Iggingen is a small village on the plateau above the Rems valley, a few kilometres east of Schwäbisch Gmünd, and like many villages in this part of Württemberg it has a Roman frontier running through its fields. The site labelled Watchtower WP 12/39 sits on the Raetian Limes, the stone wall that marked the edge of Roman Raetia, and from here the line runs eastwards towards Aalen, the largest Roman cavalry fort north of the Alps, now home to an excellent Limes museum.
The wall here has mostly disappeared into fields and woods, surviving as a low bank in places and marked by signs along the Limes hiking and cycling trail. In Roman times, soldiers in the watchtowers would have looked north across forests and hills towards the lands of the Germanic tribes, and you can still get a sense of that outward gaze from the higher ground. Nearby, at Böbingen an der Rems, the site of a Roman fort is marked out on the ground, and Schwäbisch Gmünd, the oldest Staufer town, has a fine cathedral and a long tradition of gold and silversmithing.
The riding around here is a lovely mix of gentle valleys, plateaus and sudden steep climbs onto the edge of the Swabian Jura. Minor roads link small villages and farms, with good surfaces and little traffic, though tractors and cyclists are common. The Jura edge to the south offers excellent routes, with climbs up to viewpoints such as the Rosenstein and down into hidden valleys. The main valley road is busy, so it pays to explore the back roads on either side. Some popular motorcycle routes in Baden-Württemberg have speed limits or seasonal restrictions, so watch the signs.
Iggingen itself is tiny, so for fuel and services head to Schwäbisch Gmünd, Heubach or one of the larger villages along the valley. Look for a traditional Gasthaus serving Schwäbischer Rostbraten, roast beef with crispy onions and Spätzle, or Kässpätzle, cheese noodles with fried onions, and in summer, a cold beer from one of the small local breweries.