Countryside walks near Frankfurt

After a wonderful week of hill and beach walks in the UK, I quite want to do some local walking during the summer holidays here near Frankfurt. Is anyone able to tell me some good walks in the Taunus? The hills and countryside look gorgeous but I am not sure about footpaths and right of way. I also don't have a car on weekdays so ideally I would like to take the bus/train and then be looking for a 7 or 8 mile walk. Can anyone help?

I don't want to be too disparaging about the Taunus because it's a beautiful area, but to be honest I was rather disappointed with the walking around there while I lived in Oberursel, for the simple reason that it's all trees! I come from Yorkshire, my parents live just a mile or so from Ilkley Moor and I frequently go fell walking in the Yorkshire Dales, and in comparison I found walking in the Taunus to be generally rather dark and somewhat lacking in impressive vast open spaces.

From Frankfurt, you can catch the U3 to Oberursel Hohemark (Endstation) and start your walking from there, or alternatively the S5 to Bad Homburg and approach it from that direction. Your best bet is probably to buy a couple of walking guides from a good bookshop (Hugendubel?) -- I can recommend 'Der Ausflug in den Taunus' by Elvira Klein for walks between 3.5 km and 19 km -- and just explore the Taunus that way. Fuchstanz provides you with a useful stop-off point on your way up to the Feldberg as it has a couple of cafes where other walkers and mountain-bikers take a break.

As I say, I think it's a wonderful area; it's just not quite what I think of as "walking". I was down in Switzerland a couple of weeks ago and that's more to my liking, and I've also heard that Bavaria and the Allgäu in particular are suitable for hill walking with impressive scenery.

Go to Hugendübel bookshop near the "Fressgasse" / Hauptwache where they have books about walks in the Taunus.

What you can do is take the Tram to Oberursel - Hohemark end terminus. From there you could walk around the old celtic settlements which are on both sides of the main road (Kannonenstrasse) to the Feldberg. You could also take the steep pathway which starts at the "Heidetränk" (heathens well) and curves up on good paths to the Fuchstanz. At the Fuchstanz there are plenty of places to get something to eat and drink. From there is also a very nice walk to the top of the Altkönig which has 2 celtic ring walls around the top and from one side a good view over FFM.

By the way the Altkönig has lots of heather blueberrys to pluck in september - makes great pancakes

Not far from the Fuchstanz is a place I call Butterfly alley. In the spring you can more or less walk through hundreds of butterflys which swarm all around you.

The restored roman fort at the Saalburg by Bad Homburg is first of all a great place to visit and there are some good walks which follow the Limes (like Hadrians Wall except flat). Bus from Bad Homburg.
At the hotel beergarden next door there are somtimes good blues bands who play on sunday mornings.

I reckon thats enough to get you started.

Reggie was quicker again, well done lad

That is great Reggie and Mick. It's a shame to hear that the views are not great, as the mountains always look so impressive from the city. But I will definately try the Altkönig this week. Not quite the Yorkshire moors but we went up Win Hill in the Peak District last week and I think we were the only ones up there! (I know this is not usual for the peaks in July). It seems like every time I try to get away from the city, everyone else in the city has had the same idea!

Hi every one.

I will be in Frankfurt next October in a German language course. I am looking for an outdoors club, I mean a club where I can meet other enthusiastic people who enjoys montaineering, rock climbing, mountain bikiing, kayaking, etc. I have proper equipment for many activities and ten years of experience. I will be proud to meet german people and know the great German outdoors.

Thanks for any advice.

I am not German nor am I certain of the sort of club you are looking for - I do know a few walking clubs and groups of people who go mountain biking. However I just wanted to say I am a big fan of outdoor activities too mountain biking, climbing etc I love them all.