A beautiful wall 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. This V-shaped valley, around four kilometres long and situated south-east of Pottenstein, is one of the most unspoilt in the area. The Weihersbach flows through the valley, fed by the Klumper spring.
⚙️ The three mills
There were three mills in the Klumpertal: Schüttersmühle, Mittelmühle and Klumpermühle. They were built between 1520 and 1580 and were used as mills until the early twentieth century. Only ruins remain of the Klumpermühle, built in 1580 by Lorenz von Guttenberg; it was decommissioned in 1926 and demolished in 1965 due to dilapidation. The Mittelmühle is now used as a cowshed, whilst the Schüttersmühle is usually home to a restaurant.
🥾 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 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.
🕒 Visit
The valley is freely accessible and well worth a visit at any time of year. It is particularly peaceful early in the morning, when the mist still hangs between the rocks.
🚗 How to get there
Hikers’ car park above the Schüttersmühle, heading towards Kirchenbirkig; from there, the circular walk leads straight down into the valley.