Nature between a spring snowflake forest and a limestone tufa formation

Between Ettenstatt and Kaltenbuch, on the edge of the Alb, lies a Märzenbecherwald covering about 12.4 hectares. From March to early April, thousands of spring snowflakes bloom among the deciduous trees, with white cup-shaped flowers and light green leaves. This brief flowering season gives a spring trip a clear focus on nature.

Near Rohrbach, a district of the municipality of Ettenstatt, the stream bed rises above its surroundings. This forms the Steinerne Rinne, a limestone tufa dam about 60 metres long and up to 1.5 metres wide. Compared with the extensive forest, the channel is a narrow, striking geological formation: two distinct natural features within the municipality.

Routes and seasonal experiences

The Märzenbecherwald circular trail links the Steinerne Rinne near Rohrbach with the Märzenbecherwald near Ettenstatt. This brings the limestone tufa dam and the seasonal bloom together on one route. Each feature retains its own character: here, the stream bed rising above its surroundings; there, spring snowflakes among the deciduous trees.

Local events also offer different seasonal highlights. Church fairs take place over a period of about six months in the municipality of Ettenstatt and its associated districts. For four days in summer, the Jura-Anlautertal Tourism Association hosts stick-bread baking at the Steinschütt viewpoint between Kaltenbuch and Geyern. The programme includes brass band music, bratwurst, beer and stick bread for children. If you are planning your visit specifically around this event, check the dates for the relevant period in advance.

For cyclists, recommended routes in the wider region include the Jura E-Bike Tour, the Anlautertal Cycle Path and the Limes Cycle Path. These add regional route options to the local circular trail. Before setting off, it is advisable to check the status of the route you plan to take.

Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen: more regional highlights

The wider destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen offers a distinctive setting for exploring Roman history. The Limes runs for around 40 kilometres across the district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site there since 2005. The Roman Museum in Weißenburg displays Germany’s largest Roman treasure find and houses the Central Bavarian Limes Information Centre. Weißenburg’s Roman heritage also includes the Roman Baths; the Biriciana fort has been partially reconstructed. Numerous Roman watchtowers, forts and fragments of bathhouses in the district also bear witness to Roman history.

Another historical period takes centre stage at the old Ansbach Hohenzollern fortress of Wülzburg. It stands above Weißenburg, on the highest hilltop in the southern Franconian Alb at 630 metres, and is considered an impressive example of Renaissance fortress architecture in Germany. Guided tours are offered there from May to October, weather permitting. If you are planning to join a tour, check the current schedule in advance.

There are also different ways to enjoy the longer routes in the wider destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen. The Weißenburg “Via Biriciana” hiking trail follows old Roman roads to the Limes. The Altmühltal Panorama Trail runs for 200 kilometres along the Altmühl from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through the Altmühltal Nature Park and is certified as a “Quality Trail Wanderbares Deutschland”. For cyclists, the Altmühltal Cycle Path runs for around 160 kilometres from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through the nature park. The two long routes therefore connect the same places, but differ in activity and length.

The southern part of the district of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen lies within the Altmühltal Nature Park. Another destination for water and nature in the wider region is Lake Altmühlsee, northwest of Gunzenhausen, where visitors can swim, sail and surf. The approximately 120-hectare Vogelinsel bird island offers ornithological tours led by the Bavarian branch of the German Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union. If you would like to join a tour, check its availability in advance.

Discover more destinations: Solnhofen, Westheim, Pleinfeld, Gnotzheim, Muhr Am See, Dittenheim, Treuchtlingen, Weißenburg In Bayern

Back to the regional travel overview: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen.