Painten offers hikes through varied landscapes and a freely accessible nature experience area in the Tangrintel. The shady Painten Forest, the open Jura Plateau and views of the Painten quarry each create a different impression. When planning your visit, you can choose between several hiking trails and the area as a destination in its own right.

Forest, Plateau and Panoramic Views

The Painten Forest is one of the largest contiguous woodland areas in the Altmühltal Nature Park. The Jura Plateau near Painten offers panoramic views. On the Painten Circular Hiking Trail 1, the landscapes of meadows and forest come together: this easy route leads across flowering meadows and through the shady forest. It follows the Jurassic heights between Painten and Kelheim.

Hikes with Different Highlights

The Fossil Loop is a leisurely hike across the Jura Plateau near Painten. It starts at the market square and heads north along Schmidgasse, then crosses open countryside to Mantlach and Netzstall. Along the way, there are repeated views of the Painten quarry; on the open stretch, the panoramic views extend to the horizon.

The starting point of the Painten Mushroom Discovery Trail is also precisely located: it begins in Maierhofen, a district of Painten, at the intersection of Hauptstraße and Forststraße. The Pure Pleasure Trail runs between Kelheim, Ihrlerstein and Painten. Its section from Painten towards Gasthaus Glashütte follows trails and gravel sections.

The routes therefore differ both in their course and in their landscapes: Circular Hiking Trail 1 crosses meadows and passes through the forest, while the Fossil Loop follows open countryside with recurring views of the quarry. For the Painten section of the Pure Pleasure Trail, trails and gravel sections are its defining features. These differences can help you choose the kind of outing that interests you.

Nature Experience Area in the Tangrintel

The nature experience area in the Tangrintel is freely accessible. Its features include a barefoot path, an herb garden, a pile of stones collected from fields, an insect hotel and an amphitheatre with seating rows made of Jurassic limestone. The barefoot path offers sensory experiences with your eyes closed. The herb garden is home to typical plants of dry grasslands and ruderal sites, such as those found around Painten.

The area combines a connection with plants and hands-on experiences with the other features of the grounds. You can focus your visit on the features you would like to explore in more detail: the herb garden, the barefoot path or the Jurassic limestone seating rows in the amphitheatre.

Kelheim in the Regional Context

Within the wider destination of Kelheim, the northern part of the district, including Kelheim, Essing and Riedenburg, lies in the Altmühltal Nature Park. The Weltenburger Enge, Hirschberg and Altmühlleiten Nature Reserve, located in Kelheim, encompasses the unique Danube Gorge. There are eleven hiking trails in the Weltenburger Enge Nature Reserve. Another cultural highlight of Kelheim is the Befreiungshalle: King Ludwig I commissioned it as a memorial to the victorious battles against Napoleon in the Wars of Liberation from 1813 to 1815.

Discover more destinations: Kelheim, Volkenschwand, Elsendorf, Saal An Der Donau, Aiglsbach, Langquaid, Siegenburg, Riedenburg.

Go to the wider travel overview: Kelheim.