Hochgehschätzt – Hayingen-Glastal premium hiking trail
Hochgehschätzt – Hayingen-Glastal premium hiking trail
4.8
(699)
2,497
hikers
Hochgehschätzt – Hayingen-Glastal premium hiking trail
03:15
9.83km
160m
Hiking
This hike delves deep into nature's treasure trove. Picturesque valleys, imposing cliffs, and a cave await you, which you can explore by water. This region is rightly protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. After the hike, you can explore the unique Wimsen Cave by boat.
From the Wimsen Cave parking lot, hike north through the idyllic valley. Soon you'll pass Ehrenfels Castle, which you can admire from the outside. This is followed by a stunning section through the Glastal valley. The crystal-clear stream is framed by mighty cliffs and sparse forest. At a fork, follow the Schweiftal valley to the right and hike in a loop past Hayingen. Here you have the opportunity to take a detour into the historic old town. The trail then takes you to Digelfeld, a sprawling juniper heath.
Where the forest begins again, you'll find a large barbecue area, ideal for a break. Then you continue your walk through the Glastal Valley, which you now enter from the north side. On this section, the cliffs are a bit higher and more impressive. The valley path takes you back to the starting point of the hike. Just a few meters further on is the entrance to the Wimsen Cave – where there is also an organic restaurant – and the Wimsen Mill Biosphere Information Center.
Tip for visiting the Wimsen Cave: On busy days, you can save yourself the wait by making an online reservation at https://www.tressbrueder.de/wimsener-hoehle/.
by hochgehberge
Last updated: July 10, 2025
Tips
Your route passes through protected areas
Please check local regulations for:
Waypoints
Start point
Parking
Get Directions
2.15 km
View of the Lämmerstein
Highlight • Viewpoint
Translated by Google •
Tip by
4.47 km
Digelfeld Juniper Heath
Highlight • Natural Monument
Translated by Google •
Tip by
7.84 km
Glastal Valley
Highlight • Gorge
Translated by Google •
Tip by
9.55 km
Wimsener Cave
Highlight • Cave
The natural monument known as the "Wimsen Cave" or "Friedrich Cave" is the only "active" water cave in Germany that can be navigated by boat.
The Wimsen Cave is always worth a visit. Whether for big or small, the Wimsen Cave is suitable for the whole family. The beautiful and unique natural landscape invites you to go hiking and leave everyday life behind for a moment. A water playground directly opposite the Bio-Gasthof Friedrichshöhle invites the little ones to play.
Text / Source: Tress Brothers Production, Wimsen 1, 72534 Hayingen
tressbrueder.de/wimsener-hoehle
Translated by Google •
Tip by
9.83 km
End point
Parking
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
7.44 km
1.39 km
715 m
237 m
< 100 m
Surfaces
4.64 km
2.93 km
1.21 km
784 m
137 m
129 m
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Elevation
Highest point (700 m)
Lowest point (570 m)
Sign up to see more specific route details
Sign up for free
Weather
Powered by Foreca
Friday 8 May
21°C
6°C
4 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 9.0 km/h
to get more detailed weather forecasts along your route
This route was planned by komoot.
Nearby routes
Trail Reviews
Comfortable round with beautiful paths. Very busy on weekends though.
The tour itself is very easy to walk. Despite pain in my knee, I didn't have any major problems with the track. Before that I visited the Wimsen Cave, which I definitely recommend! The tour runs most of the time over fields and meadows. So when it's hot, the sun is beating down on you all the time. Unfortunately, that was quite exhausting. Also, most of the time you only walk on gravel paths... But the end of the route, which runs through the Glastal, was really nice! I can also recommend the Bio-Gasthof Friedrichshöhle 😊👌🏻 Unfortunately, my pictures were mixed up again...
Tour description from the ROTHER hiking guide "Lion Trails & High-altitude Mountains" - Tour 35 "To the largest juniper heath in the Swabian Alb At the beginning, the highly esteemed premium trail is all about water, as the crystal-clear Hasenbach stream is its constant companion. It then climbs through the adjacent Schweiftal valley to Hayingen and the Digelfeld nature reserve, the largest juniper heath in the Swabian Alb biosphere reserve. Unique vegetation awaits discovery. The magnificent hiking circuit leads through a wide valley, the romantic Glastal, past Ehrenfels Castle and back again."
Sometimes my Garmin records some pretty stupid things, nobody runs all over the place like that😂
Start parking lot Wimsener cave. A great circular route 🤗🥰 Route a little longer to get to the fish pond 😊 to the blue lagoon 😍
This trail deserves the Premium Hiking Trail certificate. Quiet natural paths and landscapes. You can find more here. https://www.schwaebischealb.de/touren/hochgehberge-i-hochgehswiggert-premiumwanderweg-hohengundelfingen-burg-derneck#/article/319dd970-2d2e-4648-97ed-2a2c736b648a
Today it was time to go hiking and when the premium hiking trail starts practically on your doorstep..... https://hochgehberge.de/touren/hochgehschaetzt-premiumwanderweg-hayingen-glastal/
Premium tour with a detour and visit to the Wimsen Cave: What an idyll.😍 Lush flowers, countless butterflies, bumblebees and other fascinating insects. You hardly noticed the rumbling of the sky and the threatening rain showers and thunderstorms. Fortunately, there wasn't much water coming from above, but there was crystal-clear water to admire in the valleys and the Wimsen Cave.
Comments
March 26, 2021
This hike delves deep into nature's treasure trove. Picturesque valleys, imposing cliffs, and a cave await you, which you can explore by water. This region is rightly protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. After the hike, you can explore the unique Wimsen Cave by boat.
From the Wimsen Cave parking lot
Translated by Google •
Want to know more?
Sign up for a free komoot account to join the conversation.
Sign up for free