Dürnau: Orchard Trails and History

Trails and Views in Dürnau

The Orchard Trail and the Swabian Sayings Trail offer two different themes in Dürnau, largely along the same route. The Orchard Trail is located south of Dürnau and Gammelshausen. The walkable route is approximately 1.5 kilometres long and includes a break in the trail. Around two thirds of the route are planted with trees. From there, views open up across the gently rolling foothills of the Swabian Jura, the Three Kaiser Mountains, the Schurwald forest and the Stuttgart area. In this way, the trail combines the plantings with several different viewpoints.

The Swabian Sayings Trail was inspired by an initiative from Michael Wahl, a dialect writer who grew up in Dürnau and contributed uplifting and contemplative sayings to its design. In the southern outskirts of Dürnau, the trail follows largely the same route as the Orchard Trail, just below a landscape conservation area. The difference in theme therefore lies less in a separate route than in the design: the Sayings Trail puts the sayings in the foreground, while the Orchard Trail features planted sections and views. A connecting section of the Orchard Trail leads to the children’s playground at Dürnau’s former fire pond and then uphill to the shooting club.

Traces of Local History

Dürnau’s moated castle was first mentioned in 1237 and demolished in 1845. At the moated castle, a stone arched bridge replaced the original drawbridge; the arched bridge is still visible. The dates place the castle’s history in context, while the visible bridge provides a tangible architectural link to it.

The Protestant Church of St Cyriacus in Dürnau is listed as open daily from 8:30 am to 6 pm; in winter, it is open until nightfall. Check the opening times locally before visiting.

More to Explore in the Wider Göppingen Destination

In the wider Göppingen destination, other tours offer further ways to explore the region. The Löwenpfade trails in the district of Göppingen are circular hiking routes between 3 and 24 kilometres long. They can be walked in either direction and are signposted and waymarked in both directions. At each starting point, an information board provides details about the route, its elevation profile and sights along the way. This makes it possible to take the route length and elevation profile into account when choosing a hike.

For mountain biking, the district of Göppingen has four Löwentrails circular routes. They are between 16 and 30 kilometres long and are particularly suitable for beginners and e-mountain bikers. For a longer ride, the 186-kilometre Albtäler cycling route runs through the district of Göppingen and the neighbouring districts of Heidenheim and Alb-Donau-Kreis. It has been awarded four stars as a quality cycling route by the German Cyclists’ Association (ADFC).

The wider Göppingen destination also offers opportunities to explore culture and history. The Märklineum in Göppingen presents Märklin’s more than 165-year company history and its products. Wäscher Castle in Wäschenbeuren dates from the early 13th century. Together, these examples showcase different regional themes, from company history to the history of a castle.

Discover more destinations: Mühlhausen Im Täle, Hattenhofen, Bad Boll, Heiningen, Ottenbach, Geislingen An Der Steige, Hohenstadt, Bad Ditzenbach.

Back to the wider travel overview: Göppingen.