From Sontheim train station, the tour first takes us through the Brenz Valley. You can take your first break at the Brenz adventure sites. Below the ruins of Güssenburg Castle, we leave today's Brenz Valley to follow its old course. At Hürbe, the HöhlenErlebnisWelt (cave adventure world) with the Charlottenhöhle cave and an adventure playground is available for a long break before we enter the Lone Valley below the Kaltenburg ruins. The Vogelherdhöhle cave (currently closed) is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Caves and Ice Age Art of the Swabian Alb.” The historic village of Stetten is enchanting. When the Württemberg knights hold their jousting tournament on the last weekend in July, the whole village is transported back to the Middle Ages. On our way to Niederstotzingen, there is another stop at the forest playground for the little cyclists before we make our way back through the Donauried plain at a leisurely pace.
Wegbeschreibung
From Sontheim train station, we cycle along the railway tracks to Bergenweiler and join the Brenz Cycle Route. The cycle path signs with a cave symbol show us the way. In Bergenweiler, we come across the Brenz adventure site with a water playground and information about hydropower. We cross Bergenweiler in the direction of Hermaringen, cross the railway tracks and cycle through an idyllic meadow valley, where the Brenz river and its backwaters have created many a biotope. Halfway along the route, we could shorten the tour and cycle via Burgberg directly to Hürben to the HöhlenErlebnisWelt Giengen-Hürben cave adventure world. On the normal route, we first head for the Brenzturm tower, and immediately after that there is a tranquil spot with a willow tent where we can rest by the Brenz. Passing Hermaringen train station, we leave the village via Friedrichstraße. Shortly before the Netto supermarket, we cross the road and the railway tracks and cycle below Güssenburg castle towards Hürben, which lies hidden behind the Kagberg. Take care here: after the biogas plant, we have to turn right and follow the partly paved field path.
We circle around the Kagberg on its left side towards the Lone Valley. A gravel path leads us to the Kaltenburg ruins. On the right-hand side, a small family paradise opens up before us. The HöhlenErlebnisWelt (cave adventure world) at Charlottenhöhle invites us to take a long break. The longest accessible show cave in southern Germany is just as suitable for discovery tours as the adventure playground, the HöhlenHaus with catering, and the interactive exhibition “Höhle.Mensch.Natur” (Cave.Man.Nature). You can splash around in the little Hürbe stream. To get to the site, you have to walk a bit along the road. The crossing over the meadow at the motorhome parking lot is safer for children. At the bike path junction, don't head towards Charlottenhöhle, but towards Hürben.
We then continue into the Lone Valley. Below Kaltenburg Castle, which is well worth a detour on foot, the tour takes us along a quiet road directly to the famous Vogelherd Cave. Here we are in the World Heritage Site “Caves and Ice Age Art of the Swabian Alb.” However, we leave the valley of caves in the direction of Stetten and Niederstotzingen and are rewarded shortly before Niederstotzingen at the edge of the forest with a beautifully situated rest area, the forest playground. Then we descend into the town of Niederstotzingen. Once at the bottom, we cross the country road to Sontheim and reach the railroad crossing. There we turn left towards Sontheim and ride along the railroad tracks. The Albrand rises on the left and the Danube Valley lies on the right. That's why it's not far from here to the Danube Cycle Path. Once in Sontheim, we follow Friedhofstraße to Hauptstraße. Here we turn left through the town back to the train station.
