Circular trail - No. 5 around Steinach - Thuringian Forest

From Steinach market, we walk past the display case of the Thuringian Forest Association over the Steinach bridge through Schulgasse, Kirchstraße, and Sonneberger Straße, then turn right into Hämmerer Straße.

At the edge of town, about 50 m after the last house on the left side, we leave the busy road and follow the forest path to the left.

We are now finally in the forest and shortly behind a former whetstone quarry, we climb a steep path uphill to the right, which is also used by circular trail No. 2 with us.

Before the Hämmerer Plain, we have to use the road again, crossing the Hämmerer Plain (630m) and 100 m to the left we reach the Röthen spring with its small shelter. Here we turn back to the road junction and follow the forest road to Fellberg until we reach the Fellberg hut (780 m), a former large shed for the production of slate.

On the way back, we take the path that branches off to the left of the road we came on, heading east until it crosses another road at right angles on sloping terrain.

We follow this to the left (south), but make sure not to miss the Leierloch trail branching left down into the valley after about 100 m. In the Leierloch nature reserve, the trail winds through interesting rock formations beneath impressive beech trees into the valley.

At 600 m altitude, we arrive at the forest inn "Waldfrieden," also called "Fuchsfarm" by locals, known for good cheese bread and homemade cake.

The path to town is initially flat from here. Then it steeply descends through the Stein stream back to the market square.