Taking you across the Oberaubrücke and Sandfangbrücke bridges, this loop provides the perfect opportunity to explore the beauty of nature and cool off on a hot summer’s day. Soak up the serenity and calmly watch on as the herons catch fish for their dinner.
The route is flat and suitable for all ages. It’s possible to cut the walk short or return to the starting point from the Dreieckswiese checkpoint on public transport (Tram Line 1: get on at the Musikhochschule stop and get off at the Oberlinden stop). If you’d like to make more of a day of it, continue up the river from the Sandfangbrücke bridge to Strandbad (outdoor swimming pool) or Dreisamstadion stadium, which used to be the home of Bundesliga team SC Freiburg. Walk back along the other side of the river.
Start/end: Schwabentor gate Checkpoint: Dreieckswiese Length: 4.6 km | 1–2 hours Suitable for prams/pushchairs
Starting at the Schwabentor gate, you may need to watch out for the cyclists when crossing Schwabentorring. You’ll pass a canal and some shops on your way to Kartäuserstraße. Take a right onto Mühlenstraße and then left into Oberau. From this point, you’ll follow along the Dreisam river, with the Ganter Brewery on the opposite bank emitting that faint malty aroma. Continue along the river until you reach Fabrikstraße.
You’ll head down to the water from Fabrikstraße, where things will go green all of a sudden. Along this stretch, the ground beneath your feet will feel soft and you can concentrate on soaking up the natural surroundings. Trees and bushes. Dragonflies and herons. Wildflowers buzzing with bees. Vines along the Hirzberg hill and the soft splashing sounds of the Dreisam as the backdrop to your walk.
The path widens out once you get onto Karl-Hausch-Weg and it’s straight on from there. This is the perfect route for strolling along at your own pace without a care in the world. Maybe you’ll stop for a while on one of the benches, on the grass or on the rocks in the water. And just enjoy the sound of the silence around you. Watch the river flow. Forget that time exists. In case you have really forgotten that time exists, you might want to take a short cut now across the Max-Müller-Steg bridge.
If you have your heart set on dipping your feet in the water at Dreieckswiese park, keep going straight ahead and cross the Sandfangbrücke bridge to reach your destination. Feeling more in the mood for a church visit, sculpture spotting or a break at the outdoor café Biosk? Keep walking past the sunbathing area and along the riverside path to the junction with Hirzbergstraße. You’ll soon be able to spot the church and the art you’re craving isn’t much further from there. Coffee and cake are just an underpass away.
The final stretch takes you back to Oberau’s commercial and industrial roots. Heading back towards the city centre, you’ll come to the Oberaubrücke bridge and Fabrikstraße again. From there, it’s left onto Kartäuserstraße. The old Mez sewing thread factory is now home to the Südwestfunk broadcasting company. Building number 15 with the year 1898 in the circle above the door used to be the Strom paper factory.
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