Beer tradition in Franconian Switzerland

From Bamberg main station, take the VGN leisure line 970 to Tiefenellern and get off at the "Tiefenellern Ort" bus stop.

From the bus stop it is a short walk to the first brewery "Hönig" with its large beer garden. Fortify yourself here for your hike or start the tour straight away.

The Hönig brewery in Tiefenellern is characterised by an old tradition. The brewery and the "Zur Post" inn have been family-owned since 1778. The right to brew has existed since 1478 and is documented. The inn was once an old post office stop. The horses coming from Bamberg were harnessed here - and with fresh vigour they pulled the stagecoach up the Tiefenellerner Berg towards Hollfeld.

The brewery inn serves Franconian home cooking and a lovely beer garden with homemade snacks.

Please check the website for current opening times.

Back at the bus stop, continue "An der Ecke" along the 13-Brauereien-Weg in the direction of Lohndorf.

Shortly before Lohndorf, there is a sculpture by Berlin artist Harald Müller: "Der Sieger". If you want, this would be an ideal selfie spot. Just a few more metres and you will reach Lohndorf.

In the village, follow Ellertalstraße and you will reach the "Reh" brewery (Ellertalstraße 36, 96123 Lohndorf, tel. 09505 210), where you can buy bottles.

The route then leads past the "Hölzlein" brewery and pub (Ellertalstraße 13, 96123 Lohndorf, tel. 09505 357), which has been family-run since 1781.

Just outside the village, follow the markings of the 13 Breweries Trail again until shortly before Melkendorf.

Here you can see some sculptures on the art and contemplation trail, which was created by local artist Robert Hofmann.

Along the mountainside, there is a great view of Franconian Tuscany. Passing through the forest, you will come to a signpost at the second T-junction at the top. Follow this to the left up to the singers' memorial.

The singers' memorial of the Franconian Singers' Association dates back to 1954 and consists of 12 pillars, which symbolise the singing circles of the Franconian Singers' Association at that time. It was erected in honour of the dead of the Second World War.

Behind the memorial, the trail descends the hill to Melkendorf (Leitersgraben).

In the village, the path leads you to the former Winkler brewery, which is now open as the "Brandholz Brewery" on a few dates a year. (Otterbachstr. 13, 96123 Melkendorf, email: mail@brandholz-brauerei.de) Please enquire about dates in advance, as the brewery does not have a telephone.

Following Otterbachstraße, you will come to the 13-Brauereien-Weg in the direction of Strullendorf. After approx. 900 metres through the forest, you come to a junction.

On the left hand side you will see a sign for the Wendelinus oak. The Wendelinus oak is said to have been over 1000 years old and may have served as a pagan sacrificial site.

In Geisfeld, the "Krug" brewery opens its doors a few days a year to sell bottled beer. Please enquire about dates in advance. (Alte Dorfstr. 11, 96129 Strullendorf, OT Geisfeld, Tel. 09505 484)

If you do need a longer break, it is worth making a detour to the "Büttel" country inn just a few metres away (Litzendorferstraße 3, 96129 Geisfeld, Tel. 09505-8067-0). Otherwise, continue on to the next brewery.

The Griess brewery has a beautiful beer garden with shady old deciduous trees and a sunny terrace. There are also hearty snacks, small hot dishes and grilled fish on Fridays when the weather is fine.

The brewery has been family-owned since 1872 and has been in the hands of the third generation of the Griess family since the 1950s. In 1983, the now deceased senior manager Andreas Griess handed over the management of the brewery to the youngest master brewer in Germany at the time, Peter Griess.

Please check the website for current opening hours.

Continue south-westwards to Roßdorf am Forst. Before the first houses, turn left behind the barrier onto the path to the Roßdorfer Felsenkeller of the Sauer brewery.

Quaint Franconian rock cellar, idyllically situated under trees. The Felsenkeller is run by the Sauer brewery, which can look back on more than 200 years of brewing tradition. Today, the Sauer family offers several types of Franconian beer specialities - using high-quality ingredients that come exclusively from regional cultivation.

The Felsenkeller may be closed in bad weather. Please check the website for the current opening times.

If the Felsenkeller is closed, you can also walk to the Sauer brewery pub and stop off there. (Sutte 5, 96129 Roßdorf am Forst, tel. 09543 1578)

Now follow the 13-Brauereien-Weg again before the little lane to the left with cycle path signposts.

At the next T-junction, turn right past the small pond. The path then leads from Strullendorf to Amlingstadt.

Follow the 13-Brauereien-Weg until you reach the first houses in Amlingstadt. Before that, turn right - past the Grenzmühle mill - and continue straight on into the forest.

You can now hear the nearby motorway, which you will soon have to cross under the Ziegenbach bridge.
After a left-hand bend, the route then climbs only briefly alongside the crash barriers.

This not-so-nice part of the tour is quickly completed and the first unmarked turn-off to the right leads you into the forest along the slope.

At the end of the descent, the "Schwanenkeller" in Strullendorf is already waiting for you. (Kellerberg 9, 96129 Strullendorf, tel. 09543 41278) If time and thirst allow, you can stop off here again. The Schwanenkeller is open from April to mid-September.

From here it is about 20 minutes to the railway station. In Lindenallee, the path leads to St Laurentius Church. Follow the signs for St Laurentius Church.

According to historical evidence, the first parish church was probably built here in 1444. It was destroyed by angry Swedes fleeing from the imperial troops in 1633 and not rebuilt until 1651, when it was set on fire again by French troops in 1796. Reconstruction began in 1805 and the church was finally reopened in 1806. The 550 metre long avenue of lime trees leading to it is a particular highlight.

It is the most beautiful street in Strullendorf. In memory of the fallen soldiers of the First World War, 67 lime trees have been planted here since the 1920s. One and two-storey hipped-roof buildings, mostly agricultural properties from the first half of the 19th century, still bear witness to the planned reconstruction of the village, which was destroyed by fire.

To get to the railway station in Strullendorf, turn right into Bamberger Straße and then left again into Bahnhofstraße.