Like almost every town in Upper Swabia, Bad Waldsee also has a reed area. This is called Steinacher Ried because it is assigned to the district of Steinach in Bad Waldsee.
The Steinacher Ried in Bad Waldsee is located in the west of the city and runs in the Bad Waldsee triangle, in the direction of Reute and in the direction of Aulendorf. Peat was also cut in this reed.
The Steinacher Ried is not as well developed for tourism as, for example, in Bad Buchau. But here you can also hike through the forest and see nature. The best place to start is at the barbecue area in Steinach, just 200 meters outside the city limits. There are also some parking spaces and a map of the area.
Unfortunately, the hiking trail signs are not designed for a tour, so it makes sense to take a GPS or a map with you, at least I didn't discover any hiking trail signs. The terrain is easy to walk on and the path rarely gets narrow. A paved road leads across the Ried from Bad Waldsee to Obermöllenbronn or Tannweiler.
The remains of peat extraction can also be seen in places in this reed. The water has already retreated a lot here and can only be seen occasionally. Some of the Ried is already farmed today.
The hunter's cottages at all corners of the clearings show that you can also see deer on the reed meadows here in the early morning.
History and plants of the Steinacher Ried in Bad Waldsee
Upper Swabia is characterized by the terminal moraine that the glacier left behind during the Würm Ice Age. This ended 18,000 years ago. The meltwater left behind the lakes and moors, including the Steinacher Ried.
The flora of the reed includes the typical trees, such as pines and birches, as well as reeds. Marsh marigolds can also be found where the water still emerges.