Romantic on the road in the Tauberland

There are 48 bicycle parking spaces in the immediate vicinity of the station.

The starting point is Rothenburg o.d. Tauber railway station. The Taubertal bike rental service delivers your bike directly to the station by prior arrangement.

Touring bikes and e-bikes are delivered directly to the location in and around Rothenburg ob der Tauber. A reservation is necessary in advance. On the morning of the start of the rental period, the bike will be ready by 9 a.m. at the latest.

Interested parties please book the desired bike or bikes via the booking form on the homepage.

The rental costs 35 euros per day, with delivery and collection there is a further one-off charge of 60 euros. A bicycle bag can also be rented for 3 euros.
Radverleih Taubertal does not have a shop and can therefore only be contacted by e-mail or telephone.

From the station, cycle southwards out of Rothenburg and first follow the course of the Tauber. You cycle along the former railway line between Rothenburg and Dohmbühl, which opened in 1905 and closed in 1971. The old Bockenfeld railway station still stands as a testimony to this time.

At the height of Diebach, there is a small bathing pond on the right of the path. A good opportunity for a refreshing swim. Below Diebach you cross the Tauber and now cycle parallel to the Östheimer Mühlbach. About three kilometres south of Diebach, you will find the pond called "Bodenloses Loch" (bottomless pit) on your left. Please look carefully, because the pond is so small that you quickly cycle past it without having seen it. But the little detour is worth it.

The "bottomlessness" of this natural monument is not to be taken literally. It is a gypsum karst spring.

From a 6-metre-deep and 8-metre-wide gully in the middle of the 15-metre-wide pond, the so-called hole, 60 to 80 litres of water gush out every second. The water contains calcium sulphate, i.e. gypsum in dissolved form. The spring was formed by karstification of a gypsum layer in the soil. The water has to penetrate layers of clay above it to reach the surface. It has found its outlet in the funnel-shaped hole. The bluish to turquoise gorge is overgrown with numerous aquatic plants. The spring water flows into the Tauber via the Oestheimer Bach stream.

You now cycle back a short distance to get on the path towards Oberoestheim. Now the route goes uphill and over the 530-metre-high Eichelberg. You are still on the former railway line. Shortly after Wittum you will find an old stone railway bridge.

Through Wörnitz you pass the church of St. Martin, which was built in the 16th century. After four kilometres you have reached the Nature & Pond Adventure Park in Dombühl. It is located right next to the nature adventure pool. So again a good chance to refresh yourself a little after the mountain tour.

The adventure park creates a lively connection between knowledge transfer and recreation. The former carp ponds are designed as an information park. There are barrier-free paths and recreational oases with benches between the ponds. Visitors can learn interesting facts about the importance and development of pond farming in the region. The walk through the ponds is also a nature trail. There is also a boules court that invites visitors to play together. You can also let off steam on the nearby beach volleyball court and at the table tennis tables.

From Dombühl, your path now leads north. Once again, the path climbs a bit to the Bergfeld. And again, a dip in the cool water is tempting when you pass the Fischhaus at the natural outdoor pool. You have reached Schillingsfürst. The town is impressive, with its baroque castle on its heights. The source of the Wörnitz rises in Schillingsfürst.

On the way to the castle you pass the historic water tower. Built in 1902, it served as the water supply for the inhabitants until the 1970s. Today, a spiral staircase leads up to it and is accompanied by murals by the painter Michel Leroux with motifs on the history of Schillingsfürst.

The baroque castle, today the landmark of the town of Schillingsfürst, was built after the Thirty Years' War, during which the previous building, a castle, had been destroyed. Construction work began in 1705. The building was completed around 1750.
The Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst princes had their seat here for centuries.
Today, the baroque palace is open to the public as a cultural centre. A visit to the museum allows visitors to experience the splendour and lifestyle of the princes. The main parts of the palace with original furnishings are on display. The museum can only be visited with a guided tour.

The princely falconry courtyard is also part of the castle grounds. Here, flight shows of various birds of prey are shown.
Flight show 11 am and 3 pm
Guided tours of the castle 12 noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.

If you also want to indulge in culinary delights, we recommend a visit to the Schillingsfürst Castle Café. On the terrace you have a wonderful view of the valley. Franconian dishes and regional beer are served, as well as sweet treats from the in-house confectionery (Am Wall 10, 91583 Schillingsfürst, phone 9868 7406, www.schlosscafe-schillingsfuerst.de, Tue-Sun 10am-2pm).

Your way back takes you along the little-used country road 2247 to Diebach. From here, you return along the former railway embankment along the Tauber to Rothenburg ob der Tauber railway station.