Discover Burladingen: Trails, Nature and Culture

Burladingen combines hiking and cycling opportunities with seasonal natural attractions, as well as cultural and leisure activities. When planning your visit, it helps to distinguish between circular trails, point-to-point stages and natural phenomena whose occurrence depends on the season or weather. Stage 12 of the Albsteig leads from Willmandingen through Burladingen to Jungingen.

Hiking Trails and Cycling Tours

Seven circular hiking trails cater to different interests: trekking, leisurely walks, themed explorations, families and people with limited mobility. The routes pass caves, ruins, viewpoints and the Lauchert. If you are looking for a stage with named endpoints rather than a circular trail, the Albsteig offers a different type of route. The Alb-Crossing route across the Swabian Alb is also part of the range of options.

For touring cyclists, the Swabian Alb Cycle Route and the Hohenzollern Cycle Route are designated ADFC quality routes. The Kornbühl Tour offers something different: it is an easy, 20.5-kilometre family cycling route with a short climb around the Kornbühl. Mountain bikers can find freeride and downhill trails at Bike Park Burladingen. The cycling options therefore range from a family tour with a specified length to trails for mountain biking disciplines.

Winter sports are also among the activities on offer in Burladingen, including ski lifts and cross-country ski trails. These options are seasonal, unlike the hiking and cycling routes, so the activity you choose to focus on during your stay will also depend on when you travel.

Kornbühl and Seasonal Natural Attractions

In Burladingen-Salmendingen, the 886-metre-high Kornbühl is a witness mountain and part of the Swabian Alb UNESCO Global Geopark. The Salmendingen St. Anna Chapel is part of the Kornbühl landscape. Below the mountain lies the temporary Märzensee lake, which may appear after heavy rain or snowmelt. It is not possible to predict when the lake will form or how long it will remain. Its appearance is a special attraction for photography, hiking and recreational sports.

The Salmendingen Waterfalls are also a seasonal natural phenomenon. During snowmelt or after heavy rain, water flows there over calcareous tufa. The Lauchert spring rises in Burladingen-Melchingen; it is the only tributary of the Lauchert that flows year-round. These three natural attractions each offer something different: a distinctive mountain with a chapel, a temporary lake and a seasonal waterfall, alongside a spring that flows year-round.

History and Culture

The Höllenstein karst cave is associated with finds from the late Celtic period. To protect the bats, it should only be viewed from the outside between mid-November and mid-April. By contrast, no open-air site is visible at the Burladingen fort; information boards at the car park on the B 32 explain its history and significance. The founding of the Burladingen district in 1544 is part of the town’s administrative history.

In Burladingen-Melchingen, the Lindenhof Theatre is a regional theatre. If you are planning to see a performance, check the current programme and showtimes before your trip. Another way to learn about the town’s history is to join the evening night watchman’s tour: this guided walk through Burladingen introduces visitors to local history.

Playground and Guided Experiences

The Weilerwiesen adventure playground in Burladingen-Melchingen includes the Burg Hohenmelchingen climbing and play house, as well as a dirt bike track for children. Alpakaglück Melchingen offers guided walks with alpacas through the Alb landscape. Since dates and availability should be checked before your trip, it is a good idea to enquire before making this activity a firm part of your plans.

Discover more destinations: Obernheim, Schömberg, Unterdigisheim, Hechingen, Grosselfingen, Laufen, Geislingen, Ratshausen.

For the overview of the wider area: Zollernalbkreis.