About this location
A warm welcome to my orchard for wild camping in the UNESCO Global Geopark Ries! My orchard is one of my absolute favorite places. It was planted by my grandfather, and I'm gradually renewing the trees, mostly with heritage fruit varieties. The orchard is located just outside *my* village in the Nördlinger Ries and is surrounded by fields. It's on a gentle slope, offering unobstructed views almost everywhere. A modern mill is about 150 meters away as the crow flies. Between them is a meadow with a grassy path. The millrace flows past my orchard as a narrow river (the Eger) approximately 30 meters away. The pitches are only for completely self-sufficient vehicles (black and grey water systems!). If you'd like to camp in a tent, please bring your own camping toilet or folding shovel 😃😁😉. The orchard is a natural wildflower meadow that is only mowed about twice a year. When the fruit (apples, pears, plums) is ripe, feel free to help yourselves for breakfast. I've laid out paving stones. There, you can light a fire—at your own risk and full liability—using a fire basket or fire bowl. You'll need to bring your own wood. A barbecue station (charcoal grill, grill cart with grilling utensils and chimney starter) is also available. If desired, I'll gladly provide two sturdy leveling ramps to compensate for the slight slope. There's also a lounge sofa (made from pallets) that you're welcome to use. Remember to bring cushions for comfortable lounging. By the way: Did you know that traditional orchards have been included in Germany's Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO?! So, just make yourself at home there... with so much UNESCO recognition 😉. LEISURE TIPS: (I'd be happy to send you the links via email.) Nördlingen boasts a beautiful, historic old town with a fully preserved, walkable city wall, five city gates, and now also the Gerd Müller Memorial ("Bomber of the Nation"). For geology and geography enthusiasts, there's the Ries Crater Museum (dedicated to the meteorite impact). Other attractions include the large St. George's Church with the Daniel statue, the approximately 90-meter-high church tower offering a fantastic panoramic view of the Nördlinger Ries, and the Bavarian Railway Museum. And now there's also the Gerd Müller Memorial for the "Bomber of the Nation" ⚽. The UNESCO Global Geopark Ries offers several hiking trails. The Shepherd's Trail passes directly by *my* village. In 2024, it was voted the most beautiful day hike in Southern Germany (and the fourth most beautiful in all of Germany). The Lindle Geotope/Nature Trail and the Swedish Trail are only 2-3 km away. ⇒ Approximately 2 km away as the crow flies, you'll find the Ofnet Caves dating back to the Ice Age, as well as the foundations of a Roman-era estate. ⇒ Dinkelsbühl, voted Germany's most beautiful old town, is also only about 30 km away. ⇒ Harburg/Swabia, with its castle perched on a rock (approx. 25 km away), is also very beautiful. It's one of the largest, oldest, and best-preserved castle complexes in southern Germany. ⇒ And the area around Christgarten (with its wildlife park (wild boar enclosure)) in the Kartäusertal valley is also very idyllic for hiking and cycling (approx. 10 km away). ⇒ You can go kayaking and canoeing on the Wörnitz River. The route takes approximately six stages from Dinkelsbühl via Oettingen to Donauwörth. ⇒ Since the Ries region is generally very flat, it's well-suited for cycling. There's a wide selection of cycle paths. SHOP LOCALLY: In the village, there's a mill shop (e.g., flour, pasta, oils, vinegar, muesli, dried fruit, honey and jams, eggs, tea, spices, snacks, sweets, etc.), a local butcher shop (local sausages and meat), and a farm shop (depending on the day's offerings, e.g., regional meat (lamb, game, poultry), wood-fired bread, eggs, liqueur, honey, spreads, cheese, etc.). In Nördlingen, there are various supermarket chains, weekly markets, numerous butcher shops and bakeries, etc. The Gasthaus Vierkorn is regularly open on Fridays (and also irregularly on other days). You can bring your own food and buy your drinks there (just like in Bavarian beer gardens). Have fun camping! 😎🏕️🚙 *** Any liability on my part for personal injury and property damage, e.g., if you twist your ankle on the grass or a branch falls from a tree onto your vehicle or tent during a storm or thunderstorm, is hereby excluded. ... So far, nothing of the sort has happened, and hopefully it will stay that way! *** . *** Since the access road is a grassy, gently sloping track (approx. 200m) where you have to make one 90-degree turn, the access is not suitable for caravans and very large motorhomes. ***
Perfect for...
Nature lovers, peace seekers, campers, motorcyclists, cyclists, hikers, families, couples, solo travelers...
