Rundweg Donautal

A panoramic circular hike to Werenwag Castle high above the Danube valley

To Werenwag Castle

Who hasn't seen Werenwag Castle, perched like a fairytale castle on a rocky spur high above the Danube valley near Hausen im Tal? It is usually admired when driving through the valley or from the viewing rocks opposite. But you can also get there on foot, even on a relatively easy hike without a major ascent from the valley. To do this, you start on the plateau in the municipality of Schwenningen on the Heuberg and walk straight ahead, partly through a beautiful avenue, past a game reserve to the edge of the valley to the castle.

Like many of these castles and palaces in the Upper Danube Valley, the castle probably dates back to the 11th century. The Lords of Werenwag played a fairly important role as servants of the Hohenberg and Habsburg dynasties in the late Middle Ages. The minstrel Hug von Werenwag became particularly well known. In 1629, the castle came into the possession of the Princes of Fürstenberg, who administered large estates in the Danube valley, primarily from the small town of Meßkirch. After an interim sale in the 18th century, the picturesque little castle returned to the Fürstenbergs around 1830. It is still owned and inhabited by the Fürstenberg family today. Unfortunately, it is therefore not open to the public.However, it is a highlight worth seeing on this hike above the Danube valley. But the tour has a whole lot more to offer. There are several impressive viewing rocks, such as Echofels, Glasträgerfelsen and the view from Hausen Castle. Only the remains of the outer walls of the latter can still be found, in particular a mighty gable wall, which has been extensively restored by the Aktionsgemeinschaft Ruinenschutz Donautal. It rises steeply above the district of Hausen in the Beuron valley and can be seen from the valley. However, Hausen Castle was never as important as Werenwag Castle, which is why it shares the fate of many castles and ruins in the Danube Valley, which were demolished and largely dismantled after 1800. However, it is definitely worth a visit on the hike.Danube valley connoisseurs particularly appreciate these views, as they are not the otherwise much-visited and well-known views from Eichfelsen, Bandfelsen or Knopfmacherfelsen. The tour simply offers pure Danube valley, especially in autumn, when the leaves of the hillside forests gradually change color and the valley shimmers in all colors.</p