Discover Stödtlen: Trails, ponds and the Limes

Stödtlen brings together water, a tree trail, a riddle at the cemetery and the route of the Limes on its walking trails. The routes have different focuses: one leads to Volkemer Weiher, another to Wildenberg Chapel; the Swabian Alb Association’s Main Hiking Trail 6 follows the Limes through the municipality. This lets you plan your trip around the places and themes that interest you most.

Trails between the pond, nature trail and chapel

The Weiherweg passes the cemetery, with its rebus puzzle, on the way to Volkemer Weiher. The rebus puzzle adds an unusual touch at the cemetery, while the pond is the route’s named destination. If you like to combine different points of interest when planning a day out, this trail offers a combination of a puzzle and a waterside destination.

The Panoramaweg passes the old castle site and tree trail, then goes through Niederroden and continues to Wildenberg Chapel. The notable stops here are different: the tree trail and castle site are waypoints, while the chapel is the destination of the route described. The Weiherweg and Panoramaweg therefore differ mainly in their named stops.

Nature and the Limes in Stödtlen

The Swabian Alb Association’s Main Hiking Trail 6 runs through the municipality of Stödtlen and follows the route of the Limes. A beaver population has created a biotope at and around Krummenweiher. Both themes offer further points to consider when planning your trip: the Limes as the focus of a hiking route, and the biotope as a nature attraction in its own right.

At Pfauengarten Animal Park, you can see animals from different regions up close. Check the latest visitor information before setting out. Free parking is available at Stödtlen Town Hall; check the local regulations when you arrive.

When looking for places to stay in Stödtlen, it helps to decide on your priorities first: would you mainly like to include the trails to the pond and chapel, or also the Limes and the nature around Krummenweiher? These different themes can help you develop your own travel plans.

More experiences in the Ostalbkreis

The municipality of Rainau in the Ostalbkreis offers a distinct perspective on the Limes. The Upper German-Raetian Limes has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005 and runs through Rainau for about six kilometres, in the districts of Buch, Schwabsberg and Dalkingen. The most scenic sections and most significant individual monuments are preserved in a unique concentration in Limes Park Rainau. A reconstructed watchtower offers panoramic views across the Ostalb; the Limestor Dalkingen is a unique structure along the entire Limes route between the Rhine and the Danube.

The signposted Limes circular hiking trail near Rainau is about 11 kilometres long and takes approximately two and a half hours on foot. It runs from the Limes wall and Limes tower between Buch and Schwabsberg through Mahdholz forest, following the Limes to the southern edge of Schwabsberg. Its length and walking time provide a concrete guide to this regional tour, while in Stödtlen the trails described are distinguished mainly by their stops and themes.

Nature experiences elsewhere in the Ostalbkreis can also be interesting for families: a hike through the Wental valley towards Steinheim is particularly well suited to them. From the trail, you can spot gnarled trees and bizarre rock formations in which, with a little imagination, you may recognize fairy-tale characters and animals.

Discover more destinations: Bartholomä, Neuler, Oberkochen, Täferrot, Abtsgmünd, Schechingen, Heuchlingen, Waldstetten.

For the regional travel overview: Ostalbkreis.