Partner
Förderverein für den Himmelreich-Jakobusweg e.V.
The association behind the Himmelreich Way of St James: founded on St James's Day 2009 in an inclusive business, it looks after the route from Hüfingen to Weil am Rhein – also as a “for ALL” version for wheelchairs and rollators.
The Camino on the map
Caminos of this partner
Who stands behind the route
The Förderverein für den Himmelreich-Jakobusweg e.V. was founded on 25 July 2009 – St James's Day – at the Hofgut Himmelreich at the mouth of the Höllental valley near Kirchzarten. Since 2004 the house has been an inclusive business where people with and without disabilities work together, and the association, explicitly open to all denominations, has carried that principle over to the whole route. On 11 July 2010 the route was inaugurated with an ecumenical blessing at the St James chapel, and in September 2025 it celebrated its 15th anniversary.
On 5 May 2016, 23 members walked the premiere of the new “for ALL” version: the same route in 16 short stages of 8 to 13 kilometres, tested with wheelchair users and the companions pushing them. Since then the signs show a wheelchair next to the shell – a Way of St James that doesn't ask how you walk, only whether you're coming along.
The association's routes
- Himmelreich-Jakobusweg – 173.8 km in 8 stages from Hüfingen on the Baar across the High Black Forest, the Höllental and Freiburg, through the Markgräflerland to Weil am Rhein; also as a barrier-free version in 16 stages
What the association does for pilgrims
The association waymarks the route with the yellow ray bundle on a blue background, set in the direction of Santiago, and marks the wheelchair-accessible variants with shell and wheelchair. It publishes its own guidebook, now in its sixth revised edition, covering all stages from Hüfingen to Weil am Rhein. An honest note from the association: between the K 4992 crossing and Friedenweiler the route is currently not passable with wheelchair, rollator or pushchair (as of October 2026).
There is also an annual programme of guided pilgrim walks, Saturday pilgrimages and regular volunteer meetings. All of this is funded by membership fees and donations – the association is a non-profit.
Contact and getting involved
Website: himmelreich-jakobusweg.de · Email: info@himmelreich-jakobusweg.de · Seat: Gasthaus Himmelreich, Kirchzarten. You can join or donate via the “Beitritt & Spenden” page on the website.