The AlbaktivTour connects the meteor crater on the northern Alb with the reef landscape of the southern Alb. Starting in the Brenz Valley, the fascinating crater landscape awaits. From the crater, we visit the highest point in the district of Heidenheim in Gnannenweiler and then roll back down into the Stubental valley. We climb back up to Gussenstadt and follow the local railway line to Gerstetten. Across the reef, we roam through an untouched area with the equally untouched villages of Erpfenhausen and Küpfendorf. Art and culture play an important role here in the Alb, as if artists had retreated here. Across the vast Heidenheim city forest, we descend back into the Brenz Valley and into the heart of the vibrant city. Those who still have enough energy can extend the tour from Gerstetten via Dettingen to the Eselsburg Valley, and from there take the Brenz Tour back to Heidenheim.
Wegbeschreibung
We start the AlbaktivTour at the train station in Heidenheim. The apple green symbol with hills shows us the way. We cycle towards Aalen, past Brenzpark, and at the end of the park, on Baindtstraße in Heidenheim-Schnaitheim, we reach the junction that takes us out of the Brenz Valley to the edge of the Steinheim crater basin. We cross Heidenheimer Straße and climb up the romantic Enggasse. Enggasse turns into a dirt road that branches off to the right and leads towards the connecting road to Schnaitheim. Behind us, nestled in pure nature, lie the high-rise buildings of Mittelrain. Once we reach the road, we turn left and cycle along it until we reach the intersection with the crossing cycle path. There, the cycle path signs show us the way. We cross the district road towards Bartholomä and Steinheim and dive into the vast forests of the Albuch. In the forest, we follow the arrows on the bike path signs. When we emerge from the forest, we come across the information boards for the Meteor Crater Circular Trail. The nearby Heiderose restaurant is a popular destination for long Sunday walks, especially among the residents of Heidenheim. Below, the Schäfhalde begins, a wide heathland landscape with juniper and hornbeam trees. The asphalt path now leads down to the meteor crater that gave the tour its name. Passing the Smietana sheep farm, where it is worth stopping to shop, we head towards Steinheim. To avoid the busy entrance to the town, we follow the cycle path signs to the left to reach the main road in the town center via an underpass and the adjacent industrial and residential area. Passing the town hall, where we can get more information at an information point, we reach the turnoff to the Meteor Crater Museum in the district of Sontheim. If you want to learn more about the formation of the little brother of the Nördlinger Ries, plan a short detour. At this point, you can also shorten the tour in the direction of Gerstetten. Back on the main road in Steinheim, we turn left a few meters further on towards Wental. Kappelstraße takes us towards Gnannenweiler. The climb to the highest point in the Heidenheim district can be felt in our cycling calves. At the top in Gnannenweiler, it's time for a break to take in the view over the vast forest areas. Tall wind turbines harness the numerous winds here. In the small hamlet, we cycle left towards Söhnstetten and down into the Stubental valley. We cross the B466 and start our journey to Gussenstadt on the other side. There is information available in the town center, and we continue our tour along the local railway path towards Gerstetten. A treat for railway enthusiasts. But a visit to the reef and railway museum in Gerstetten is also worthwhile; it is open on Sundays between March and October. A detour to the museum is necessary. Our tour takes us past Bahnhofstraße towards Erpfenhausen and Küpfendorf. We use the cycle path alongside the road for a short distance on the connecting road to Heidenheim, but soon turn right and reach the hamlet of Erpfenhausen on the winding road, nestled in a wonderfully secluded landscape. Benny Jäger, known from the Herren Stumpfes Zieh und Zupf Kapelle band, has brought a gem back to life here with his wife. Now we're heading into the forest. If we follow the bike path signs carefully, we'll soon arrive in Küpfendorf, the former artists' village. We cycle on, past the turn-off to Steinheim and later past the so-called Hochberg Heidenheim with its ski lift and downhill run. But now we need to be a little careful, because the descent into the Ugental valley is not without its dangers. Back in Heidenheim, we take the cycle path along Clichystraße, which leads into the city center.
