Stödtlen: Trails, Ponds and the Limes

Stödtlen can be explored for trip planning through several clearly distinct themes: trails to a pond and chapel, nature by the water, and the route of the Limes. The Pond Trail passes the cemetery with its rebus on the way to Volkemer Pond. The Panorama Trail passes the old castle site with its tree trail and continues via Niederroden to Wildenberg Chapel. The Swabian Alb Association’s Main Hiking Trail 6 runs through the municipality of Stödtlen and follows the route of the Limes. The trails therefore have different points of interest: the Pond Trail draws attention to the water and the rebus, the Panorama Trail to the castle site, tree trail and chapel, and the Main Hiking Trail to the Limes. To help you choose, you can first decide which of these landscape and cultural themes you would like to shape your stay.

Local Trails, Ponds and Nature

A beaver population has created a biotope at and around Krummenweiher. The Pond Trail leads to Volkemer Pond; Krummenweiher offers a separate connection with nature alongside this route.

Apart from the destinations in Stödtlen mentioned above, you can see animals from different regions up close at the Pfauengarten animal park. Check the park’s current visitor information before setting off.

Free parking is available at Stödtlen Town Hall; check the local regulations when you arrive. When looking for a hotel in Stödtlen, it may help to consider whether you would rather include trails with named stops, nature by the water or a visit to an animal park in your travel plans.

More Places to Explore in the Ostalb District

The Ostalb district has other connections to the Limes, for example at Rainau. The Upper German-Raetian Limes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2005, crosses the municipality of Rainau through the districts of Buch, Schwabsberg and Dalkingen over a length of about 6 km. The finest sections and most significant individual monuments of the Limes are preserved in a unique concentration in Limes Park Rainau. A reconstructed watchtower offers panoramic views across the Ostalb; the Limes Gate at Dalkingen is a unique structure along the entire Limes route between the Rhine and the Danube.

The signposted Limes circular hiking trail near Rainau is about 11 km long and takes approximately 2.5 hours on foot. It runs from the Limes wall and Limes tower between Buch and Schwabsberg through Mahdholz Forest, following the Limes to the southern edge of Schwabsberg. This is a separate trail in the Ostalb district; in Stödtlen, Main Hiking Trail 6 runs through the municipality and follows the route of the Limes.

Another cultural highlight in the Ostalb district is Lorch Abbey. It was founded in 1102 by the first Hohenstaufen ruler, Frederick I, and his wife Agnes of Waiblingen as a burial place. The complex includes a medieval church, the cloister and farm buildings. Marsilius Tower offers views of the abbey complex, herb garden, sensory garden and surrounding area. The permanent exhibition covers 900 years of the abbey’s history, including through the richly decorated Lorch choir books.

The Tiefer Stollen visitor mine is another attraction in the Ostalb district. During a visit, the mine train travels past mineral deposits and small stalactites into sandstone halls covering 2,500 m², 100 m underground. A multimedia show there introduces visitors to the history of ore mining in the Aalen area. A circular route through the mine’s labyrinth leads to former underground mining areas with shafts, loading points and ore extraction chambers.

Discover more destinations: Mutlangen, Bopfingen, Rosenberg, Heubach, Kirchheim Am Ries, Ruppertshofen, Böbingen An Der Rems, Lauchheim.

For the broader travel overview: Ostalb District.