Willow Church, cycle route and hiking trail

The Willow Church is a clear landmark for tours in Pappenheim: the Altmühltal Cycle Path passes right by it, and walkers also pass directly by it. If you like to connect a named place with a route on your tour, you can explore both the cycle route and the hiking trail here.

From Pappenheim, you can cycle a section of the Altmühltal Cycle Path along the Altmühl’s unspoilt meanders. Along the way are heathland covered in wild juniper, as well as silver thistles, grass lilies and blue grass. This makes it possible to identify the cycling stage both by its course along the river and by specific landscape and plant features. Check current route conditions before setting off.

A different route is offered by a hiking trail that begins at the outdoor swimming pool in Pappenheim. It follows the Altmühl on the river’s western bank to Zimmern. After crossing the river, it continues along the valley floor on the eastern bank to Solnhofen. The two tours therefore offer different points of reference: the cycle route focuses on the river’s meanders and the heathland described above, while the hiking trail leads from Pappenheim via Zimmern to Solnhofen. Check route conditions before your tour.

Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen: Routes and Roman history

The wider destination of Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen adds a distinct regional focus. The Limes runs for around 40 kilometres across the district and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site there since 2005. In Weißenburg, the Roman Museum displays Germany’s largest Roman treasure find and houses the Central Bavarian Limes Information Centre. This makes it possible to distinguish between choosing a specific route in Pappenheim and exploring Roman history across the district more broadly.

The longer routes in the wider destination also have different focuses. The Altmühltal Panorama Trail runs for 200 kilometres along the Altmühl from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through the Altmühltal Nature Park. The Altmühltal Cycle Path runs for around 160 kilometres from Gunzenhausen to Kelheim through the nature park. The section of the Altmühltal Cycle Path from Pappenheim is therefore part of a longer route; the hiking route to Solnhofen is a separate option.

Roman attractions in Weißenburg include the partly reconstructed site of the Biriciana fort; the Roman Baths are also part of the city’s Roman heritage. The Weißenburg Via Biriciana hiking trail follows old Roman roads to the Limes. Above Weißenburg, the old Ansbach Hohenzollern fortress of Wülzburg also stands on the highest hill in the southern Franconian Alb, at 630 metres. It is an impressive monument to Renaissance fortress architecture in Germany. Guided tours are offered from May to October, weather permitting; check the dates before your visit.

The southern part of the Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen district lies within the Altmühltal Nature Park. For nature watching, the Landesbund für Vogelschutz in Bayern offers ornithological tours on the approximately 120-hectare Vogelinsel in Lake Altmühl; check availability in advance. Lake Altmühl lies northwest of Gunzenhausen and is ideal for swimming, sailing and surfing. Conditions and local restrictions may vary.

Discover more destinations: Weißenburg in Bayern, Meinheim, Ellingen, Thalmannsfeld, Markt Berolzheim, Dittenheim, Pleinfeld, Höttingen.

Back to the wider travel overview: Weißenburg-Gunzenhausen.