DonauWelle: Eichfelsen Panorama

The circular hike on the DonauWellen premium trail begins at Beuron Train Station. Its route is consistently marked with the symbol "green-blue waves on a white background". Passing the historic monastery courtyard, Wolterstrasse leads to the signpost location "Monastery Gate". Even before the actual hike begins, a visit to the St. Martin's Monastery Church of today's Benedictine Archabbey is worthwhile.

Across the covered historic wooden bridge, we then cross the Danube and immediately climb steeply in switchbacks towards Irndorf up to the "Beuroner Steige". To the right, we walk along the mill area to the "Spaltfels Junction", a worthwhile detour with a beautiful view over Beuron to Wildenstein Castle. In the "Deer Valley", the rocky path leads to the Rauher Stein Hiking Lodge of the Swabian Alb Association south of Irndorf. At the edge of the village is the noteworthy Geißenhölzle Nature Trail. Below the hiking lodge, another detour to the Rauher Stein rewards us with an impressive view over the Danube Valley to the old town rock and Wildenstein Castle. On the way to the Eichfelsen, the Irndorf Rock Garden showcases the diverse vegetation preserved on the limestone rock heads of the Swabian Alb. The landscape highlight of the route is the fantastic panorama from the most famous viewpoint of the Upper Danube Valley.  

Back at the Rock Garden, we descend through it to the viewpoint "Vögelesruhe" and to the Danube. Before that, we have to cross the country road at the "St. Maurus Junction". Above the railway's Käpfle Tunnel, the premium trail bypasses the paved path to the noteworthy St. Maurus Chapel at the southern end of the loop hill. With a view of the Danube House, we cross the Danube on the suspension bridge to the "Danube House Junction" and climb steeply to the Rock Gallery below Wildenstein Castle. Through the castle moat, we reach today's youth hostel and can stop at the castle tavern in the courtyard. Unfortunately, a tour of the castle is only possible for youth hostel guests.

Then we hike back into the Danube Valley to the Peters Cave below the steeply rising old town rock. It was formerly a refuge for Beuron monks. Therefore, the entrance was partially bricked up. Today, the cave is accessible via a wooden staircase.

At the foot of Peters Rock, the premium trail leads us to the "Villa Hubertus". The Art Nouveau house built in 1907 was the office of the Hohenzollern chief forester. Next to it, a newly created show and adventure garden invites you to linger.

Directly behind the railway bridge, the Augustinerweg leads us to the right back to the starting point.