A beautiful Wandertal valley near Pottenstein. It has everything that makes Franconian Switzerland so special: a narrow valley, rocks, a stream, nature and plenty of peace and quiet.
The approximately four-kilometre-long V-shaped valley south-east of Pottenstein is one of the most unspoilt valleys in the area. The Weihersbach stream flows through the valley, fed by the Klumper spring.
⚙️ The three mills
There used to be three mills in the Klumpertal: Schüttersmühle, Mittelmühle and Klumpermühle. Only ruins remain of the Klumpermühle; the Mittelmühle is now used as a cowshed; and the Schüttersmühle is mostly occupied by a restaurant. The mills were built between 1520 and 1580 and were used as mills until the early twentieth century. Klumpermühle, built in 1580 by Lorenz von Guttenberg, was decommissioned in 1926 and demolished in 1965 due to dilapidation.
🥾 Walking
A well-maintained, accessible path runs through the valley, featuring a nature trail, and is ideal even for pushchairs. Those looking for a more challenging walk can take the Jägersteig: a narrow rocky path that leads through the rock garden high above the valley. A popular route is the loop through the valley to the Klumper Spring and back via the Jägersteig, about 7 to 8 km, taking around 2 hours. The Klumpertal can also be easily combined with the Teufelshöhle and the Skywalk to form a longer tour.
💧 Klumper Spring
At the end of the valley lies the crystal-clear Klumper Spring, with trout swimming in its pools. According to an old legend, gold once flowed from the spring instead of water; people continued to search for gold in the valley right up until the 19th century, though mostly with little success.
🚗 How to get there
Hiking car park above the Schüttersmühle towards Kirchenbirkig; from there, the circular route heads straight into the valley.