The middle pond in the Hilsenbeuertal is where the valley shows its character most clearly. It sits between the upper and lower waters in a chain, each held by its own dam, and the Cistercian monks arranged them so that the stream passed from one to the next, feeding fish at each stage and powering a mill at the bottom. It is cool engineering for the twelfth century, and it has lasted. Part of what UNESCO lists at Maulbronn is this whole hydraulic landscape, the dams, ditches and ponds spread through the forest around the monastery.
What you notice at the water's edge is life. Reeds crowd the margins, water lilies float on the surface in summer, and dragonflies hover and dart in the sun. Kingfishers sometimes flash along the bank, grey herons stand like statues in the shallows, and frogs and newts spawn in the spring. In the evening, bats come out to hunt insects over the water. Old beech and oak trees lean over the pond, and the quiet is broken by wind and birdsong. In autumn the leaves fall and float on the water, and the surface turns to gold.
The roads that lead there run across a pleasant countryside, the northern Stromberg, with wooded ridges, orchards, small vineyards and villages. They are mostly narrow and well surfaced, with gentle bends and little traffic, though farm vehicles sometimes slow you down. Forest tracks near the ponds may be gravel or mud, and a road bike is better left on the tarmac. In summer, thunderstorms build quickly in the afternoon and can bring hail, so keep an eye on the sky.
Maulbronn, only about four hundred metres away, has fuel, bakeries, restaurants and small hotels, and the monastery itself is open to visitors during the day. The old refectory and the cloister are among the finest in Germany, and a guided tour explains the layout of the complex. Late April and May, when the beeches burst into leaf, and October, when the air is crisp and the colours rich, are the best months. Bring a waterproof, because the forest holds the damp.