Brand: Max Reger, Hiking and Landscape

Brand combines places associated with Max Reger with marked hiking trails and a landscape between the valleys of the Fichtelnaab and the Gregnitz. Cross-country skiing and Nordic walking are also among the activities on offer: the former outdoor swimming pool in the municipality of Brand is a suitable starting point for extended tours in both disciplines.

Max Reger in Brand’s townscape

Max Reger was born in Brand on 19 March 1873. His birthplace, opposite the town hall, has been well preserved to this day. A life-size steel statue depicting the composer as a conductor stands directly in front of it. In the centre of Brand, the Max Reger Park is located next to the town hall. A bust, a fountain and a memorial stone were erected there in his memory.

Max Reger is also present in the town hall: the Max Reger Memorial Room opened on 25 March 1973. Photographs, musical examples and documents chart the composer’s creative periods; the collection also includes his death mask. The birthplace, town hall and park thus offer several distinct ways to explore this memorial site—from his biography and musical documents to an outdoor place of remembrance.

Hiking trails around Brand

The “Max Reger” circular hiking trail begins at the birthplace and the town hall opposite it. Four information boards along the trail provide details about Max Reger’s life. The route also offers panoramic views of the Fichtelgebirge landscape and leads to the Hahnenfilz nature reserve in the area around Brand. Peat, moorland and ponds shape the landscape there. The Max Reger Trail leads around the composer’s birthplace.

Those wishing to compare different route lengths will find two circular hiking trails around Scheibenberg, Brand’s local mountain, in the surrounding area. Both return to their starting point: one loop is 6 kilometres long, the other 10 kilometres. This makes it possible to plan based first on the distance and on whether you want to return to your starting point.

Brand has around 100 kilometres of marked hiking trails. This provides a wider choice beyond the named circular routes; the approximate total length describes the local network of trails, not a single route. As trail conditions can change, check the current condition of your chosen route before setting out.

Landscape and other activities

Brand lies between the gentle hill ranges of the southern Fichtelgebirge and is framed by the valleys of the Fichtelnaab and the Gregnitz. The Steinwald is nearby. These geographical features complement the local trails by helping visitors orient themselves within the surrounding landscape. The Fichtelnaab Cycle Path is also listed as a leisure activity in Brand.

The former outdoor swimming pool in the municipality is a suitable starting point for cross-country skiing and extended Nordic walking tours. So, alongside the hiking trails, there are activities close to town that appeal to different interests in exercise and the landscape.

The trail information provides specific points to help with planning: the two loops of different lengths at Scheibenberg, the themed circular hiking trail, or the approximately 100 kilometres of marked hiking trails in the area.

For the broader travel overview: Neusorg.