Discover Aichtal through its cultural history, geological traces and art in the forest. Its hiking trails each have a different focus, while museums and theater add local history, everyday life in the past and changing performances to the picture.
Hiking trails with different themes
The signposted Historic Circular Hiking Trail in Aichtal Forest is 4.5 kilometers long. It traces the cultural history of Schönbuch from Celtic times to the Late Middle Ages. Along the way, it passes the clay pits near Neuenhaus and a boundary stone dating from 1822. The broad historical span and the much more recent boundary stone offer contrasting points in time.
The Betzenberg Trail offers a different perspective on the landscape: It explores the historic mining of Stubensandstein sandstone and passes a quarry. While the Historic Circular Hiking Trail covers eras of cultural history, this trail focuses on the extraction of the stone and a specific site where it was quarried.
The Fratzenweg is all about art in the forest. Carved faces are incorporated into trees and stumps. The trail begins in Neuenhaus near the Uhlberg restaurant and climbs to Uhlberg Tower. Works by nature artist Adalbert Bachofer accompany the route; his studio is at its starting point. The three trails therefore differ not only in their themes, but also in what you can look out for along the way: history, a quarry and its stone, or carved art.
Uhlberg Tower is a 25-meter-high observation tower on Uhlberg, at an elevation of 469 meters above sea level. It is considered a family-friendly destination. For planning your outing, the tower is a prominent endpoint of the Fratzenweg; check the current access conditions before your visit.
Cycling route, museums and theater
The Museums Cycle Route also passes through Aichtal. It runs from Weil der Stadt via Waldenbuch and Neuenhaus, before continuing to Nürtingen. The route is suitable for hiking and cycling and is designed to be family-friendly. It offers another perspective on the region’s towns. Check the latest route information before setting out.
In Grötzingen, the local history museum explores prehistory and the town’s history, archaeological finds and everyday life in the past. Grötzingen School Museum focuses on historical schooling from the time before computers and other technological aids. In Aich, the Bakery Museum documents the former Stückle bakery through historical baking utensils. The three museums offer different perspectives: from local history to school life and the baking trade of the past.
Naturtheater Grötzingen presents productions for children and adults that change each year. If you would like to attend a performance during your stay, check the current program. It is also a good idea to check museum opening hours before your visit, as visitor arrangements may change.
The wider region: Esslingen
Schönbuch is also an important landscape feature of the wider Esslingen travel destination: the Historic Circular Hiking Trail explores its cultural history. Schönbuch is a 15,600-hectare nature park established in 1972. In the district of Esslingen, the wooded floodplains of the Aich and Schaich are also considered ecologically valuable.
Planning your stay
When choosing your excursions, it helps to decide which theme you would like to focus on: the Historic Circular Hiking Trail spans the period from Celtic times to the Late Middle Ages; the Betzenberg Trail explores Stubensandstein sandstone mining; and the Fratzenweg combines carved faces with a route to Uhlberg Tower. Museums and theater offer other points of interest.
Discover more destinations: Neidlingen, Kirchheim Unter Teck, Neuenhaus, Frickenhausen, Ohmden, Bempflingen, Reichenbach An Der Fils, Nellingen.
View the wider travel guide: Esslingen.
