Discover Westerheim

Westerheim is located in the Swabian Alb Biosphere Reserve, which covers around 85,300 hectares. Six main hiking routes are consistently marked. Views from Sellenberg, local culture and winter activities that depend on snow conditions offer different highlights. You can plan your stay around what interests you most, with specific route distances for hiking days and activities whose availability in winter depends on snow conditions.

Hiking routes of different lengths

The route lengths provide a practical starting point for planning. Hiking route W2 is about 10.5 km long; the Sommerbobbahn car park in Westerheim is a recommended starting point. W4 is just over 7 km long, with the Alb-Halle as its recommended starting point. Based on the stated distances, W2 is the longer of the two routes. If you’re considering the shorter option, W4 offers an additional feature: downloadable fairy tales can be played at any of three rest stops along the route. Another option is the approximately 8 km-long Chapel Hiking Trail, which crosses Westerheim and leads to Egelsee.

Views, a cave and history

Residents regard Sellenberg as Westerheim’s local mountain. It offers lovely views of the surrounding area and is also the community’s green lung and festival grounds. The municipality has installed a Viscope telescope at the Westenberg viewpoint. In Westerheim, both the landscape views and this specific viewing experience are highlights.

Schertel Cave lies outside the village, in the area around Westerheim. This show cave is 212 m long and has two passages with stalactite and sinter formations. The Loretto Chapel, built in 1705, is located along the Chapel Hiking Trail. The cave and chapel offer different kinds of discovery: underground formations in one case, and a historic building along the trail in the other.

Church, indoor pool and leisure

St. Stephen’s Church serves as a place of worship and also as a venue for concerts, weddings and exhibitions. Guided tours are available. If you’re planning your visit around a particular event or tour, check the date in advance, as event schedules and contact information may change.

Alb-Bad is an indoor swimming pool with a large lap pool and a separate shallow pool for toddlers. Adventure Golf adds an outdoor attraction to the leisure options. Alongside hiking routes and culture, an indoor pool and an outdoor leisure activity offer additional ideas for planning your trip.

Winter activities depend on snow conditions

In winter, Westerheim has more than 30 km of groomed cross-country ski trails, as well as skating trails of varying lengths and difficulty levels. The trails are seasonal, and conditions depend on snow cover. Four drag lifts are also part of the winter offering and are subject to the season and weather. Snowshoe hikes are possible. With skijoring, a horse pulls you across the snow; with kite skiing, a paraglider pulls the skier across the snow. These activities require snow, so what’s possible varies with conditions.

A longer option by bike

Cycling is another option: Suggested Tour 4 is titled “Mountain and Valley Stage for Sporty Cyclists” and is a 49.3 km cycling route described as starting from Westerheim. If you’re planning this tour, it’s worth checking current conditions along the route, as they may change.

Culture in the Alb-Donau District

Cultural sites in the Alb-Donau District, the wider travel destination, include Hohle Fels near Schelklingen and Obermarchtal Abbey. Hohle Fels is a UNESCO World Heritage cave and the discovery site of the Venus of Hohle Fels and the Geierknochenflöte (Vulture Bone Flute); both finds are about 42,500 years old. Obermarchtal Abbey stands directly above the Danube and took on its present form between 1686 and 1795.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Obermarchtal, Bernstadt, Blaustein, Schelklingen, Ballendorf, Breitingen, Ulm, Allmendingen.

For the wider travel overview: Alb-Donau District.