Energy-Cycle-Tour through Waldenbuch
Energy-oriented cyclists on the move
It's a fascinating and frequent subject that's on everyone's lips: regenerative energy. No wonder – it's an issue we all need to think about in these days of the energy revolution. We could either plough through specialist literature at home on the sofa, or get on our bikes instead. Because the District Administration Office in Tübingen, in cooperation with the Stadtwerke Tübingen (swt), Tübingen's public utility provider, as its main sponsor, has devised special bike tours with uniform signposting on the theme of energy. They guarantee a cycling experience involving all 5 senses in the "tübinger um:welten" – the overall motto of the District of Tübingen's theme cycle tour concept. Each tour focuses on one specific theme, which is made visible and tangible through information and refreshment points along the route. The swt energy stations have been provided with new information plaques on subjects that include photovoltaic systems, hydroelectric power, block-unit power stations and substations. The accompanying tour booklet shows routes suitable for adults and children. Maps for both tours can be detached from the centre of the booklet. Although the tours are well signposted in accordance with the latest standards, the tour booklet also provides detailed route descriptions, elevation profiles and tips for refreshment breaks.
The energy tour for adults begins at Tübingen's open-air swimming pool, where you'll find information on the solar thermal plant and on the photovoltaic system at the adjacent Paul Horn Arena. The tour continues in the direction of Tübingen's town centre and on to Waldhausen. En route you pass the photovoltaic system of the Tübingen-Reutlingen technology park and the Obere Viehweide block-unit power station. The restaurant at the Observatory is a good place for a break after this uphill climb. You then proceed through Schönbuch Nature Park via Bebenhausen to Dettenhausen. This is the headquarters of the Ritter Group, Europe's leading location for the manufacture of vacuum tube collectors. Dettenhausen invites its guests to make a detour to its open-air swimming pool or the Schönbuch Museum. From here you continue over the district boundary to Weil im Schönbuch and Waldenbuch. Here, cyclists can recharge their own batteries with chocolate and their pedelecs with electricity at the charging stations at the Old Town Hall and the Museum Ritter.
In Waldenbuch the tour continues past the Zehntscheuer (tithe barn) and uphill along Walddorfer Straße, then straight ahead at the far end of town on the farm track parallel to the main road. After the second farm, turn left and follow the gentle climb of the forestry road. Turn right at the top of the hill, past the transmitter tower and straight ahead on the asphalt road along the edge of the woods. Turn left before the car park and continue downhill on the forestry road until you reach the next crossroads, where you turn right, downhill towards Dettenhausen.
Thanks to Waldenbuch's participation in the Energy Cycle Tour, the cycle track from Waldenbuch to Dettenhausen is now also signposted.
Our partners, the Hotel Restaurant Lamm-Alte Post and the Sportheim Dettenhausen are geared to cyclists and look forward to your visit. If you're coming from further afield, you'll find that the Hotel Lamm-Alte Post is also a good starting point for many other attractive cycle tours. On the return trip from Dettenhausen the tour takes you through Schönbuch Nature Park. At the junction to Einsiedel, a forestry plaque provides some remarkable information on wood as a source of energy. On the following stretch of road you can enjoy beautiful views and a downhill ride into the Neckar Valley. In Kirchentellinsfurt it's worth the climb into the town centre, where the "K`ffeehaus" has a selection of delectable cakes and other delicacies on offer. Return to Tübingen along the Neckar Valley Cycle Track (Neckartal-Radweg), with more energy experience stations: the Großholz substation, Neckarwerk power station and Uhlandbad indoor pool. After 55 km the tour ends at its point of departure.
The Energy Tour is challenging but easy to master with a pedelec. Of course it can also be done by the more athletic on a normal bike, or you can opt for the faster version by taking a shortcut in Dettenhausen.
What's more, after this cycle tour you'll not only be an expert on the subject of energy, but also have the chance to win great prizes if you take part in the competition in the tour booklet.
The tour booklets are available as from now from all sponsors, partners, tourist information centres and town halls along the route (in Waldenbuch too, at the service centre in the Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus), or you can order them online under: www.tuebinger-umwelten.de or tourismus@kreis-tuebingen.de. In addition to the Energy Tour for adults, they also describe the Energy Tour for children, a 15-km-long, level route through the Neckar Valley near Tübingen, child-oriented and involving family-friendly partner enterprises.
We'd like to say a big thank-you at this point to our main sponsors.
Here you can find the digital route planner.
