Ballendorf

Ballendorf lies in a hollow at the beginning of the Mönchtal, which opens towards the Lone, and is almost entirely surrounded by forest. This setting combines a distinct valley landscape with a largely forested village environment. If landscape is important when choosing a destination, this is a defining feature: forest and valley shape the village together. A report from July 2026 mentions a bilingual information board about geological features at the Ballendorf sand pit.

Local History and Festivals

The town hall, built in 1825, stands in the centre of the village. Its central location gives the village centre a clearly dated building and provides a tangible point of reference for local history. Community life is also part of the annual calendar: the clubs in Ballendorf hold festivals every year. If a festival is important to your plans, check the dates for your travel period.

The landscape is a lasting part of the village’s character, while the festivals offer a recurring occasion whose dates vary. When choosing your travel period, it is therefore worth considering the two separately: the setting for your entire trip and a possible festival date for individual days.

Cycling Routes from Ballendorf

Well-maintained cycling routes lead from Ballendorf to the surrounding communities and into the Lone Valley and Hungerbrunnen Valley. For you as a cycle tourist, the distinction is clear: you can focus either on the surrounding communities or on the two valleys mentioned. If cycling is a priority for your trip, this choice can help you when looking for a place to stay.

Activities in the Alb-Donau-Kreis

In the wider destination of the Alb-Donau-Kreis, which is part of the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve, you can compare tours with different time requirements. The 20 circular “Eiszeitpfade” trails are 6 to 14 km long and are suitable for day hikes. The family-friendly “Eiszeitspuren” trails are 1 to 6 km long; the Besinnungsweg is designed for multi-day tours. Cyclists can also compare routes across the Alb-Donau-Kreis: the “Eiszeittäler” tour is 75 km long, the “Berg Bier-Tour” is 115 km, and the “Albtäler” cycle route is 186 km; the latter has a four-star rating. The cycling routes from Ballendorf focus on destinations, while the regional themed routes can also be distinguished by their lengths.

Prehistory in the Alb-Donau-Kreis

The Alb-Donau-Kreis also offers a range of prehistoric themes. The Hohle Fels cave near Schelklingen is a UNESCO World Heritage cave and the site where the “Venus of Hohle Fels” and the “Geierknochenflöte” (Vulture-bone flute) were found; both finds are about 42,500 years old. In Blaustein, the Ehrenstein Stone Age Village is a Neolithic settlement in the Blau Valley and part of the transnational, serial UNESCO World Heritage site “Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps.” This lets you consider the cave and its finds, on the one hand, and a Neolithic settlement, on the other, as distinct cultural and historical themes.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Schelklingen, Nerenstetten, Breitingen, Staig, Nellingen, Emerkingen, Obermarchtal, Lonsee

Back to the main travel overview: Alb-Donau-Kreis.