Blauer Steinbruch

Blauer Steinbruch is a protected nature reserve of 5.2 hectares centered around a former quarry with a lake covering about 1 hectare. The landscape shows clear signs of its mining past, with steep banks and visible layers of rock and earth.

From 1890 to 1925, limestone was extracted from the quarry to supply the Ehingen cement factory, one of the largest cement producers in the Kingdom of Württemberg at that time. After extraction stopped, the quarry filled with water and gradually transformed into a nature reserve.

The name comes from the blue color of the water in the former quarry, which appears due to minerals left from cement extraction and clay in the soil. You can see this striking blue shade as you walk along the paths around the lake.

The nature reserve is accessible through several hiking trails of varying lengths and difficulty that connect to different viewing spots. The paths are easiest to walk during dry weather, as they can become slippery after rain or during wet seasons.

The lake is home to eight different amphibian species, including rare frogs and newts that are scarce in other regions. The surrounding slopes support unusual orchid varieties such as the fly orchid and marsh helleborine.