In Dautmergen, a local circular trail meets the Schlichem Trail, which runs through the village. There is also a village center shaped by the Schlichem’s open course and St. Verena, with its long architectural history. This makes it possible to plan a stay that combines outdoor activity with a closer look at the village.
Hiking between the local circular route and the Schlichem Trail
Dautmergen is the starting point of the Schlichem Trail. The trail was established in 2016 as a LEADER project. For a hike through the village, the Dautmergen circular route is a good option: The easy route is 6 kilometers long and climbs up to Girsberg. If you would like to extend your walk, you can add about one kilometer along the Schlichem.
The circular route passes the former Holcim slate quarry before descending to the Schlichem. It also offers views across 30 kilometers of the Albtrauf and of four of the Swabian Alb’s ten peaks that rise above 1,000 meters. These specific route features help distinguish a manageable local walk from an outing with far-reaching landscape views.
The Schlichem in the village center
In the village center, the Schlichem flows as an open stream, bordered by a green corridor and old willows. The “Erlebbare Schlichem Innerorts” area includes seating stones, a reclining bench and a picnic area. These landscaped spots complement views of the waterway with places to take a break in the village center.
The village center also includes a church, cemetery, village square, playground and half-timbered community hall. These places are all within the same part of the village; alongside the river, they show the public and architectural sides of Dautmergen.
St. Verena and its architectural history
St. Verena is a Catholic single-nave church with a chancel tower. It is dated to 1215 and was extended in 1763. The half-timbered bell stage dates from 1499. These three dates offer a specific insight into the church’s architectural history, while its single-nave layout and chancel tower describe its architectural form.
Planning hiking and cycling days
The Schlichemwander shuttle bus connects Dautmergen with a seasonal service for hikers and cyclists and runs from May to October. If you plan to use the bus, check the current timetable before setting out. This way, you can take the seasonal schedule into account without relying on a time period alone.
The Landgasthaus Wiesental serves meals and has a wheelchair-accessible terrace; there is also an e-bike charging station. Before visiting, check whether these facilities are currently available. Alongside the hiking trails, this gives you specific options for a meal stop or for planning a trip by e-bike.
Within the wider destination of Zollernalbkreis
The wider region extends the view beyond Dautmergen: The 33-kilometer Schlichem Trail runs from Meßstetten-Tieringen to Epfendorf and features, among other things, smaller waterfalls, wet meadows and a steep-sided gorge. The Zollernalb also has fourteen premium trails—eleven in Albstadt and three in Meßstetten—as well as more than 100 signposted circular hiking routes. These details describe the wider destination of Zollernalbkreis, not the center of Dautmergen. Since the number of trails may change as the trail network is updated, check the latest information when choosing a specific route.
Discover more destinations: Haigerloch, Hausen Am Tann, Geislingen, Dotternhausen, Unterdigisheim, Dormettingen, Obernheim, Rosenfeld.
Back to the wider travel overview: Zollernalbkreis.
