A Roman cohort fort once stood where Murrhardt's streets now run, on the Upper Germanic Limes as it cut south through the forest toward Welzheim, and a civilian settlement of traders, craftsmen and soldiers' families grew up around it. Some remains have been found under the town, and the local museum tells the story. The Romans left, but the site remained attractive, and in the early Middle Ages a monastery was founded here, associated with Saint Walterich, a hermit whose small chapel, the Walterichskapelle, is a jewel of late Romanesque architecture.
Murrhardt is a town of about fourteen thousand in the valley of the Murr, in the heart of the Swabian-Franconian Forest nature park. The forest surrounds it on all sides, with deep, narrow valleys, streams, mills and lakes such as the Ebnisee, a popular spot for swimming and walking in summer. The town has a pleasant old centre with half-timbered houses and the monastery church. Kaisersbach and Sulzbach an der Murr are small neighbours, and the city of Backnang is a short ride downstream.
The riding is good and relaxed. The Murr valley road is gentle and scenic, and the roads climbing out of the valley into the forest have curves, gradients and views over the wooded hills. Toward Welzheim and the Ebnisee, the roads are particularly enjoyable, but some have weekend restrictions or speed limits for motorcycles due to noise complaints, so watch the signs. The surface is generally good, but there are tractors, cyclists and wildlife, especially at dawn and dusk. Weather in the forest is cool and damp, with fog in autumn and snow in winter.
Murrhardt has fuel, shops, restaurants and a railway station. Swabian food includes Maultaschen, Spätzle and Zwiebelrostbraten, roast beef with crispy onions, and the forest inns serve trout and game. Local cider, Most, is a traditional drink, though better saved for later. Visit the Walterichskapelle, a small building of great beauty, and then ride into the forest. Between the Roman fort, the medieval monastery and the deep green woods, Murrhardt is a place where history and nature have been comfortable neighbours for a long time.