Kapellenrunde - per Rad Neues auf alten Wegen entdecken

The starting point is the Ammerbrücke bridge in the west of Weilheim, where there is a parking lot very close to the Hochlandhalle. From here, cycle along Schützenstraße towards the town center. After the railroad and pedestrian bridge, a path with steps and a cycle lane leads up to Bahnhofsgasse on the left. Just before the station, turn right and follow the signposts.

Before the Apostelkirche church, turn left into Krumpperstraße towards the cemetery. The cemetery church of St. Salvator and St. Sebastian, built in 1449 and extended in the 16th century to include a sacristy and tower, is a unique example of medieval architecture in Weilheim. The ceiling paintings created by Elias Greither the Elder between 1591 and 1615 depict scenes of the Passion of Christ, which, because a town priest had them destroyed in the 19th century out of a lack of understanding, are only partially preserved today after being uncovered.

At the next but one junction, turn left into Römerstraße. Now follow the historical part of the Brenner-Augsburg route from the Roman Empire for approx. 350 m before reaching Deutenhausener Straße via Hardtkapellenstraße and Narbonner Ring. Keep left here and follow the signs that lead you along the road through the wide Angerbach valley, which was created by glacial meltwater around 18,000 years ago, to Deutenhausen.

In the middle of the small village lies the charming late medieval parish church, whose onion dome greets you from afar. Fine, colorful stucco tendrils cover the ceiling and frame the popular ceiling paintings.

A pavilion-like rococo high altar houses the miraculous image of the Mother of God created by Hans Leinberger around 1527. Of particular interest are the votive picture from 1733 in the choir with the first depiction of a maypole in our region and the folding confessional.

The route then continues towards Marnbach. From here, the path slowly climbs into the Hardt landscape. The St. Michael field chapel can be seen on the left. The field chapel of St. Michael was built on the so-called Egerriederanger in 1717 by order of Caspar Steigenberger, who, as the Benediktbeuern monastery's castor, was in charge of the taxes in kind stored in the Marnbach tithe barn. The choir was added to the chapel in 1900. It houses a small stucco marble altar from the end of the 18th century.

The Hardtlandschaft is the central part of the famous Eberfinger Drumlinfeld. With 360 of these hills running almost parallel in a north-south direction, it is not only the most famous, but also the largest drumlin field in the Bavarian Alpine foothills. It was formed during the last ice age by the shaping power of the glacier. The Hardt presents itself as a very varied landscape. The elongated drumlins (from the Irish droim = ridge) are home to semi-natural beech forests and nutrient-poor grasslands, with moors, litter meadows and grassland in between. This close-knit combination of landscape elements is probably unique in Germany. This is why large areas of the Hardt are nature or landscape conservation areas.

In the past, the Hardt landscape was used for a variety of purposes. The more remote parts were in common ownership (commons). The name "Hardt" means nothing more than the right of common use by the Hardtgenossen. It mainly included the use of wood, pig fattening and forest grazing for cattle and horses. Peat was extracted from the raised bogs for heating (domestic fuel), and litter for the cattle stables was obtained from the low moorland areas. This created so-called litter meadows, a habitat for numerous rare plant and animal species.

We head towards Hardtwiese (farm). From here, the route continues on a gravelled but easily passable path until you reach the paved Hardtstraße, which takes you to the Hardtkapelle chapel. The Magnetsrieder Hardt nature reserve is on the right.

The Magnetsrieder Hardt is home to fens and raised bogs. A special feature is the second largest occurrence of the highly endangered marsh gladiolus in Bavaria with several 1,000 individuals (Gladiolus palustris, flowering time: mid-June - July). Other rare plant species include orchids and gentians. But this unique drumlin landscape is in danger! Between 1950 and 1980 in particular, drainage. intensification and afforestation with spruce or pine, numerous areas of nutrient-poor grassland and moorland disappeared.

The Maria Hilf pilgrimage chapel was founded on the basis of a pious legend. In the 13th century, the people of Weilheim and Haunshof fought over grazing rights in the Hardt and were unable to reach an amicable agreement. As they were once again engaged in heated negotiations, a little man appeared, put his foot on a stone and said: "As sure as I step on this stone, this is the Haunshofer Gmein." Near the chapel there is also a Way of the Cross with 14 stations dating from around 1870/1890. These are made of tuff with colorful clay reliefs. They were donated by citizens from the surrounding area.

The route continues at a rapid pace through the forest down into the Grünbach valley and uphill again to Haunshofen. On the way to Wilzhofen, you have a beautiful view of the Grünbach valley, which was also formed by glacial meltwater. You pass under the railroad bridge to reach Wilzhofen.

Away from the marked path, the late Gothic church, rebuilt in 1631 and baroqueized around 1700, stands on a small hill. For a little refreshment in between, it is worth making a detour to Gasthaus Guggenmos), which can be reached at the end of the village via Bahnhofsallee (closed on Tuesdays).

After passing under the main road, you reach Wielenbach - pay particular attention to the signs here - and after crossing the Weilheim-Geltendorf railroad line, you reach the Ammer. Shortly before the bridge, there is a wayside chapel on the left under mighty trees. This was built in 1871 to replace a previous building from 1688. Inside, there is a painting of the Coronation of the Virgin Mary above a simple altar. Cycle back to the starting point on the Ammerdamm.