Öschingen between Woodcut Art and Hiking Trails

Öschingen invites you to bring together the different threads of the area: woodcut art in the old town hall, the site of a former castle, milling history, and evidence of earlier wine-growing. There is also a described hiking trail through a forest gorge and up to the Filsenberg. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can first consider whether local history or a hike should be the focus of your stay.

Woodcut Art and Historical Traces

The Klaus Herzer Woodcut Museum is housed in Öschingen’s old town hall, built in 1700. Its collection comprises around 1,800 works produced using woodcut and metal-printing techniques. It also includes printing blocks, wooden sculptures, and monotypes, as well as the large Grieshaber printing press and another proofing press. The variety of works and equipment gives the collection a broad scope: alongside finished prints, the tools and forms of printing are also a central focus.

Other aspects of local history can be read in traces left in buildings and the landscape. The site of the former castle in Schenkenbaumgarten still has a castle mound, ramparts, and ditches. First Castle on Firstberg is associated with the lesser noble lords of First: Kraft von Firste is mentioned in 1288, and Marquart von Firste in 1300, for the first time in documents. Öschingen’s small historic monuments include the Hauhäusle and the Unternhardthäusle.

The former grist mill on the Öschenbach is also part of the area’s history. An agreement between the municipality of Öschingen and the millers of Gönningen made it possible to build the mill in the spring of 1764; it ceased operating in 1978. Another historical trace points to how the slopes were used: a field name recorded in 1522 suggests that wine was grown in the Halden area on the southern slopes of Firstberg.

Hiking Route and Vacation Planning

From the Roßberghaus hiking lodge, a path descends through a forest gorge west of Langenberg to the small road along the Öschenbach. It then climbs to Filsenberg via a lightly trafficked road. The gorge, stream, and ascent define the specific route described here. If you plan to take this hike, check the trail markers and conditions before setting out, as they can change.

When looking for a holiday apartment, it helps to match your interests to the options described: would you like to focus your stay mainly on Öschingen’s historical traces, or set aside time for a hike?

Mössingen as a Broader Travel Destination

At the broader travel destination of Mössingen, the landslide at Hirschkopf tells its own story of the landscape. The event took place on April 12, 1983: a total of 5 to 6 million cubic meters of earth and rubble slid into the valley across an area of around 50 hectares. Since 1988, 39 hectares of the area have been designated a nature reserve, and it is one of Germany’s National Geotopes. Over the years, an impressive new flora and fauna developed there.

For hikers, the “Dreifürstensteig” premium hiking trail in the broader travel destination of Mössingen offers a different kind of route. It is just over 13 kilometers long and passes through orchards to a viewpoint with expansive views, including of Hohenzollern. Parking and trail access points are at Olgahöhe, the Buch car park, Hirschkopf car park, and Linden car park. This makes the longer hike a possible focus of its own when planning your trip.

Mössingen also offers cultural and nature-related attractions. The Kulturscheune in the old town center presents changing exhibitions on the town’s history, drawn from a collection of around 30,000 exhibits; cultural events are held there regularly. Check dates before your trip. The Streuobst Information Center has an exhibition with hands-on stations about traditional orchards. The adjacent Obstwerkstatt offers numerous courses for children and adults on baking, cooking, and drying foods using ingredients from the traditional orchard; individual course dates may vary.

Discover more destinations: Stetten Am Kalten Markt, Gomaringen, Mössingen, Bühl, Rottenburg Am Neckar, Tübingen, Kirchentellinsfurt, Kusterdingen.

Go to the broader travel overview: Tübingen.