Activities for Kids

Bergtierpark Erlenbach (Animal Park Erlenbach)
If you want somewhere new to take the little ones and fancy a drive over the scenic Odenwald, you may want to visit the Bergtierpark Erlenbach, a small park showcasing animals that live in mountainous areas in different parts of the world.  The park lies in a hilly area in the village of Erlenbach near the town of Fürth in the Odenwald.  


The 7 hectare Bergtierpark Erlenbach was the brainchild of Rudolf Kohlmeier, who was once mayor of Erlenbach. Kohlmeier presented his idea to the Erlenbach municipality and, in 1960, the park was founded.  The endeavor started out with just a llama and a few goats, but expanded over the years and now includes a variety of different animals from all over the world.
Adults and children alike will enjoy a walk along the approximately one kilometer circular path that brings you in close proximity to animals, such as Himalayan highland cattle, kangaroos, emus, llamas, alpacas, deer, many varieties of goats and sheep, monkeys, oxen and hare.   As you walk along the path, you can feed the animals with food provided at the front gate, and there is informational text on placards next to the enclosures so you read about each animal


The park also features a small playground and native American tipi complex for the children, as well as, an educational building for group/school tours.  The park doesn’t make for a long day out.  At a leisurely pace, you can complete the walk through the park, feeding the animals and reading the placards, in less than two hours, so you may wish to combine your outing with another nearby event or activity, such as the museum barn, also in Erlenbach
Bergtierpark Erlenbach
Werner-Krauß-Straße, 64658 Fürth-Erlenbach
+49 (0) 6253 20010


Opening times: April to October
daily 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.


November to March
Monday to Friday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Sunday, Public Holidays:
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Entrance fees: Adults - 4,00 Euro
Children (from 3 to 14 years) - 2,00
 Pupils, students, disabled (with ID),
groups of at least 20 - 3,00 Euro p.p

Year Card Family - 50,00 Euro
Adult annual ticket - 25,00 Euro
Single parents with children - 35,00
Dogs on a leash - 2,00 Euro
Year card dog - 10,00 Euro

The year cards are valid for one year from the date of purchase.
Holders of the Ehrenamt card of the district of Bergstraße as well as holders of the Youth Leader Card (JULEICA) each pay half of the entrance fee.


 Felsenmeer - The Odenwald's Sea of Stones

If you haven’t visited Felsenmeer, the Sea of Stones, at the Felsberg in Lautertal, you should definitely put it on your To-Do list. Felsenmeer is one of the most spectacular natural wonders in the Odenwald, and makes a great day out for the whole family, dogs included.


The Sea of Stones was created by dramatic geological processes that have occurred over hundreds of millions of years., though if you have a fanciful imagination, you may prefer to discount the scientific explanation and go with the other story of Felsenmeer’s creation, a tale of two warring giants. 



The legend of Felsenmeer tells of two giants, one who lived on the Felsberg and the other who lived on the Höhenstein.  One day the giants had an argument and began to throw stones at one another.  Being giants these were, of course, very big stones, boulders in fact. The giant of Höhenstein had more stones than the one at Felsberg, so he won the fight, and the poor Felsenberg giant was buried under all the boulders thrown by his rival.  The result is a "sea of stones" that appear to have tumbled down the Felsberg.


