Stone Age Trail and Natural Paradise Lone Valley

If we arrive by train, we can start the route already at the station in Amstetten. At the station in Amstetten, we go through the underpass and follow the signs of the Lone Valley Trail turning right into Lonetalstraße. At the front of Bahnhofstraße, turn left onto the bike path always along the railway tracks towards Urspring. In Urspring, we follow Albstraße into the town and turn left towards the Lone spring. The source pool of the Lone nicely prepares us for the further course of the route. At the church, turn right into Kirchstraße which leads back to the edge of the village. We continue straight on the gravel path, cross the Lone, and cycle along the main street into Lonsee. In the town, we turn right into Hindenburgstraße and pass the town hall. After the playground, keep right, pass the sports ground, and follow the course of the Lone. At the bridge, turn left back towards Lonsee and just before the main road, turn right onto a small asphalt road. Our path now runs parallel to the railway tracks past Lonesee to Halzhausen. From Poststraße, turn left into Bachstraße, turn right directly before the railway tracks and follow the signs past the sewage treatment plant towards Westerstetten. Before reaching the village, we cross the Lone, the state road, and the railway tracks. In Westerstetten, turn from Bahnhofstraße into Kreuzbergstraße and leave the village via Lonetalstraße. Now continue always along the Lone past Breitingen into the Wacholderheide Breitingen Schönrain, created through centuries of sheep grazing. After crossing the state road Bernstadt-Holzkirch, the most scenic part of the Lone Valley begins. Jura rock formations appear more and more frequently on the slopes, remnants of the former Jurassic sea. Past Hubertusfels and Mehlsack, two splendid viewpoint rocks, we reach the Salzbühl hiking car park. We cross the Lone and immediately after the bridge turn left towards Fohlenhaus, one of the most beautiful rock formations in the entire valley. At Neenstetten, we go under the highway on the expressway and continue following the winding river course. Shortly before Bissingen, a detour to the Bockstein Cave is worthwhile, regarded as the oldest settlement complex of the Neanderthal in southern Germany. Shortly afterwards, we come across the so-called Bear Cave, where one of the unique artworks formed about 35,000 years ago by the first modern humans. A detour to Lindenau, a welcome place to stop, is definitely worthwhile. Back in the valley, we soon reach the Archaeopark Vogelherd (currently closed) near Stetten, where most Ice Age artifacts were excavated. We continue on the municipal connecting road towards Lontal. Now it is not far to Kaltenburg, which looms high on the left above the valley. Here the Lone flows into the Hürbe and the end of the Lone Valley cycle path is reached.

We leave the idyllic river valley and turn left towards Hürben, where the Charlotten Cave and the Cave House are worth a visit. From Hürben, we can either take the train back from Giengen or Hermaringen, or we continue the route via the Eselsburger Valley up to the Gerstetten Alb.

Via Eselsburg, Dettingen, and Heldenfingen, we cycle further to Gerstetten and follow the local railway cycle path back to Amstetten. Those who are already tired here can take the local railway on Sundays for the return trip to Amstetten. Bicycle transport is free there.