The best MTB trails around Lauchheim

Unfortunately, someone has since "dismantled" the drop (i.e., it's no longer a drop, but a smooth descent). WHY WAS THAT DONE?! There was already a chicken way past the drop to the left! Why wasn't anyone riding there if the drop was too difficult? I find it... when challenging sections are smoothed out because someone thinks they're too difficult!

The "Daniel" church tower of St. George's Church in Nördlingen is the town's most visible landmark and a masterpiece of late Gothic architecture. At 90 meters high, the tower rises above the town's rooftops and offers a spectacular panoramic view of the Nördlinger Ries region – on a clear day, up to 99 church towers can be seen. Construction began in 1454 and was completed in 1490 with a temporary roof. After a lightning strike in 1537, the tower received its characteristic Italian dome. Originally known as the "Wendelstein," it was renamed "Daniel" in the 19th century – an allusion to the biblical figure Daniel, who was elevated to the rank of prince. The Daniel tower is particularly vividly brought to life by a centuries-old tradition: Every evening between 10 p.m. and midnight, the watchman calls out "So G'sell, so!" from the tower room. – a greeting that dates back to a legend from 1440 in which a runaway sow helped uncover a treason and save the city from an attack. Those who climb the more than 350 steps to the viewing platform will be rewarded not only with an impressive panorama but also with a sense of the history and soul of this unique city.

The Berger Gate in Nördlingen is one of the five remaining city gates and once secured the road toward Ulm. It was built between 1435 and 1436 by the master builder Hans Rews. The upper tower floors were later expanded between 1574 and 1575 by Wolfgang and Caspar Waldberger, giving the gate its present appearance. Particularly noteworthy is the coffered barrel vault of the gate passage – an architectural detail that gives the gate its distinctive character. A cannonball from the Thirty Years' War remains embedded in the masonry, commemorating the siege of Nördlingen in 1634.

Here's the link for more information. https://www.kiosk-leuchtturm.com/

"Wasserfurche" burial ground near Lauchheim Location, date, and extent - The burial ground is located approximately 1.3 km west of the late medieval town of Lauchheim in the Jagst Valley and occupies a rectangular area of approximately 1.5 hectares. - Burial density: approximately 1300 to 1308 documented graves with over 31,000 finds (including more than 22,000 pearls). - Occupation period: from the last third of the 5th century to the end of the 7th century. (i.e., around 450-700 AD) - continuously in use throughout the Merovingian period, making it the largest known burial ground of this period in southwest Germany. Findings: Post-built structures, pit houses, a presumed manor house with richly furnished farm burials, and even the remains of a mill channel on the banks of the Jagst River. - 78 Late Merovingian individual graves in the settlement area bear witness to house and farm burials and complement the picture of a high-ranking, agrarian local community. Source: Lauchheim.de, Wikipedia A visit to the Gate Museum in Lauchheim and the Alaman Museum in Ellwangen provides further fascinating insights. The museum in the gate tower in Lauchheim is open every second and fourth Sunday of the month from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. from Easter Monday to the end of October. It is also open on Lauchheim's town holiday (July 4th) and on "Lauchheim Museum Day" (each the 4th Sunday in August). Guided tours are available by appointment. Further information: https://www.lauchheim.de/de/freizeit-kultur/tourismus-naherholung/sehenswurdigkeiten-museen?c7-item=3549554#:~:text=Sonntag%20von%2013%20bis%2017,aktionen%20im%20Museum%20und%20Hof.

The middle section of the NoFlow Trail is a convenient connecting path from Braunenberg to the "Weisse Steige" parking lot. For current trail information, visit: https://ssvaalen.de/trailmapaalen/

Wurmi is there for riders.

It's best to wear a helmet on the trail.