On the Alb plateau, south-east of the neighboring municipality of Bartholomä, the Wental extends across the district of Essingen into the Steinheim basin. This unique natural landscape was formed from the riverbed of the Wedel watercourse. When the Jurassic sea receded and the Alb began to karstify around 150 million years ago, the river ate its way deeper and deeper into the rock until it completely seeped away. What remained was the Wental valley and the strangely shaped dolomite rocks. They are an impressive testimony to the power of water. These quaint and bizarre rock formations extend over almost the entire Wental valley. However, they accumulate in the area of the sea of rocks, giving the impression of a veritable flood of different rock formations. The sea of rocks in the Wental is a magnet, especially for families with small children. Due to the large number and sometimes rare animal and plant species, the former “Wental” landscape conservation area has been upgraded to a nature reserve.
