Großheringen: Salt Bridge and Saale Paddling Tour

Hausbrücke and the Salt Route

The covered Hausbrücke was built in 1753 and formerly belonged to Saxe-Meiningen. It was once the only crossing over the Ilm and also linked the old Salt Route with the Saalfeld region. Its other name, Salt Bridge, is part of this historical picture, as is its former role as a crossing. Its construction date, former affiliation and function as a transport link make it a vivid focal point for anyone interested in the history of buildings and routes. In this way, the bridge offers a different focus from the active wine and water experiences.

Wine trails and events in the municipality

In the municipality, Kaatschen draws attention to winegrowing. The wine trail there is about 2.5 kilometres long and marked with information signs. Check the current trail conditions before setting out. The wine festival at Kaatschener Dachsberg is also a recurring event: it has been celebrated every year on the first weekend in September since 2000. When planning your trip, check that year's programme.

A guided wine walk around the wine-growing village of Kaatschen lasts about 35 minutes. It includes a 0.1-litre glass of wine from Weingut Zahn, as well as information about the Saale-Unstrut region, the Thüringer Weingut Zahn winery and vineyard work. The minimum group size is ten people, and advance booking is required. The offer is valid until 20 December 2026. This wine walk combines a guided route with insights into regional topics and vineyard work.

Paddling on the Saale

The Burgenland paddling tour runs from Großheringen to Naumburg an der Saale. Along this stretch of the Saale, steep slopes, rock formations, vineyards and castles shape the landscape. Both the start and end points and the riverside scenery define the character of the tour. Unlike the marked wine trail, this experience centres on a route on the water. When choosing a holiday apartment, this distinction can help with planning your holiday: would you rather spend your days exploring wine experiences and architectural history, or make the paddling tour the focus?

More routes in the wider Weimarer Land destination

The wider Weimarer Land destination offers other independent ways to combine hiking, nature and culture. The Thüringer Drei Türme Weg is a circular hiking trail in the southern Weimarer Land and passes through the protected landscape of the Middle Ilm Valley. It links the Paulinenturm near Bad Berka, the Hainturm in the Belvederer Forst near Weimar and the Carolinenturm near Blankenhain. The three named towers give the route a clear structure.

The Goethe-Erlebnisweg offers a different regional perspective. It follows Goethe's route to Charlotte von Stein and has twelve experience stops combining nature and culture. Cycling routes between Weimar, Apolda and Bad Sulza also combine nature, cultural history and regional cuisine, and are suitable for multi-day cycling trips. The circular trail, experience trail and cycling trip offer different options for planning a stay in the Weimarer Land. You can therefore first decide whether you want your trip to focus mainly on the Hausbrücke, wine experiences, the Saale paddling tour or a broader regional tour.

Discover more destinations: Niedertrebra, Kapellendorf, Ettersburg, Blankenhain, Kranichfeld, Berlstedt, Weimar, Niedergrunstedt.

Go to the wider travel overview: Weimarer Land.