Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh and Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard
Plan this ride
Recorded distance
77 km
Riding-time estimate
1 h 26
Journey
Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
A 77 km round trip from Schwäbisch Gmünd - roughly 1 h 26 in the saddle. The stops in between: Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim, Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard and back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh
On the southern edge of Schwäbisch Gmünd, near the Schirenhof farm, the outline of a Roman fort and the foundations of its bath house lie in the grass, with walls and hypocaust heating systems laid out for visitors to see. The fort guarded the point where the Upper Germanic Limes met the Raetian Limes, the two great frontier lines of Roman Germany, and a civilian settlement grew up around it. The site is part of the UNESCO Frontiers of the Roman Empire, and it is one of the more rewarding Limes stops in Baden-Württemberg, with visible remains and a lovely setting above the town.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh is where the day begins. Next is Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim.
2. Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim
Welzheim had not one but two Roman forts, and that alone tells you how seriously the frontier was taken in the Swabian Forest. The larger west fort held a cavalry unit, while the smaller east fort, now an archaeological park on the edge of town, housed an auxiliary infantry detachment. At the east fort the west gate has been rebuilt to its full height, and standing in front of it you get a rare sense of scale that low foundations never give. Around both forts lay the civil settlement, the vicus, with workshops, taverns and homes.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim comes up about 21 km into the recorded legs. Next is Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard.
3. Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard
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.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 39 km into the recorded legs you reach Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard. Next is back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim.
4. back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh to Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim
Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh → Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim is 21 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim to Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard
Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim → Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard is 18 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard to back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim
Fort site and civil settlement of Murrhard → back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim is 18 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim to Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh
back through Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim → Fort site and civil settlement of Schirenh is 21 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.