,Rundwanderung zur Petershöhle

A wonderful hike from Velden an der Pegnitz train station to Petershöhle. Beautiful forest paths with some very steep sections. We were almost completely alone in the beautiful hiking weather. From the chapel on the Frauenberg we took the Stations of the Cross via Hartenstein back to Velden.

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January 16, 2022,Von Velden zur Burg Hartenstein❄

Have parked at the hiking car park near Velden. Pass the Petershöhle and the Hainkirche to Hartenstein Castle. If the weather had played a little better would have been a nice round.

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July 30, 2023,Rundwanderung zur Petershöhle – Genusswanderungen Nürnberger Land

First "restart" after a three-month break due to torn ligaments - the cut is decent for that 😊
This time with motivating break catering at Hartenstein Castle - the tour is rightly part of the "pleasure hikes" collection.. A bright flashlight is recommended for the cave, then everything glitters three times as beautifully 🤩

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October 31, 2021,Runde um Hartenstein

Great hike starting from Hartenstein. Right at the beginning it goes up steeply. The distant view is worth the effort. The further hike leads over a kind of ridge through the forest. The Hainkirchen is a bit out of the way, but is also very beautiful. But the Petershöhle is even better and bigger. It was very exhausting for the …

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October 31, 2021,Wanderung um Hartenstein

Wonderful autumn hike in bright sunshine.

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July 24, 2025,🥾 Velden - Hartenstein - Gipfelkreuz

After having breakfast in Hartenstein this morning, we discovered a summit cross on the way home that we hadn't heard of before.
As soon as we got home, my wife started looking for the cross on Komoot and immediately planned a hike, which we tackled that afternoon.
A really great tour with a few caves and the summit cross with …

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July 28, 2020

For this hike, it is best to pack a flashlight and something warm to put on. Because on this circular route you will explore the Petershöhle. Where Stone Age people once lived, you can now explore dark halls and passageways on your own. The cave is only closed between the end of September and the beginning

Translated by Google •

May 7, 2022

Yes, that's right, you can also go up the Hirtenberg via a beautiful path. From the summit cross you have a gradiose view.
There are mostly natural paths and trails.

Translated by Google •