Discover Schlat: hiking and fruit-growing heritage
Accommodation in Schlat
Schlat lies at the foot of the Alb hills, at an elevation of 413 to 700 metres. Numerous circular hiking trails and high-altitude hikes offer plenty of ways to explore the town and its surroundings. The area also has a long tradition of fruit growing, reflected in the products made by Schlat’s farmers and local businesses. You can tailor your stay to suit different interests, focusing on hiking trails or making time for regional fruit and drink specialities.
Circular trails and high-altitude hikes
If you want to compare distances, Schlat has two circular trails of different lengths. The Gairen-Seeholz circuit is 9.5 kilometres long. The approximately 2.8-kilometre Waldaktivpfad (Forest Activity Trail) runs through Schlat Forest. It starts east of the “Eiche” hiking car park, at the junction in the direction of Grünenberg. These two distances give you concrete reference points when choosing excursions to suit the route length you have in mind.
The Waldaktivpfad is a circular route through the forest, while the longer Gairen-Seeholz circuit offers a different scale for planning your day. Schlat also has numerous circular hiking trails for extended excursions and exploring. The town is also considered a popular starting point for high-altitude hikes. If you enjoy exploring a variety of routes during your stay, you can consider both the local circular trails and hikes at higher elevations.
In the surrounding area, hikes around Schlat connect with the nearby Albtraufgängerweg and the Schwäbische Alb-Nordrandweg. These trails add to the hiking options around the town. When choosing accommodation, it may therefore be helpful to consider whether you plan to focus your excursions mainly on the circular trails in Schlat or also on hikes in the surrounding area.
Fruit and regional specialities
The fruit grown in Schlat includes strawberries, cherries, plums, mirabelles, pears, apples and berries. The area’s long fruit-growing tradition is also reflected in the fresh local produce that Schlat’s farmers sell directly from their farms. At Biolandhof Hauser, you can buy fruit, jam, potatoes, walnuts, apple juice, apple-and-pear juice and spirits made from fruit grown on the farm.
The Jörg Geiger GmbH manufactory in Schlat offers a special selection of drinks. Its specialities are made from heritage apple and pear varieties. They include single-variety distillates, alcohol-free Prisecco, apple and pear seccos, and single-variety sparkling pear and apple wines made using traditional bottle fermentation. Geiger GbR also operates a fruit-juice press in Schlat, with sales and a distillery. Both farm-direct fruit products and a range of drinks are among the regional offerings you can take into account when planning your trip.
A town with a church shared by both congregations
The Protestant St Andrew’s Church is also part of life in Schlat: it has been shared by the Protestant and Catholic congregations for more than 50 years. If you’re interested in a town’s cultural life as well as hiking and regional produce, this is a distinctive feature of the local community.
Nearby, the Wasserberghaus hiking lodge is located on Wasserberg. It is open year-round and run by the Swabian Alb Association, and offers overnight accommodation. When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Schlat, you can weigh up whether you want to focus your stay mainly on hikes around the town, trails in the surrounding area, or Schlat’s fruit and drink culture.
Other destinations to consider: Bad Boll, Bad Ditzenbach, Wäschenbeuren, Salach, Rechberghausen, Uhingen, Geislingen An Der Steige, Gruibingen.
For the overview of the wider area: Göppingen.
