Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen and Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen

   The Swabian-Franconian Forest is a country of ridges and ravines northeast of Stuttgart, and the Mainhardt area lies on its northern edge, where the hills drop to wide clearings of meadow. The Romans pushed their frontier through here in the second century, building a line of watchtowers, small forts and a wooden palisade, and at Mainhardt they placed a larger fort, with smaller fortlets such as the one at Herrenwiesen along the frontier line. A fortlet was a compact post for a handful of soldiers who watched the forest, signalled to the next tower and checked travellers at the border.

   Read the complete Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen is where the day begins. Next is Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par.

2. 2. Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par

   In the Swabian Forest east of Stuttgart, the Roman frontier ran as straight as a ruler for some eighty kilometres, ignoring hills and valleys in a way that still puzzles historians. Welzheim lies on this straight stretch of the Upper German-Raetian Limes, and the town had two Roman forts, the west and east forts, with a civil settlement around them. The northern part of the settlement near the east fort is one of the components of the Limes World Heritage Site, and the Ostkastell has been turned into an archaeological park with a reconstructed gate.

   Read the complete Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par comes up about 35 km into the recorded legs. Next is Watchtowers WP 12/39.

3. 3. Watchtowers WP 12/39

   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.

   Read the complete Watchtowers WP 12/39 write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 65 km into the recorded legs you reach Watchtowers WP 12/39. Next is Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim.

4. 4. 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.

   Read the complete Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Fort site and civil settlement of Welzheim, about halfway. Next is back through Watchtowers WP 12/39.

5. 5. back through Watchtowers WP 12/39

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Watchtowers WP 12/39 write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Watchtowers WP 12/39 sits at 111 km, about halfway. Next is back through Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par.

6. 6. back through Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Welzheim-Ost civil settlement northern par comes up about 159 km into the recorded legs. Next is Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen.

7. 7. Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Fortlet Mainhardt-Herrenwiesen closes the day.