Discover Erkheim: Glücksbaum Trail, cycling route and folk festival

Erkheim can be explored in various ways: on foot along the Glücksbaum Trail, by bike on the Günztal Cycle Route or at the traditional folk festival. The Erkheim Glücksbaum Trail is a circular route around nine kilometres long. Its sections pass through open meadows and shady woodland. If you are planning a hike, this gives you both an approximate route length and a variety of landscapes to enjoy along the way.

On foot through meadows, woodland and Wasenmoos

There are walking and Nordic walking routes in and around Erkheim. Starting points include the car park by the sports centre and the car park by the municipal cemetery. Before setting off, check the local signposting, especially if you plan to choose your route once you arrive.

The Glücksbaum Trail passes through Wasenmoos, a former fen of particular ecological value. The area is located west of Erkheim, in the wider surrounding area. The circular route thus combines open meadows and shady woodland with a special natural environment. If you are interested in landscapes and their ecological significance, Wasenmoos offers another perspective on the trail.

Cycling through Erkheim

The Günztal Cycle Route passes through Erkheim: it runs along Schlegelsberger Straße and Marktstraße to Arlesrieder Straße. When planning your trip, you can therefore distinguish between a loop of around nine kilometres on foot and a section of the cycle route through the town. The route along the named streets gives the cycle path a clear connection to Erkheim.

Folk festival and architectural history

The traditional Erkheim folk festival takes place every year on the second weekend in July. If you want the festival to determine your travel dates, check the specific dates locally. As a recurring event, it offers a different focus from the walking and cycling routes: your stay can centre more on local tradition or on outdoor activities.

Nearby, the Catholic Church of St Nicholas in Daxberg provides an architectural highlight. Its church tower is medieval; the core of the nave probably dates from the 17th century. The different dates give the church its own historical dimension, although the later period to which the nave’s core belongs is not certain.

The Unterallgäu as a wider travel destination

The Unterallgäu offers a broader geographical setting than the local routes and events in Erkheim. The Iller forms the natural western boundary of the Unterallgäu, while the Wertach forms its eastern boundary. The A7 and A96 motorways also help orient visitors to the region; a dense road network, train connections and Allgäu Airport in Memmingerberg further contribute to the district’s good accessibility. Cycling and hiking routes throughout the district are uniformly signposted, and the Unterallgäu is also home to the Glückswege trails.

Nature trails and landscapes of the region

The wider destination of the Unterallgäu offers other trails with different focuses. The 3.2-kilometre forest discovery trail in Bad Grönenbach offers insights into the forest ecosystem. The Buxheim forest discovery trail runs for 2.7 kilometres around Buxheimer Weiher and is designed to let visitors experience nature with all their senses. In the Bannwald forest in Ottobeuren, eleven stations lead visitors along another forest discovery trail. The known lengths of the trails in Bad Grönenbach and Buxheim provide a useful comparison if you are considering a shorter or longer route for your plans.

Benninger Ried is another natural attraction in the Unterallgäu. The fen is easy to walk through and has its own educational trail and an observation platform. For exploring nature, you can choose between a trail with individual stations, a circular route by the pond, and an educational trail with an observation platform.

Culture, Kneipp and culinary experiences in the Unterallgäu

Among the Unterallgäu’s notable architectural landmarks are the Baroque basilica in Ottobeuren and Mindelburg Castle in Mindelheim. The Fugger Castle in Kirchheim houses the world-famous Cedar Hall; the former imperial charterhouse in Buxheim is known for its choir stalls. Today, the Sebastian Kneipp Museum documents the life and work of the famous priest with more than 2,000 exhibits.

For a visit to Mindelburg Castle, please note: the castle courtyard is open year-round, while the keep, which has been converted into an observation tower, is open from April to October. Check the seasonal information before your visit. Nature and culture also complement each other in different ways in the Unterallgäu: Bad Wörishofen is one of the region’s Kneipp spa towns, while Ottobeuren is a Kneipp health resort.

Another regional highlight is the Culinary Mile in Bad Wörishofen. It takes place twice a year, in spring and autumn, and features numerous food stalls serving freshly prepared dishes. The menus may vary. Erkheim, with its trails and folk festival, and the Unterallgäu, with its broader range of nature, culture and culinary experiences, offer different travel highlights. This focus can serve as an initial guide when choosing your accommodation.

Discover more destinations: Sontheim, Buxheim, Babenhausen, Illerwinkel, Tussenhausen, Kirchheim in Schwaben, Westerheim, Niederrieden.

Go to the overview of the wider travel destination: Unterallgäu.