From Crater to Crater — 4 stages in the Geopark Ries and across the Swabian Alb

Two huge meteorite craters, wide field and meadow landscapes, wildly romantic forested plateaus of the Swabian Alb and cosy river valleys with inviting bathing lakes await you on your bike tour from crater to crater. In addition to the unique landscape and magnificent nature, charming villages, pretty half-timbered towns, impressive monasteries and castles provide cultural variety.

The cycle path "From crater to crater" runs from Nördlingen through the Nördlinger Ries, the Steinheimer Becken and over the eastern Swabian Alb on a 185-kilometre circuit. Both the Nördlinger Ries with a diameter of 25 kilometres and the Steinheimer Basin with a diameter of four kilometres were created over 14 million years ago by a meteorite impact. These two almost circular craters, which are considered geological sensations, are the main protagonists of the four-day cycle tour.

In Nördlingen, the only German city with a completely intact, walkable city wall, the circuit begins, which is divided into the one-day east round and the three-day west round. The laps can also be driven individually, as they both lead through Nördlingen. You can reach the Bavarian city in the Nördlinger Ries comfortably by train. From there you start your bike tour on the Ostrunde, which leads you through the Geopark Ries. Afterwards you go on the Westrunde, which takes you over the eastern Swabian Alb and the Steinheimer Becken back to Nördlingen.

You can ride the entire route in four pleasant stages. In all stage destinations you will find a good selection of overnight accommodations as well as restaurants and cafés to stop off in. You can also stop again and again along the route and take cosy breaks in rustic inns. As you can see, these are the best conditions to fully enjoy your bike tour from crater to crater through the Geopark Ries and across the eastern Swabian Alb.