Of course, if you don’t believe in stone-throwing giants, you can look towards a more rational explanation.  The Odenwald lies at the point of where the continental plates, Eur-america and Gondwana, collided over 300 million years ago to form the super-continent of Pangaea. The resulting pressure caused rocks to melt and then rise to the surface as magma. When the magma cooled, granite-like, igneous rock called quartz mela-diorit was created in the mountains. 100 million years later, in the Triassic period, the land sank, forming the Germanic Basin, which caused the buildup of thick layers of red sandstone.  The sandstone was, in turn, covered by layers of shell-bearing limestone and sediment.  When later geologic processes (180,000,000 years ago)  caused the land in the Odenwald to rise up once again, more than 100 meters of the sedimentary layers were worn down to the bedrock, leaving these large boulders exposed. Over time, erosion further exposed the stones and the movements of water, ice and soil left the stones in the positions you see today.  
The Roman Column
With such a resource readily available, rock quarrying has been an important industry in Lautertal’s past, at least as far back as Roman times.  The Romans quarried stones from this area for more than two hundred years.  Over 300 processed stone blocks from the Roman era, such as the giant column and the pyramid, have been found, pieces that for one reason or another did not meet Roman standards of quality and were abandoned.  
The Roman-Era Alter Stone
After a considerable lull in the industry, in 1879, five Bohemian stone masons passing through Lautertal discovered the “blue stones” and revived the stone industry in the area. More stone masons from Italy and other parts of Germany arrived, and soon a thriving industry had sprung up.  At its height as many as 14 quarries were in operation with 70% of the male population in the area employed in the craft. Foreign competition, altered demand and changes in funerary trends have largely done away with stone work in Lautertal and no large companies are  involved in stone work in the area today.


Inside the Information Centre
A visit to Felsenmeer is best accompanied by a stop at the Felsenmeer Information Centre. At the centre you can find out more information, not only about Felsenmeer, but also about the Bergstrasse-Odenwald Geopark and the Felsberg.  They can provide information about the history of the Romans in the area and the later stone industry.  You can also purchase hiking maps, brochures and souvenirs in the shop. Be sure to ask about upcoming events at Felsenmeer and their guided tours, which are offered in English. There is also a playground and picnic tables at the bottom of the mountain behind the information centre.


For refreshments, pack a picnic for your day out or enjoy what’s on offer at the Kobaldklause beer garden/bistro located beside the information centre or the Ada’s Buka African restaurant at the top of the mountain. There is also a kiosk about 1/3 of the way down the mountain. It sells drinks and snacks and is open on the weekends and during the week when the weather is nice.
Playground located behind the
Information Centre
Parking is available at either the top or bottom of Felsberg. Parking at the top is free, but more limited. Use the address: Felsenmeer 3, 64686, Lautertal.
Parking at the information centre at the bottom of the mountain is available for 3 euros per car. The address is Seifenwiesenweg 59, Lautertal (Odenwald),
Dogs on a lead are welcome. Pushchairs and mobility aids can possibly be used on the trails but with difficulty.
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Wildlife Park Brudergrund in Erbach - A Place to Relax for Young and Old

If you're looking for a short outing of an hour or so, the Wildlife Park Brudergrund in Erbach, which first opened in 1956, is the perfect place. The nearly 14-hectare park features different types of deer, wild sheep, and wild boar in a natural environment. There are also small ponds were visitors can see ducks and other water fowl, and a variety of birds and insects native to the local environment can be seen in the surrounding forest. 



The park features a beautiful network of nature trails, informational guides and a grilling area to further enhance your visit, and there is also a feeding station at the park where visitors can purchase food for the animals. The relatively large boxes of feed quickly attract the park residents, allowing you to get a close-up view of species that usually stay hidden in the forest. This makes the park especially interesting for families with small children because these normally shy animals like to venture to the fence when they see visitors holding food packs. 

The best way to view the park is to take a walk on the circular path that runs along the animal
enclosure.  The trail includes benches, pavilions, a viewing platform and a bridge, allowing you to have a rest along the way or perhaps enjoy a picnic.  Along the trail, you'll also see information placards that give details about the animals, their habitat, insects, birds and flora that can be found in the park. 

While the park does not feature exotic animals, it still makes a great destination for a Sunday afternoon or weekday, especially for families with small children who wish to spend a few hours getting in touch with nature.  The park is open year-round and, best of all, it's free to enter. 

The Wildlife Park Brudergrund, lies just outside the town of Erbach in the direction of Unter-Mossau. From Erbach, take the B45 to Mossauerstrasse (K49), following the brown tourist signs to Wildpark. There is a car park across the K49 from Brudergrund, but take care when crossing the street. 












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