Birkenhainer Straße
| Birkenhainer Straße | |
|---|---|
Near Ruppertshütten, with waymark "B" | |
| Length | 71 km (44 mi) |
| Location | Spessart Nature Park, Germany |
| Trailheads | Hanau, Gemünden am Main, numerous places in between |
| Use | Hiking |
| Elevation gain/loss | 976 metres (3,200 ft) gain in; 947 metres (3,110 ft) gain out |
| Highest point | c. 540 m above sea level (west of Bayrische Schanz) |
| Lowest point | c. 130 m above sea level (western start) |
| Waymark | black "B" on white |
| Surface |
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The Birkenhainer Straße (English: Birkenhainer road) is a long-distance hiking trail that follows an ancient trade route through the Mittelgebirge Spessart, in the states of Hesse and Bavaria, Germany. It is 71 km long and leads from Hanau to Gemünden am Main, cutting across the so-called Mainviereck, a large loop of the river Main. The trail follows an ancient trade route which in the Middle Ages was an important road for moving troops and for long-distance trade. The Birkenhainer Straße was a part of the link between Nuremberg and Antwerp. Its origins may lie back as far as the Neolithic period. The name likely derives from a prominent copse of birch trees that used to exist near the road at Geiselbach (Hesse).