48 kilometers of beech forest, a Cistercian monastery, a 35-meter wooden tower and cake at Häberle — the most beautiful e-bike day loop starting from Tübingen central station.
This loop from Tübingen central station runs 48 km through Naturpark Schönbuch to Bebenhausen Monastery, up to the Schönbuchturm wooden viewing tower near Herrenberg, and back via the Ammertal vineyards. Four hours of riding, moderate gradient, almost entirely forest gravel and paved cycle paths — no singletrails. Doable for inexperienced riders on an e-bike.
The ride starts in central Tübingen, climbs gently along the Goldersbach to Bebenhausen, works its way up through forest tracks to the Schönbuchturm, descends to Herrenberg and rolls back through the open Ammertal. The whole loop is signposted (Naturpark Schönbuch and Ammertal cycle path) — but a GPS track is still recommended.
From the station forecourt take Eisenbahnstraße onto the Neckar embankment. After 800 m turn left into Wildermuthstraße, then follow the Goldersbach stream. You pass the university Botanical Garden (worth a detour, free entry), and then the forest opens up. Gentle, steady climb — about 60 m of elevation across 6 km. Bebenhausen announces itself with the monastery walls on the right.
The Cistercian monastery was founded in 1183 and the late-Gothic monastery tower features on every Tübingen postcard. Directly attached: the Royal Hunting Lodge, where King Wilhelm II of Württemberg hunted until 1918. Entry monastery and castle: €7. Café Häberle on the main street is the classic cake stop — apple strudel and poppyseed cake from their own bakery, open April–October daily except Monday. E-bikers can discreetly top up here if they ask nicely.
Behind Bebenhausen you leave the village heading north and follow the Goldersbach route deep into beech forest. The next 12 km are the quietest leg: cushioned forest floor, barely any traffic, just the drip from the beech canopy. You climb roughly 200 m — in Eco mode, no problem. Watch for the Kapf viewpoint just before the Schönbuch plateau: an open view south all the way to the Swabian Alb.
The Schönbuchturm rises from the Stellberg hill near Herrenberg, 580 m above sea level. 35 meters tall, built entirely from larch wood, opened in 2018. 174 steps to the top platform — on a clear day you see Stuttgart to the north, the Swabian Alb to the south, and on good days the Black Forest to the west. Entry is free. At the base sits the Naturfreundehaus with a café, terrace and a public e-bike charging socket (standard Schuko, free). This is your lunch stop — the Swabian Brotzeit is solid.
From the Schönbuchturm you roll west on the signposted Naturpark cycle path down to Herrenberg. The descent is pure pleasure — little pedaling, lots of view. Just before the Herrenberg old town, turn left to the Stiftskirche St. Marien, a late-Gothic hall church on a rocky spur with views across the Gäu landscape. The town is pretty, but for the return you stay on the edge.
The Ammertal cycle path is paved, gently descending and runs through open farmland with small vineyards, traditional orchards and the villages Entringen, Pfäffingen and Unterjesingen. This leg is the contemplative one: after the forest stretches, now sky and fields. Past Unterjesingen you reach the Neckar valley cycle path, cross the Ann-Arbor Bridge (Tübingen's new heated bicycle bridge), and you're back at the central station. 48 km, battery still in the green.
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Surface | ~60% forest gravel, ~40% asphalt. Fully e-bike compatible. No singletrails. |
| Gradient | ~380 m total elevation. Longest climb: 4 km from Bebenhausen into the Goldersbach valley (gentle). |
| Battery | A 500 Wh battery is plenty in normal assist mode. Charging at the Naturfreundehaus at the Schönbuchturm. |
| Signposts | Naturpark Schönbuch (green logo), Ammertal cycle path (blue), Neckar valley cycle path (red). |
| Food | Bebenhausen (Café Häberle), Schönbuchturm (Naturfreundehaus), Herrenberg (old-town bakeries), Entringen (inns). |
| Water | Public fountains in Bebenhausen, Herrenberg and Entringen. Bring a 1 L bottle in summer minimum. |
| Toilets | Tübingen station, Bebenhausen monastery, Naturfreundehaus Schönbuchturm, Herrenberg market square. |
| Emergency | 112. Mobile coverage in Goldersbach valley patchy — Telekom (T-Mobile) works best. |
Mid-October is the highlight: the beeches turn the Schönbuch gold-yellow, the Goldersbach steams in the morning light, Café Häberle is still in apple-strudel season. May to June for blooming orchards in the Ammertal and cool forest air. Summer can get hot in exposed sections (Ammertal return leg) — but the forest shelters you well. Winter: only on snow-free days; the forest tracks then freeze and ride well, but the Naturfreundehaus is usually closed.
Doable from around age 10 with their own e-bike. For younger children, try the short version: just Tübingen → Bebenhausen → back (16 km, just under 2 hours, almost flat). Or take the S-Bahn to Herrenberg and start the loop at the Schönbuchturm — then the climb to the tower is the only ascent, and the rest is a relaxed roll back to Tübingen.
You'll want an e-bike for this route — a regular bike with 380 m of climbing across 48 km quickly turns ugly for casual riders. If you're living in Tübingen or staying a while, a monthly e-bike subscription is the easiest option: no purchase price, insurance included, cancel any month, maintenance and repairs covered.
Pure riding time about four hours at a brisk pace (~12 km/h average on an e-bike). With coffee in Bebenhausen, the tower climb and a lunch break at the Naturfreundehaus you should plan six to seven hours. Start before 9 am and you'll be back by 4 pm without rushing.
On an e-bike: moderate. Without e-assist: only for trained riders. The climbs are gentle and steady, but 48 km with 380 m of elevation isn't trivial. On the e-bike you can stay in Eco mode and come back with half a battery.
No helmet law in Germany, but strongly recommended — especially on the Ammertal descent, where the e-bike will easily hit 30+ km/h. Helmets aren't usually included in the subscription (rent separately or bring your own).
Realistically: it won't with a remotely modern battery (≥500 Wh). Fallback: the Naturfreundehaus at the Schönbuchturm charges for free and in 30–60 minutes adds enough range to get back to Tübingen. Emergency: Herrenberg has S-Bahn service to Tübingen every 30 minutes (bike transport allowed, small fee).
Yes. You'd ride the Ammertal first (gentle warm-up), climb to the Schönbuchturm, descend through the Schönbuch to Bebenhausen, and roll easily back to Tübingen. Pros: the highlights (tower, monastery) come later, better narrative arc. Cons: the climb from Herrenberg to the Schönbuchturm is steeper than the Schönbuch ascent from Bebenhausen.