Lautertal Radweg (R1)

One of the most beautiful river valleys of the Swabian Alb is the destination of this route. From the source of the Lauter to the Marbach stud and along numerous castle ruins and mighty rocks, we follow the small river effortlessly to its mouth in the Danube. Via Obermarchtal we reach Zwiefalten. The return journey is made by the Lautertal leisure bus or the bike-hiking bus Alb-Donau-Kreis, which carry your bikes free of charge between Marbach and Zwiefalten.

The starting point of our tour is Gomadingen-Offenhausen. In the former monastery church of the Dominican order is the stud museum of the Marbach stud farm, existing since 1575. In the former monastery garden you find the spring basin of the Große Lauter. From the stud museum our way leads along the Lauter and the railway lines east to Gomadingen. Turning right, we reach the centre of Gomadingen with the regional shop »Albheimisches«. Behind the town hall we follow the path past the water adventure area to Marbach: since 1553 the location of the Württemberg Haupt- und Landgestüt.

After the stud, we ride briefly on the L 249, until our cycle path turns left after the stud inn. Along the Lauter we ride over a wooden bridge and turn left at the timber yard. Over another bridge we reach Wasserstetten and at the village edge the Lauter bridge with the bridge figure of the sheep washer. Parallel to the road we reach the sewage treatment plant of Gomadingen. We cross the Lauter and continue downstream to Buttenhausen.

The Münsingen district has a long Jewish tradition. In 1787, 25 Jewish families were allowed to settle here (exhibition). On the right at the bridge we pass the orange-red birthplace of Matthias Erzberger. Towards Lautertalschule we pass the water adventure area with the »riverside to touch«. At the entrance of Hundersingen we take a left through Wassergasse and before the bridge turn right along the river loop. To our left towers the ruin Hohenhundersingen.

Following the Lauter to Münsingen-Bichishausen. At the village entrance our cycle path leads right around the Bichishausen castle ruin. After the church we cycle right to Münsingen-Gundelfingen. Above us lies the ruin Hohengundelfingen. It is the largest and mightiest castle complex of the Lautertal. Along the Lauter we pass several lawns. From here you reach Münzdorf. Along the right side of the Lauter we reach Hayingen-Weiler, where the Schneckenhans greets us on the bridge. On top of Kreuzberg a small snail garden of the Albschneck project can be visited, where the delicious vineyard snails, as they used to be eaten on the Alb, are bred.

After the bridge to the right we reach the Hayingen district Indelhausen. Our cycle path leads into the K 6752, which we follow left towards Anhausen. Past the St. Ursula chapel we keep right. At the junction to Erbstetten we stay in the valley and follow the access road to the hiking car park, past the former Schloss Schülzburg.

At the landscape protection area sign, we cross the Lauter to the right. We follow the path to the left into the car-free Lautertal. Following the gravel paths, we pass the Ochsenlöcher as well as the castle ruins and the Wartstein shelter. At the junction to Schneidertal we cross the valley side via the bridge and continue along the Lauter. In the background we can already see Unterwilzingen. We turn right over the narrow weir and follow the Lauter downstream to the village entrance. Left over the bridge our path continues along the lonely Lautertal with the Reichenstein castle.

Our path makes a sharp left turn through the mill channel for the Laufenmühle. Please dismount on the descent. From the mill on, our path is a small romantic circular road that leads us through rocks to Lauterach. On the main street we turn right and before the bridge turn left again. Here begins the last stretch to the Danube. Along the river, we cycle left past the weir and pond. The Lauter had to force its way through high rocks. Past the waterworks, we leave the Lauter and pass under the railway embankment. To the right along the Danube we have a good view of the Lauter mouth into the Danube.

We follow in the direction of the mighty church towers of Obermarchtal. At the foot of the baroque Münster we cross the Danube and follow the mill path uphill to the village centre (R 10). The street entering from above brings us to the monastery complex. Riding downhill on the mill path, we turn left at the Kreuz pub and ride uphill on Sebastian-Sailer-Straße. Shortly before the B 311, opposite the musicians' home, we turn right. We pass under the federal road and follow it parallel right to Datthausen, where we cross it. At the church turn right to reach the town centre.

At the end of the street we turn left and follow the old street to Zwiefaltendorf. Please dismount! Over the railway line we reach the village entrance of Riedlingen-Zwiefaltendorf. After the big bridge at the brewery house, we turn left, cross the small bridge and then turn left towards the station. At the small roundabout we follow the sign to the Zwiefalter Münster to the right. At Vogelsangstraße we turn right and follow it to the edge of town. Just after leaving the town, a forest path branches off on the right, which we follow to the B 312 to the Zwiefalten sewage treatment plant and to the cycling and hiking hostel of Zwiefalten-Baach.

We continue cycling on the forest path and already have the distinctive towers of the Zwiefalter Münster in view. In the centre of Zwiefalten, we reach the Münster to the left. During the summer season, the Peterstor houses an information point for nature, environment and tourism, which also offers regional products.

The return journey is made by the Lautertal bike-hiking bus, which carries your bikes free of charge between Münsingen and Riedlingen. Alternatively, you can extend your cycling trip from Zwiefalten – possibly even starting on the next day – with "The Zwiefalter-Alb-Radweg - Across the Alb plateau back to the Lauter source", which ends in Gomadingen-Offenhausen.