Oberharmersbach – Mill and Trails

Oberharmersbach offers three clearly distinct points of reference for planning a trip: the Old Mill on the town hall square in the town center, the Westweg, which runs right past the town, and the Harmersbach Vesper Trail, which starts and ends at the same address. This makes it possible to explore the town through a historic, fully operational mill mechanism and two trails with different connections to the town.

The Old Mill in the town center

The Old Mill stands on the town hall square. It is a fully operational farm mill with a grinding mechanism that is more than 100 years old. During the opening hours of the museum grounds, it uses water power to grind grain into flour. For visitors, what makes it special is not just the age of the mechanism, but also its function: the mill processes grain into flour. If you would like to see it in operation, plan your visit around the opening hours of the museum grounds and check for current operating information in advance.

Two trails with different connections to the town

The Westweg is 280 kilometers long, runs through the Black Forest from Pforzheim to Basel, and passes directly through Oberharmersbach. This connects the town to a long-distance route that extends across the region. The Harmersbach Vesper Trail, by contrast, has a starting and ending point specified within the town: it starts and ends at Dorf 60, 77784 Oberharmersbach. The two details answer different questions about orientation. The Westweg describes Oberharmersbach’s connection to a route between two cities far apart; for the Vesper Trail, the specific address for its start and finish is given. If you would like to plan your trip around a local starting and ending point, you’ll find a clear location here.

The Ortenau district as a broader frame of reference

The following information relates to the broader travel destination of the Ortenau district. It has 23 nature reserves with a total area of around 3,110 hectares. They extend from the Rhine plain to the higher elevations of the Black Forest. At 1,695 hectares, Taubergießen is one of the largest nature reserves in Baden-Württemberg. These details provide an overview of the varied landscapes across the Ortenau district.

The cultural and leisure attractions mentioned here are also regional additions. Europa-Park is located in the municipality of Rust, as is Rulantica. Rulantica offers year-round aquatic fun for the whole family and numerous water attractions indoors and outdoors. The complex also includes Hyggedal, a relaxation and sauna area.

Culture and history in the Ortenau district

At the Vogtsbauernhof Open-Air Museum, a tour of historic farmhouses shows how people lived and worked in the Black Forest up to 600 years ago. MiMa showcases remarkable minerals from the Black Forest collected by the Friends of Minerals and Mining Oberwolfach association. The two examples have different focuses: Vogtsbauernhof conveys historic ways of life and work, while MiMa focuses on minerals and their collection.

In Gengenbach, the night watchman’s tour includes twelve stops and the traditional night watchman’s song. The public tours are free, and registration is not required. As no current schedule for the tours is provided, check visitor information before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Schutterwald, Schwanau, Oppenau, Ettenheim, Willstätt, Achern, Seebach, Lauf.

For the broader travel overview: Ortenau district.