When planning a stay in Owen, it is worth first deciding whether you want to focus on trails on the Teckberg or on local history. The Teck Circuit, two premium hiking trails and a literary cycle route offer different ways to explore the area and the town; the History House, churches and historic sites add a cultural dimension. This lets you plan your days according to your preferred balance of hiking, cycling and local history.
Hiking, cycling and scenery
The Teck is Owen’s local mountain and an offshoot of the Swabian Alb. It is 775 m high and offers sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. The Teck Circuit follows narrow forest paths past the old gliding hall to the Gelber Felsen, which affords a view of the Lenningen Valley. It starts at Amtsplatz in Owen’s Unterstädtle, one of the town’s most important squares; the railway station is within sight. Check local conditions and current route details before setting off.
The “hochgehlegen” premium hiking trail is one of the two “hochgehberge” premium trails mentioned in Owen and connects Beuren, Owen and Erkenbrechtsweiler. The “hochgehadelt” premium hiking trail runs through Bissingen, Owen and Lenningen. Routes may change, so check the latest route details before setting out.
If you want to explore by bike, you can take the literary cycle route. It opened in 2012 and runs along the Lauter through Owen, passing the History House. This gives you a choice of routes with different characteristics: the Teck Circuit follows narrow forest paths to the Gelber Felsen, while the cycle route follows the Lauter and passes the History House. Check local conditions before cycling.
Local history and architecture
Owen’s Historical Town Walk has been in place since 2011 and was created in collaboration with the Alt-Owen Förderverein e.V. The History House tells stories about the plants and animals around the Teckberg, early settlements on the Lauter, Teck Castle and its rulers up to the town’s founding in the 13th century, and life in Owen up to the present day. The topics thus range from nature and early settlements to the present.
St Mary’s Church in Owen was one of the first churches in Württemberg to be built as a stepped church. St Bernard’s Chapel also preserves a remarkable historic detail: large sections of its earliest known painted decoration, dating from the 14th century, have survived. The chapel is closed to visitors unless accompanied by a guide; group tours must be booked in advance through Owen Town Hall. Confirm visiting details with the town hall in advance.
The history of the Teck also includes its development in the 20th century: the Swabian Alb Association took over the Teck in 1941; by 1955, the castle complex had been made accessible and suitably developed. These two dates mark different stages, from the takeover to the opening up and development of the castle complex.
More local information
Owen has two bakehouses: one on TeckstraĂźe and one on AmtstraĂźe. For information about baking in the bakehouses, contact the person responsible for the relevant bakehouse.
The Fitness Circle is on the green space by Teckhalle, is freely accessible all day and has barrier-free paths. As access conditions may change, check them before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Reichenbach An Der Fils, GroĂźbettlingen, Plochingen, Filderstadt, Wendlingen, Leinfelden-Echterdingen, Neuenhaus, Ohmden.
View the main travel overview: Esslingen.
