Schlier can be explored through three themes: the man-made Stiller Bach watercourse, landscapes with ponds and wet meadows, and historic traces throughout the municipality. This offers several ways to plan your trip: follow the story of a watercourse or focus more on nature watching and local culture.
Waterways and Landscape
Schlier is considered part of the Allgäu. The Allgäu lies in the southern part of the Danube-Iller-Lech Plateau in the Alpine foothills. One specific historic landmark is the Stiller Bach: monks from Weingarten Abbey created the ten-kilometre-long artificial watercourse around the 11th century. Its water system carries water via the Rösslerweiher to mills and sawmills in Weingarten. The Stiller Bach thus brings together a man-made watercourse and its function as a water system.
A water-themed hiking trail along the Stiller Bach explains its long history. Those interested in the interplay between landscape and regional history will find a thematic connection here: the stream is the focus as a watercourse, while the trail explains its history to hikers. This offers a different approach from a tour covering several historical themes and periods.
The Altdorfer Wald is home to a nature and landscape conservation area with lakes, springs and wet meadows. Some habitats are home to rare animal and plant species. The different landscape features each add their own character: bodies of water, spring areas and wet meadows sit alongside one another, rather than forming just a single nature theme.
The wooded area around Fuchsenloch, Waldweiher and the nature reserves also offer opportunities to observe waterbirds, dragonflies and butterflies; some rare plants can also be found there. Wildlife sightings depend on the season and are not guaranteed. If nature watching is important to your plans, bear in mind that sightings cannot be scheduled with certainty.
Trails, Memorial Sites and Local History
The GeschichtsPfadSchlier presents regional and local history at locations throughout the municipality, from early history to the present day. Its 51 researched topics are displayed on 41 steles and wall-mounted frames, as well as ten QR code panels. The trail is designed to be expanded over time. It therefore spans a broad period, while the history of a single watercourse takes centre stage at the Stiller Bach.
The local history also includes numerous wayside crosses throughout the municipality; some have been extensively restored. The Zundelbacher Linde stands on one of Schlier’s higher elevations and offers a view of the surrounding area. Residents of Schlier planted it as a symbol of peace after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. This example links a specific historical memory with a notable tree and its position in the landscape.
Market and Practical Planning
The Martinimarkt offers agricultural produce from local producers, including poultry, bread and honey. It also features game products from the Schlier hunting community. The market takes place seasonally, so check the dates before your visit. This differs from nature watching: for the market, the event dates are key, while wildlife sightings depend on the season and are not guaranteed.
There is free parking in Schlier town centre for the Bäche- und Weihertour. Check availability and any restrictions on site. This helps you distinguish between different planning considerations: for a visit to the Martinimarkt, the dates matter; for the tour, local parking conditions do. The history of the Stiller Bach, the themes of the GeschichtsPfad and the natural features of the Altdorfer Wald offer further points of reference for deciding what to focus on during your stay in Schlier.
Discover more destinations: Horgenzell, Fronreute, Bad Waldsee, Bergatreute, Argenbühl, Kißlegg, Wangen Im Allgäu, Achberg
Go to the overview of destinations: Ravensburg.
