Discover Nattheim: Fossils and Local History

Nattheim combines local history with a specific hiking connection: the Coral and Local History Museum brings together topics from local history and fossil finds, while the seventh stage of the Albschäferweg runs from Heidenheim to Nattheim. These are two distinct highlights to consider when planning your trip. If you are travelling with different interests, you can consider the museum and hike separately rather than assuming they form a single shared experience.

Fossils and local history at the museum

The Coral and Local History Museum in Nattheim's Old School covers topics in local history. These include iron ore mining, charcoal burning, the quarries in Steinweiler, and cigar making. The selection thus ranges from the use of local raw materials to an area of manufacturing, giving your museum visit a clear connection to local history.

The museum also displays fossils, including those known as “Nattheim corals.” A selection includes fossil corals, sea lilies, sea urchins, oysters, mussels, and snails from the White Jurassic. These fossils have been found exclusively in the area around Nattheim. The collection thus brings together different fossil groups with a specific connection to the area. Visitors interested in natural history will find topics here that differ from the displays on iron ore mining, charcoal burning, and cigar making; both are part of the museum's range of subjects.

The seventh stage of the Albschäferweg

As a regional hiking option, the seventh stage of the Albschäferweg runs from Heidenheim to Nattheim. It is rated moderate, is 9.14 kilometres long, and is listed as taking 2 hours 34 minutes. The route also includes 120 metres of ascent and 135 metres of descent. These figures provide different points of reference for planning: distance and time describe the scale of the hike, while the ascent and descent add information about the elevation profile. The stage then leads to Schafhof Nattheim. Check route conditions before setting out.

The stage is part of a longer trail: the certified Albschäferweg runs for 158 kilometres through the Heidenheim Brenz region, a cultural landscape of the Swabian Alb shaped by shepherding. The trail is dedicated to shepherds and their flocks. The Nattheim stage is therefore set within both a longer route and a regional cultural landscape; the published stage figures remain the specific points of reference for this section.

Return journey and trip planning

Bus routes 50 and 51 are listed for the return journey from the “Nattheim Einkaufszentrum” bus stop to Heidenheim Central Bus Station. If you plan to use this connection, check the current timetable before travelling. This lets you plan the hiking stage and your return journey separately, without confusing the walking route details with the bus connection.

The wider setting: Heidenheim

The wider destination of Heidenheim broadens the perspective to the Heidenheim Brenz region. Its landscape includes karst features, lively river courses, forests, and heathland. The 52-kilometre-long Brenz runs through the region. This description refers to the regional setting, not Nattheim alone; it complements the specific local attractions of the museum and hiking stage with a broader landscape perspective.

The Eselsburger Valley is also part of this wider Heidenheim context: for amphibians and reptiles, it is by far the most valuable habitat in Heidenheim district. This is a distinct aspect of regional nature, alongside the fossils at Nattheim's museum and the hiking route.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Königsbronn, Giengen An Der Brenz, Gerstetten, Steinheim Am Albuch, Dischingen, Niederstotzingen, Herbrechtingen, Heidenheim An Der Brenz.

Back to the main travel overview: Heidenheim.