The Neckar Hills natural area in Mittelstadt covers around eight hectares and brings together a range of habitats. The wider travel destination of Reutlingen also offers its own cultural and natural attractions. This makes it possible to explore local nature in detail and pursue other regional interests separately.
A landscape mosaic in Mittelstadt
The Neckar Hills were designated in 1972; part of the area is designated as a natural monument. The mosaic includes traditional orchards, a former sheep pasture, quarry areas, hedgerows, ponds, hillside forest and developing reed beds. The different elements make this protected area more than just one type of landscape: open land, woodland and bodies of water all come together here.
For nature enthusiasts, this diversity is a distinctive way to experience the area. The Neckar Hills can be understood as an interplay of different habitat types, not just as a particular meadow or a single stand of trees. So if you would like to include nature in your trip, you can explore a range of ecological features in one place.
Habitats and species
The diversity of habitats is also reflected in the groups of animals found here. The area provides breeding habitat for cavity-nesting birds, woodpeckers, warblers and leaf warblers. Golden orioles, bats and amphibians find food and shelter here; the different habitats also support a variety of insects and spiders. The species range from birds to mammals and amphibians, as well as smaller animals.
If you are interested in nature not just as a landscape but also as a habitat, this closer look at the Neckar Hills offers a concrete theme for your stay in Mittelstadt. The species and habitats mentioned are part of the protected area and give this natural landscape its distinctive ecological character.
Meeting point beside the protected area
The NABU Information Centre next to the protected area serves as a meeting point for excursions and nature activity days. Access arrangements may vary, so check in advance if you are planning a visit. As a starting point for a nature-focused trip, it offers a place to visit in its own right, alongside the description of the habitats themselves.
Reutlingen: museums and architectural history
The wider travel destination of Reutlingen offers a different perspective through its culture. The Reutlingen Natural History Museum has been housed in the listed Old Lyceum since 1998, a stately half-timbered building dating from 1727. The Industrial Museum displays machinery and products from Reutlingen’s textile industry and mechanical engineering sector. Its collection includes a loom made by Hermann Wangner in 1849 and a steam engine made by Ulrich Kohllöffel in 1886.
The Reutlingen Art Museum in the Spendhaus focuses its collection on artistic woodcuts and relief printing from the 19th century to the present day. Architectural history can also be traced through prominent buildings: Tübingen Gate was built in 1235 as part of the construction of Reutlingen’s medieval city wall. The Spendhaus is a six-storey half-timbered building, built in 1518 as a granary for the charitable endowment administration.
Trails and nature in Reutlingen
Reutlingen’s landscape offers its own points of interest, too. At 707 metres, Achalm is Reutlingen’s own mountain and an important landmark of the city. The “Aussichtsreich” hiking guide features 14 routes, all within the city limits of Reutlingen. If you are planning a hike in this wider travel destination, you can choose from several routes and check the conditions for your chosen route before setting out.
The Listhof Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Reutlingen can be explored on a walk. The Listhof Environmental Education Centre offers several nature discovery areas, biotopes and a bug house to explore and experiment in. Alongside the natural area in Mittelstadt, the wider travel destination of Reutlingen therefore offers its own nature experiences to choose from.
For the wider travel overview: Reutlingen.
