The best gravel rides around Altensteig

At the intersection of the Katzensteg, an old long-distance hiking trail from Grömbach to Pfalzgrafenweiler, and the Eselsweg, the Zinsbach Chapel with an inn and a retirement home stood in the Middle Ages. In the latter lived the chaplain and the "brother", probably a forest brother similar to the pilgrimage chapel on the Wildsee, also dedicated to Our Lady. Nothing is known about the origin and development of the chapel. Nothing could be found in the manorial archives, as the chapel stood on municipal property. The silverpoint drawing by Hans Baldung Grien from 1515 is therefore considered the first document of the chapel and, from an art-historical perspective, the oldest landscape drawing of the Northern Black Forest.

The Zinsbachmühle is a historic, former grain mill in the idyllic Zinsbachtal in the Northern Black Forest, whose origin at the present location dates back to 1555.

Stone signpost at a crossroads with direction signs to Wörnersberg, Pfalzgrafenweiler and Spielberg.

The Bösinger Wasserhäusle was a pumping station and was used to transport fresh spring water from a source in the Waldach valley via cast iron pipes to the village of Bösingen (a district of the municipality of Pfalzgrafenweiler), located 1.4 km away and 140 meters higher up. The pumps were driven by the water power of the Waldach. A water wheel with a diameter of six meters was used. The facility went into operation in 1894. In 1911, it was supplemented by an 8 hp gasoline engine, which could now also drive the pumps during low water levels in the Waldach. In 1948, it was connected to the power grid via a transformer station, after which a newly installed electric motor could serve as a backup drive. The Bösingen's own water supply was taken out of service in 1991 due to drinking water contamination. The entire facility, including the weir, the power channel, and the pumping station, has been protected as a cultural-historical monument since 2000. The pumping station can be visited all day on the Day of the Open Monument. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B6singer_Wasserh%C3%A4usle

The Bösinger Wasserhäusle was a pumping station and served to transport fresh spring water from a source in the Waldach valley via cast iron pipes to the village of Bösingen (part of the municipality of Pfalzgrafenweiler), 1.4 km away and 140 meters higher. The pumps were driven by the water power of the Waldach. A water wheel with a diameter of six meters was used. The facility went into operation in 1894. In 1911, it was supplemented by an 8 hp gasoline engine, which could now also drive the pumps during low water levels in the Waldach. In 1948, it was connected to the power grid via a transformer station, from which time a newly installed electric motor could serve as a backup drive. The Bösingen's own water supply was taken out of operation in 1991 due to drinking water contamination. The entire facility with its weir, power channel, and pumping station has been protected as a cultural-historical monument since 2000. The pumping station can be visited all day on the Day of the Open Monument. Source: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%B6singer_Wasserh%C3%A4usle

Weir on the Waldach, 300-meter-long drive channel, iron, backward-acting water wheel with spur gear transmission, 6 meters in diameter (originally lined with wooden paddles), 3 meters of head in the drive channel, pump output: 3-5 HP depending on water inflow from the drive channel, double-acting plunger pump from Maschinenfabrik Esslingen from the year 1893 with a high-performance suction and delivery pump and pressure vessel. In 1991, the plant was shut down as a private water supply due to contaminated spring water. Depending on the water level of the Waldach, the pumping station managed to pump 160,000 liters of fresh spring water directly into the houses and into the water reservoir in Bösingen, 2.3 km away and 140 meters higher, in 8 to 14 hours. The spring yields 1-2 liters per second depending on the season.

Weir on the Waldach, 300-meter-long tailrace canal, iron overshot water wheel with spur gear transmission, 6 meters in diameter (originally with wooden paddles), 3-meter head, pump capacity: 3-5 HP depending on water inflow from the tailrace canal, double-acting plunger pump from Maschinenfabrik Esslingen from 1893 with a powerful suction and delivery pump and pressure vessel. In 1991, the plant was shut down due to contaminated spring water as a private water supply. The pump managed to pump 160,000 liters of fresh spring water directly into the houses and into the water reservoir in Bösingen, 2.3 km away and 140 meters higher, in 8 to 14 hours, depending on the water level of the Waldach. The spring yields 1-2 liters per second depending on the season.

It's quite busy on weekends, but it's always good for a quick dip.