Discover Hesselberg

At Hesselberg, clearly visible ring walls, geological themes, and trails for hiking and cycling come together. On a walk around Osterwiese, the very well-preserved ring walls stand out clearly; in especially clear weather, views extend all the way to the Alps. There are also different types of routes on the mountain and in the wider destination of Gerolfingen. This offers several ways to plan your trip: you can explore Hesselberg on foot, learn about the Jurassic periods, or choose a cycling route.

Ring Walls and Jurassic Periods

The ring walls of Hesselberg are clearly visible on a walk around Osterwiese. The site is considered one of the largest ring wall complexes in Europe. Its good state of preservation and impressive visible size give the walk a clear destination to focus on along the way.

The Geological Learning and Hiking Trail offers a different perspective. Information signs explain the sequence of Jurassic periods at Hesselberg: from the Lias (Black Jurassic) through the Dogger (Brown Jurassic) to the Malm (White Jurassic). These three names make the geological focus tangible; the information on the signs accompanies you along the trail. If you enjoy exploring a specific topic, you can combine your hike here with learning about the Jurassic periods.

Hiking Trails and Cycling Tours

Circular Hiking Trail 1 goes around Hesselberg on a hiking path about six kilometres long. The Hesselberg Trail offers a different route: it crosses Hesselberg and starts in Gerolfingen at the large car park by the warehouse, opposite the “Zum Goldenen Löwen” inn. In the wider destination of Gerolfingen, the trail also passes the Gerolfingen bathing pond. The routes therefore differ in their courses: one goes around Hesselberg, while the other crosses the mountain and has a named starting point in Gerolfingen.

For a cycling tour, there is the “Around Hesselberg” Family Cycling Trail. This easy circular route is around 20 kilometres long, passes through gently rolling terrain around Hesselberg, and was officially opened in April 2014. Compared with the approximately six-kilometre Circular Hiking Trail 1, this highlights the clear difference between cycling and walking routes, as well as their lengths. If cycling is part of your planned holiday activities, the Family Cycling Trail offers a focus of its own.

Views and Landscape

Hesselberg is a protected landscape area. In especially clear weather, views extend to the Alps, about 150 kilometres away. These distant views are therefore dependent on a specific weather condition. Paragliding is another activity available at Hesselberg: depending on the wind, there are two launch sites. Weather conditions determine the views, while wind conditions determine the launch sites.

Gerolfingen as an Additional Cultural Highlight

In the wider destination of Gerolfingen, Aufkirchen is home to the highly visible St. John’s Church, dating from 1514. It has a Baroque altar and one of the oldest organs in Bavaria. This adds a cultural highlight to the hiking and cycling trails. If you would like to include a historic building in your trip alongside nature and outdoor activities, the church is a specific point of interest in the destination of Gerolfingen.

Choose a Focus for Your Accommodation Search

When looking for suitable accommodation, it helps to start with a question about your planned activities: should Hesselberg, with its ring walls, geological trail, and hiking routes, be the main focus, or would you also like to consider places in the wider destination of Gerolfingen? These include the Gerolfingen bathing pond on the Hesselberg Trail and the church in Aufkirchen. This helps you tailor your accommodation search to the places and experiences you would like to include in your trip, rather than combining hiking, cycling, and cultural interests into a single itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Ehingen, Heilsbronn, Wettringen, Dietenhofen, Arberg, Ornbau, Sachsen bei Ansbach.

View the wider travel overview: Ansbach.