Nattheim: Museum and Albschäferweg

Nattheim offers two distinct starting points for planning your trip: the Coral and Local History Museum in the Old School and the seventh stage of the Albschäferweg. The museum focuses on local history and fossils; the stage is defined by its distance, walking time, and elevation gain and loss. This lets you decide whether to plan your stay around the museum’s themes or a hike.

Coral and Local History Museum: Local History and Fossils

The Coral and Local History Museum covers local history topics such as iron ore mining, charcoal production in the forest, quarries in Steinweiler, and cigar manufacturing. The topics range from mining and charcoal production to manufacturing. If you are interested in different chapters of local history, this collection offers several thematic starting points.

The museum’s profile also includes fossils: among other things, you can see fossils known as “Nattheim Corals.” The collection includes fossil corals, sea lilies, sea urchins, oysters, mussels, and snails from the White Jurassic. These fossils were found exclusively in the area around Nattheim. The museum therefore brings together local history topics and a collection with a regional history of discovery.

The Seventh Stage of the Albschäferweg

The seventh stage of the Albschäferweg from Heidenheim to Nattheim is rated moderate. This stage is listed as 9.14 kilometers and 2 hours 34 minutes, with 120 meters of ascent and 135 meters of descent. Distance, time, and elevation describe different aspects of the tour and help you assess the planned route. These details apply to this stage, not to the entire Albschäferweg. Check current route conditions before setting out.

The stage then leads to Schafhof Nattheim. From the end of the stage at Schäferei Wiedenmann to Nattheim is another 1.5 kilometers. These details distinguish the stage destination from the additional walk to Nattheim and are useful for orientation around the end of the route.

Return Journey Connection

For the return journey from the “Nattheim Einkaufszentrum” bus stop to Heidenheim’s central bus station (ZOB), the connection plan lists bus lines 50 and 51. Check the current timetable before traveling so you can plan your return journey using valid information.

Heidenheim and the Wider Region

In the wider destination of Heidenheim, karst formations, lively rivers, forests, and heathland shape the landscape of the Heidenheim Brenz region. The 52-kilometer-long Brenz River runs through this region. Heidenheim therefore offers a broader landscape context than the museum topics and route details specific to Nattheim.

The Albschäferweg is also part of this regional context: the certified long-distance hiking trail runs for 158 kilometers through the Heidenheim Brenz region, a cultural landscape of the Swabian Alb shaped by migratory sheep farming. It is dedicated to shepherds and their flocks. The Eselsburger Tal is also within the wider destination of Heidenheim and is considered by far the most valuable habitat for amphibians and reptiles in the Heidenheim district. These regional features complement the specific topics of Nattheim without replacing them.

Discover more destinations: Gerstetten, Niederstotzingen, Heidenheim An Der Brenz, Dischingen, Giengen An Der Brenz, Königsbronn, Steinheim Am Albuch, Herbrechtingen.

Back to the main travel overview: Heidenheim.