On the trail of the Rennsteig around Tettau - hiking along the Green Belt

Unique in Europe. This is how it is displayed at the Kalte Küche car park, because three national parks meet here. The Rennsteig, the green belt and the Schieferland Geopark. The cold kitchen, one of the most important mountain passes and a historical site through which many large military campaigns with high-ranking personalities passed... Now I'm standing here. The sun is still shining on a short winter day and immediately presents me with a wide view of the Altjägermoor. On the Rennsteig you cross the Dichterwald, which currently only fulfils the title of forest in one respect. Many spruce trees had to make way here too. Again and again along the way there are memorial plaques at the former inner German border which reveal the fates of border runners and riflemen. In the small villages of Kleintettau, Tettau and Spechtsbrunnen the view of chic slate houses decorated for Christmas dominates. Rays of light in the gathering fog. An interesting exhibition of glass production in Kleintettau takes you deeper into the art of glass craftsmanship. Finally, the well-signposted Glashütten Trail leads a good distance along the green belt between Thuringia and Bavaria. Where the Thuringian Forest and the Franconian Forest meet. Limitless.

Today we were on the Glashüttenweg R 91 in thick fog. The start and end point was "Benno", our weekend home, so the tour is a little different. The fog swallowed up almost everything, which made the hike mystical and beautiful in a special way. When we got back to Benno, we lit the stove and made ourselves nice and cozy with a cup of tea.

Great hike in perfect weather ☀️☀️☀️unfortunately I extended the route a bit 😉little detour to the tropical house and falcon museum.☀️❄️🥾🎄🕯️

Great round that I found on Komoot. The tour starts in Tettau, leads over the Wildberg, then continues along a columned path to Spechtsbrunn. Via the Rennsteig we went to the "cold kitchen", where there was a lot going on today. From there the tour continued along the Rennsteig to the Schildwiese. I made a detour to the customs house there. A paved path leads from the Schildwiese to Kleintettau. You cross Bavarian and Thuringian territory several times. A special feature is the Kleintettauer Zipfel, on which 3 houses belonging to Thuringia from Kleinlichtenhain were located. In 1976 the border was changed so that the area from Kleinlichtenhain came to Kleintettau and thus to the Federal Republic of Germany. 2 of the houses had to be demolished because they were no longer inhabited and therefore uninhabitable. Unfortunately, the paths between the Kleintettau sports field and Tettau are quite muddy and broken, otherwise a wonderful round.

Today the hike took me through an impressive border landscape full of history. The starting point was the ski lift in Tettau, a municipality that lies directly on the Bavarian-Thuringian border. From here, I first went down the Kirchsteig with a breathtaking view of the Tettau valley to Tettau itself. The town was once shaped by the inner-German border and is now a living example of regained unity. After the descent, the next climb followed to Kleintettau, which is known for its traditional glass production and the European Bottle Glass Museum. Here, in the immediate vicinity of the former border, was once the final stop - today the route continues, freely over the heights of the Thuringian Forest. Over the Kleintettau Zipfel, the path continued up to the Rennsteig, one of the most famous high-altitude trails in Germany, which was fully accessible again after reunification in 1989. From Zollhaus, a wonderful section began over the Schilderwiese, the Dichterwald, the Schleifenwiese and finally the well-known "Kalte Küche" crossroads. Once we arrived in Spechtsbrunn, a former border town directly on the Rennsteig, the route changed to the Clemens Major hiking trail. This leads directly to the Green Belt, the former restricted area, which today stretches as a unique nature reserve along the former inner-German border. The route then returned to the starting point at the ski lift in Tettau via the Kolonnenweg, which was once built for GDR border troops.

A very nice hike along the Rennsteig and Kolonenweg on the green belt. Autumn weather and lots of sun.

Starting from Spechtsbrunn, at the information point, the gateway to the Thuringian Forest Nature Park, with information boards, you'll find the first stamp box, number 321. Follow the cycle path until you see the small border path on the right. Not far away, you'll find the second stamp box, then return to the cycle path. Then, continue on the Glashüttenweg (Glassworks Trail) through the Dichterwald (Poet's Forest), with portraits of famous poets. There are painted portraits of poets along the path. Then, continue on the cycle path past the Schildwiese (Sign Meadow) to the Frankenwaldhütte (Frankenwald Hut) in Tettau, which is closed but was open from 2 p.m. onwards. Turn right here towards Kleintettau. Turn right at the Kleintettau junction. Continue on this path to Tettau. Continue uphill along the Kirchsteig (church path) to the Lutherweg (Luther Trail). At the top, the Wildberg Cafe Tettau awaits us, and then the Wildberg ski lift. At the ski lift, the trail turns left across the parking lot onto a small path, then continues along the column path to the third stamp of the Touringen Collection. Continue straight ahead past meadows and pastures to Spechtsbrunn. Turn left at the road, then right, past the former Border Company of Regiment 12. It's not far to the starting point. 😀

Walked the R91 glassworks trail along the green belt of Germany. Started at the "cold kitchen" near Spechtsbrunn and followed the Rennsteig. Walked along the Dichterwald trail to Kleintettau and always read a lot about the former inner-German border. A very interesting walk, especially from Tettau back to Spechtbrunn via the small border trail. Also worth mentioning: ( wikipedia) In 1523, the first glass master with the name Hans Hein(t)z was mentioned in a document in Thuringia. The Heinz-Glas company was founded in 1622, when his descendant Hans Hein(t)z the Elder founded the glassworks and the town of Piesau (Thuringia). In 1661, another glassworks was built under Hans Hein(t)z the Younger, and with it the town of Kleintettau in Franconia. Production is still taking place at both locations today. Carletta Heinz has been working in the company since December 2013, in the 13th generation. She lives with her family in Nuremberg and is now the majority shareholder. The remaining minority shares are held by six other members of the Heinz family.