Ehrenstein is a small district on the western edge of Ulm, in the Blau valley, where the little Blau river flows from its spring at Blaubeuren towards the Danube. In the 1950s and 60s, archaeologists found here the remains of a Neolithic village, built on the damp ground of the valley floor around six thousand years ago, with wooden houses, hearths and remarkably well-preserved organic material. The site is part of the World Heritage list of prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps, though there is nothing to see above ground today.
The Blau valley is a narrow, winding valley cut into the limestone of the Swabian Alb, with steep slopes, cliffs and caves. At Blaubeuren, about fifteen kilometres upstream, the river emerges from the Blautopf, a deep, intensely blue spring that is one of the most beautiful natural sights in Germany. The colour comes from the way light is scattered in the deep, clear water, and legend has it that a water nymph lives at the bottom. Nearby, the caves of the Ach and Lone valleys have yielded some of the oldest works of art in the world, including the Venus of Hohle Fels and the Lion Man, carved from mammoth ivory around forty thousand years ago.
The riding here is good. The roads through the Blau valley and up onto the Swabian Alb are winding and scenic, with climbs and descents through forests and limestone cliffs. The Alb itself is a high plateau with juniper heaths, pastures and small villages, crossed by quiet country roads. Surfaces are generally good, and traffic is moderate. In winter, the Alb can be snowy and cold, while summer is pleasant.
Ulm, just next door, is a city with a long history. Its minster has the tallest church spire in the world, at 161.5 metres, and you can climb its stairs for a view over the city and, on clear days, to the Alps. Albert Einstein was born in Ulm in 1879. The old town, with its half-timbered houses and the fishermen's quarter along the Blau, is charming and full of restaurants.
Klingenstein, a district of Blaustein about a kilometre away, has fuel and basic services. Ulm has everything you need. Stop for a plate of Käsespätzle, Swabian egg noodles with cheese and crispy onions, the classic dish of this region.