A walk between the Oberau and Sandfangbrücke bridges offers an excursion into wild and romantic greenery and, in summer, the perfect opportunity for a refreshing dip. The atmosphere is so relaxed that the herons are not bothered by it and can be watched unperturbed as they catch fish.
The route leads from Schwabentor (Swabian Gate) - initially somewhat crosswise through the bicycle traffic - via Schwabentorring and the Gewerbekanal, past small stores, to Kartäuserstraße. Turn right at the corner of Mühlenstraße and then left into Oberau. Here the path above the Dreisam - with a view of the Ganter Brewery and the occasional slightly malty smell in the nose - continues straight on to Fabrikstraße.
At Fabrikstraße, the trail descends to the water, the light changes and it becomes really green. From here, natural ground cushions your steps and you can focus your attention entirely on the surroundings. On trees and bushes. Dragonflies and herons. Flower strips for wild bees. The vines of the Hirzberg and the gentle babbling of the Dreisam, which accompanies the entire route.
With the Karl-Hausch-Weg, the path becomes a little wider and continues straight ahead. This allows you to stroll at your own pace without thinking too much, or to sit down on one of the benches, in the grass or on the stones in the water. Just listen to the silence. Watch the river flow. Forget time. If you want to take a longer walk, take the shortcut via the Max Müller footbridge.
If you have your eye on the bathing area at the triangular meadow, continue straight ahead and cross the sand trap bridge to reach your destination. If you prefer the Church of Peace, sculptures or a break at the Biosk outdoor café, walk past the sunbathing lawn along the riverside path to the junction with Hirzbergstraße. The church is quickly in sight, the art is a little hidden, and you can go through the underpass for coffee and cake.
The last few meters of the route point to the once commercial and industrial character of Oberau. Back into the town, the route continues along Fabrikstraße after the bridge and turns left into Kartäuserstraße. This is where the Südwestfunk radio station moved into the former site of the Mez silk twisting mill. The house with the number 15 and the year 1898 in the round gable is the former building of the Strom paper factory.
Schwabentor (Swabian Gate)
Schwabentor (Swabian Gate)
If you want to extend the walk to an excursion, continue along the Sandfangbrücke bridge to the lido or the Dreisam stadium - the former Bundesliga venue of SC Freiburg - and walk back on the other side of the riverbank.
