Discover Forest: Monastery Ponds, Forest Trails and Art

Historic monastery ponds, trails through forest areas and changing art exhibitions give Wald its distinctive character. The five-kilometre Pond Hiking Trail connects several of the municipality’s historic monastery ponds. The Around Wald (North Route) passes through Forstwald and Riedle Protected Forest. If you enjoy combining time outdoors with a cultural visit, you’ll find several ideas here to help plan your trip.

Pond Trail or North Route?

The description of the Pond Hiking Trail focuses on the historic monastery ponds: the five-kilometre route connects several of them. The North Route offers a different focus. It passes through Forstwald and Riedle Protected Forest, and its description starts at Wald Town Hall. You can therefore choose between the two routes based on what interests you most: ponds and their history, or the forest areas mentioned above.

The Around Wald (North Route) is marked “W1” on the free cycling and hiking map of the Northern Lake Constance holiday region. If you use the map to plan your trip, check which edition you have: route markings can change. The Pond Hiking Trail is five kilometres long, giving you a specific guide for planning your day.

Art and regional history

Galerie KunstKonvent has been based at the “Neue Kunst am Ried” site since 2017. It presents changing exhibitions there, alongside a large-scale sculpture that is on permanent display. A visit to the gallery adds an artistic focus to time spent on the trails. Which exhibition interests you may vary with the current programme.

Wald’s regional identity also has a cultural dimension: the town lies on the western route of the Upper Swabian Baroque Route. This connection may be a factor when choosing a holiday apartment if you want to give your stay a particular theme. Together with the monastery ponds and the gallery, it gives you several interests to weigh up when planning your trip.

More to discover in the wider Sigmaringen destination

In the wider Sigmaringen destination, the castle offers its own way to explore history: it developed from a medieval castle into a princely residence and is considered a landmark of the town. Guided castle tours cover almost 1,000 years of Hohenzollern family history. Sigmaringen’s old town lies at the foot of the castle; the Round Tower was built as a defensive tower in the old town fortifications and converted into a local history museum in 1970.

Sigmaringen also offers different hiking experiences. Its five premium DonauFelsenLäufe trails pass through the Danube Valley, the Schmeien Valley and the Lauchert Valley. You can focus your local plans in Wald on the pond and forest trails, while also considering whether to include other cultural or hiking interests in the wider Sigmaringen destination.

Find the right holiday apartment for your interests

If you’re particularly interested in ponds, forest areas and art, these themes can guide your search for a holiday apartment in Wald. If castle history, the old town and the DonauFelsenLäufe interest you more, you can make Sigmaringen a separate focus of your trip.

Discover more places

Also discover Riedetsweiler and Glashütte.

Discover more destinations: Gammertingen, Sigmaringen, Veringenstadt, Hettingen, Herbertingen, Hohentengen.

Back to the wider travel guide: Sigmaringen.