Four freely accessible nature trails and a route across the Jurassic Plateau offer different ways to explore Schernfeld’s natural surroundings. You can explore the Walderlebniszentrum’s trails without a guide; the Schernfeld loop runs around the village, passing Schäferei Eichhorn and continuing to Leitenbuck. From there, the view stretches south into the Altmühltal and north towards Schernfeld. Cultural attractions in Eichstätt add their own distinctive touches.

Nature in two trail formats

The Schernfeld Forest Experience Centre offers four nature trails that are freely accessible and can be explored without a guide. This makes independent exploration the focus. The Schernfeld loop has a different character: its route description takes you across the Jurassic Plateau around Schernfeld and identifies Schäferei Eichhorn and Leitenbuck as notable points along the way.

Leitenbuck is a grassy slope. From there, the view extends in two directions: south into the Altmühltal and north towards the village of Schernfeld. This spot therefore combines a view of the landscape with a perspective back towards the village. If you want to combine a view of nature with a view of Schernfeld, this is a specific destination on the loop.

When choosing between the options, you can base your decision on the type of route you want: the four nature trails offer exploration without a guide, while the loop describes a route across the Jurassic Plateau to a named viewpoint. You can consider the two options separately, without assuming a particular order or a shared route.

Museums nearby and in Eichstätt

In nearby Eichstätt, the Bergér Museum features a dry aquarium with corals and marine animals. It also has exhibitions on gemstones, minerals and jewellery, as well as on forests and fields. The topics range from marine life and minerals to nature and landscape. The museum offers a cultural counterpoint to the trails and viewpoints in Schernfeld.

More cultural attractions in Eichstätt

In Eichstätt, the Jura Museum focuses its exhibitions on fossils from the Solnhofen plattenkalk limestone. The original Eichstätt specimen of Archaeopteryx is also on display there. Fossils are the main focus here, while the Bergér Museum has its own themes, with its dry aquarium and exhibitions on minerals, jewellery, forests and fields.

The Willibaldsburg was built in 1355 by Bishop Berthold Burggraf von Zollern and served as the bishop’s residence until 1725. Parts of the 420-metre-long castle have been preserved, including walls and bastions, the armoury, the 63-metre-long gate hall and the Gemmingen building with its two towers. These buildings give a visit a clear historical and architectural focus.

The 1,500-square-metre Bastions Garden is also located at Willibaldsburg. The Hortus Eystettensis, destroyed during the Thirty Years’ War, was brought back to life there after 400 years; visitors can discover many of the garden’s original plant species. The castle and garden thus combine preserved architectural features with a historic garden concept and plants for visitors to discover on site.

Domplatz is another historic site in Eichstätt: it lies on the oldest settled ground in the city. Eichstätt’s Genuss-Wirte (culinary hosts) focus on local food with their motto “Eichstätt kocht...” and offer special dishes several times a year, including flavourful Altmühltal lamb dishes. If you would like to include this offering in your travel plans, check the relevant dates.

Another hiking option in the wider Eichstätt destination is the Eichstätt Fossil Trail: a moderate, nine-kilometre circular route for families. The options therefore range from the nature trails and loop in Schernfeld to a longer circular tour in Eichstätt described as moderate.

When looking for accommodation, it helps to consider what you want to focus on: if the nature trails, loop and Leitenbuck are your priorities, search for hotels in Schernfeld. If you are mainly planning to visit museums, the castle and Domplatz, you can include Eichstätt as a separate destination in your search.

Discover more destinations: Lenting, Pförring, Dollnstein, Oberdolling, Wellheim, Titting, Böhmfeld, Nassenfels.

Back to the wider travel overview: Eichstätt.