The tour begins in Reutlingen and takes us from there through Pfullingen, following the Echaz Valley to Lichtenstein-Unterhausen and Honau. From here, a steep ascent along the former rack railway route awaits us as we climb to the Alb Plateau. Let’s take a moment to enjoy the view of the "Fairy Tale Castle of Württemberg," our next destination!
Lichtenstein Castle is not only impressive due to its location high above the Echaz Valley, but also a guided tour of the castle is an absolute must.
The Nebelhöhle (Fog Cave), one of the many limestone caves on the Swabian Alb, is the next highlight of our tour. A descent into its depths is highly recommended.
The tour continues towards Sonnenbühl-Genkingen and then to the Roßberg. At 869.6 meters, the Roßberg is the highest point in Reutlingen’s district. From the Roßberg Tower, we can enjoy breathtaking views of the layered formations of the Swabian Alb. The hiking lodge with a restaurant invites us to take a well-deserved break.
Afterward, we can enjoy the scenic descent through the forest down to Gönningen. From there, it’s only a few kilometers back to Reutlingen, the starting point of the tour. Once back, a stroll through the attractive city center makes for a perfect conclusion
Wegbeschreibung
We start in Reutlingen near the B312 close to the Tübinger Tor and head east. After about 500 meters, we turn right onto Lindachstraße and follow it to its end, rejoining the B312. Near the Südbahnhof, we cross Marktstraße, which runs southward, and after approximately 100 meters, we turn right onto a path. This path leads us all the way to Lichtenstein. There, the bike path ends at the main road, which we cross. We then turn left onto Bahnhofstraße and follow it to the outskirts of Lichtenstein. Before the road curves to the right, we turn left and start climbing.
Above Honau, we follow the path to the parking area, cross the main road, and continue on the bike path in the same direction. Shortly after, we turn right and then left, following the path that briefly runs alongside the main road. The route then takes us into the forest, where we must pedal hard to reach our stop at Lichtenstein Castle.
At Lichtenstein Castle, the path continues westward between the large parking lot and the kiosk. From here, we enjoy a pleasant downhill stretch. At Kalkofenhütte, we turn left, and at the next junction, we turn right. We follow the signs to Nebelhöhle, a cave well worth visiting.
Afterward, we continue southwest and enjoy a relaxed descent to Genkingen. Just before reaching Genkingen, we cross the main road and follow the bike path straight into the village. Eventually, we reach Jahnstraße, where we turn left, then immediately right onto Hauffstraße. At the end of Hauffstraße, we turn left and then right again. After about 150 meters, we turn left onto Öschinger Straße and follow it out of the village.
At a crossroads, we take the second left and ride along a relatively flat path next to the forest. To our left, we have an open view of the layered Alb landscape and the Roßberg. The path to Roßberg turns off to the left. The climb involves some effort but is well worth it, as the Roßberg Tower offers stunning views.
After this detour, we return to the fork and turn left. Caution is needed here as the route descends steeply through the forest with many curves toward Gönningen. In Gönningen, we turn left onto the main road, which becomes Bronnweiler Straße. We follow the main road to the village's edge, where we can switch to a bike path on the left side of the road.
This path takes us all the way back to Reutlingen, passing Alteburger Hof and going under the road through a tunnel. Soon, we reach the outskirts of Reutlingen. At the intersection, we turn left onto Alteburgstraße and follow it back to our starting point in Reutlingen’s city center.
