Walk to Rösslerweiher via Zundelbacher Linde east of Weingarten, Germany

(This post published on March 14, 2025)

Tuesday June 11, 2019 -- My Mom came to visit me and her relatives for two weeks in June, and although we had beautiful sunny and rather hot weather during her time in Switzerland, the three days we spent with her siblings in Weingarten in southern Germany were mostly overcast and rainy. 

On the second day there, while Mom visited with her sister, my uncle, who was an avid hiking in the Alps in his younger days, suggested I go for a walk with him. The trail started in the woods directly behind their house, passed by a huge linden tree called the Zundelbacher Linde, then on to a lake called Rösslerweiher, and returned home via a historical waterway called the "Stille Bach". At the location of the linden tree, we were surprised by an actual view of the Alps to the south, looking larger from here north of Lake Constance than they do when we are on the Swiss side of the lake!

In all, this might have been about 6 kilometers, and approximately two hours of walking. 

We started at about 9:45 a.m. on our walk, and after about two kilometers of walking on a forest road, we got to a clearing with the first view of the Zundelbacher Linde to the south. 

Close-up view of the Zundelbacher Linde. It stands on a moraine hill. 

This linden tree is a natural monument, planted in 1871 as a symbol of peace at the end of the German-French war. Its circumference is about 6 meters. 

This farm just south of the large linden tree is called Zundelhof (thus the name of the tree being "Zundelhofer Linde". Far to the south, across Lake Constance, we can see the Alps in Switzerland (or Austria). 

Close-up of the Alps of eastern Switzerland (or western Austria), past Lake Constance to the south. 

"Photoshoot" at the Skihütte Lindele

This photo toward the west past the Zundelbacher Linde is taken from in front of the ski hut. 

Another close-up view of this fantastic tree. 

Far to the west past the town of Weingarten, I saw a castle on a hill. This is a close-up shot, and Internet research indicates this castle is called Schloss Benzenhofen. 

Heading down to Zundelof Farm. 

Roman snails (Weinbergschnecken) are impressive and a protected species. 

It looks like Wolfgang also has a way with farm cats (They always come to Urs as well when we are on our hikes). 

Baby cows are the best!

A Google photo comparison indicates that this might be a Black Kite. 

At 11 a.m. we got to the Rössleweiher. Apparently this lake was created about 10,000 years ago and has been mentioned in documents of 1155. An intricate system of canals brings water to the mills in Weingarten, built by the Benedictine monks from the monastery there in the 11th Century. 

The "Stille Bach" is a 10-km system of channels built by the Benedictine Monks in the 11th century to bring water to the mills in Weingarten. 

Returning back home via the "Stille Bach" canals

Returning back home via the Stille Bach canals. (The final photo I have is from 11:30, which is close to when we got back home. So we were walking for about two hours.)

Satellite map of the area where we did our walk. My uncle's house is at the location in Circle no.1, the Zundelbach Linden tree and ski hut are at Circle no.2, and the Rössleweiher lake is Circle no.3.