Hohe Mark

The Hohe Mark is a forested hilltop in the Spessart range, rising to 414 metres near the villages of Brücken and Kälberau. It forms the northern end of the Hahnenkamm ridge, separated from the main summit by a gentle col. Three small streams—the Hitziger Lochgraben, Kertelbach and Wüstenbach—begin on its slopes, while the Hemsbach valley lies to the south-east. The crest itself splits into twin summits, each just over 400 metres high, linked by a narrow path. A single oak tree, known as the Bildeiche, stands just below the south-western summit, marking a natural monument.

The name recalls a seventh-century act of boundary marking ordered by King Dagobert I. In the Middle Ages the title covered a much larger stretch of forest, stretching from Rückersbach to Geiselbach and shared by four local courts. After those courts gained self-rule in the 19th century, the northern ridge alone kept the old name. Along the ridge walk lie numbered boundary stones from 1810 that once divided the Grand Duchy of Hesse from the Grand Duchy of Frankfurt. Relics of a 1930s defence line can still be seen on the northern slopes.

Visitors follow the ridge path past the twin peaks and the old oak. Weathered boundary stones stand at regular intervals, each carved with its number from 201 to 244. On the eastern side the Hahnenkammsee occupies the former Hemsbach quarry, its clear water reflecting the surrounding woods. The forest is quiet except for the sound of small streams and the occasional call of jays. At the north-east summit the land drops away towards Michelbach, while the ridge continues south-west towards the higher Hahnenkamm summit.