Between the Rhine and the Murg Valley: 2x Hornisgrinde

This route leads over largely (quite) quiet roads and overcomes about 1800 meters of altitude. A nice starting point is the flower and half-timbered village of Sasbachwalden. The route (clockwise) has the following gradients:

1) Lochwald, a short climb from Lauf via Au towards Neusatz. Partly this ascent goes through the vineyards and you have a view of the Neuwindeck castle ruins.

2) Unterstmatt via Neusatz. The first few kilometers have steep sections of up to 15%. Most of the climb is on the quiet, wide and well-paved K3765. After the summit, there is first a distance of about 3 km on the Black Forest High Road, which is very busy, especially on weekends, but then it goes down the very quiet L80b into the valley of the Murg. The L80b has frost damage in various places, but not to a stressful extent.

3) Hornisgrinde-Süd via Seibelseckle. This is a nice climb on very quiet roads (except for the 1.5 km via the B500). A part of about 5 km is car-free (from the forester's lodge in Hinterer Langenbach). The forest road is in fairly good condition. After this forest road, you will reach the busy B500, which you follow for 1.5 km. Near the Mummelsee follows the last part of the ascent. This section is closed to car traffic, dead ends and the steepest (up to 14%) and climbs along the Mummelsee to the observation tower at the top. This part of the road was resurfaced in 2014 and is therefore in excellent condition. After descending again on the same route, follow the B500 north for 3 km and then follow the next climb (Hornisgrinde-Nord).

4) Hornisgrinde-North: The access road to the top of the north side of the Hornisgrinde massif may be closed with a barrier, but you can bypass it by bicycle. What follows is a fairly steep climb of 3 km to the striking TV tower and the smaller tower behind it. This climb is also a dead end, so you will have to go back the same way. The road is in pretty good condition.

Finally, the descent into the Rhine Valley follows, which is long and steep (many sections with 12%), and the road surface is in very good condition.

In the valley of the Murg, follow the Murg Valley Cycle Path, a separate cycle path with a good asphalt surface, in order to bypass the busy main road (which leads over the other end of the Murg) through this valley.

If you want to follow the route in reverse (counterclockwise), the difficult ascent from Sasbachwalden to the summit of the Hornisgrinde-Nord follows. A kilometre-long steep section of 10 - 12% awaits you.