Schopflocher Moor

Schopfloch Moor

Useful Information

Location:	Torfgrube 6, 73266 Lenningen. 40 km northwest of Ulm. From Ulm 39 km on the B28, then 7 km B465 to turnoff Schopfloch. From A8 exit Kirchheim/Teck 15 km B465 to turnoff Schopfloch. Through Schopfloch, towards Ochsenwang. (48.5615400, 9.5226488)
Open:	Moor: no restrictions Naturschutzzentrum (visitor center): MAY to OCT Tue-Sat 10-17, Sun, Hol 11-17 NOV to APR Tue-Fri 13-16, Sun, Hol 11-17. [2025]
Fee:	free. [2025]
Classification:	marsh, moor, swamp, Doline sinks.
Light:	n/a
Dimension:	Ar=50 ha.
Guided tours:	After appointmet at the Naturschutzzentrum Schopflocher Alb
Photography:	allowed
Accessibility:	yes
Bibliography:	Schopflocher Torfmoor - Kleiner Führer durch das Naturschutzgebiet Hrsg.: Torfmoor Schopfloch Stiftung, Verlag: Der Teckbote Kirchheim unter Teck, 78 S., Preis: 5,-€ ISBN/EAN: 9783925589096.
Address:	Naturschutzzentrum Schopflocher Alb, Vogelloch 1, 73252 Lenningen-Schopfloch, Tel: +49-7026-95012-0. info@naturschutzzentrum-schopfloch.de
As far as we know this information was accurate when it was published (see years in brackets), but may have changed since then. Please check rates and details directly with the companies in question if you need more recent info.

History

1784	start of peat harvesting, later clay quarrying for bricks.
1907	end of peat harvesting.
1931	area bought by the Schwäbischer Albverein.
26-FEB-1942	declared a Naturschutzgebiet (Natural Monument).
21-JUL-1983	Extension of the nature reserve to the entire raised bog with a total area of 50.4 ha (NSG number 1.013).
1996	foundation and inauguration of the Naturschutzzentrum Schopflocher Alb. Coordination of protection activities and public relations.

Description

The Schopflocher Moor or Schopflocher Torfmoor is a nature reserve and is home to exceptional flora and fauna. The wetland is located in the middle of a karst area and is therefore a rare feature. Karst areas are characterized by underground drainage, and so surface waters, such as this wetland, are an apparent contradiction. Of course, the reason for such a phenomenon is an additional geological feature. In this case, it is the Albvulkanismus (Alb volcanism), which is also responsible for the neighboring Randecker Maar and the Limburg.

Around 17 million years ago, explosive volcanism led to the formation of the Kirchheim Uracher Vulkangebiete (Kirchheim Urach volcanic area). Volcanic eruptions left behind vents at today's Schopflocher Moor, the Randecker Maar, the Limburg and 353 other locations. The fill of the volcanic vents is mostly basalt tuff, which weathers to greenish-grey clay, also known locally as Wasserboden (water soil). This is impermeable to water and thus dams up rainwater. In the hard layers of the White Jurassic on the Alb plateau, the softer rock of the vent weathers faster and thus forms a hollow shape. The idea that this hollow shape is the volcanic crater is obviously wrong; in 17 million years, the Alb has become several hundred meters lower due to the dissolution by rainwater alone. This means that the upper end of the vent has also been eroded in the meantime. Older literature also describes so-called crater rims, which are supposed to consist of volcanic material which was thrown out of the vent by the eruption and then fell back and formed a rim. In fact, they consist of weathered vent material, but these are merely the remains of erosion. The hollow form in the area of the vent fills with rainwater due to the impermeable rock and a pond is formed, which is locally referred to as a Hüle.

Hülen were the nucleus for settlements during the colonization of the Alb plateau in the seventh and eighth centuries. They were the only source of drinking and process water on the otherwise waterless karst plateau. The settlements from this period can be recognized by the ending of the place name on -ingen and some still have a Hüle today, such as nearby Zainingen.

But back to the Schopflocher Moor: this large hollow silted up after the last ice age and became a moor. It was initially filled with the remains of algae, reeds and woodland (fen). Later, peat mosses and cotton grasses formed a peat shield (raised bog). This is unique in this area; the other hollows in the central Swabian Alb have remained lakes. One reason for this peculiarity is not least the geographical location, i.e. the particularly high rainfall on the northern edge of the Alb.

The karstological peculiarity of the Schopflocher Moor are the dolines and ponors (swallow holes) in the surrounding area. Rainwater that does not evaporate in the moor leaves the moor via ditches to the edge. Due to their natural humic acid content, bog waters are extremely acidic and therefore dissolving otherwise insoluble rocks. When it meets the limestone, it has a particularly corrosive effect. The characteristic depressions of solution dolines with ponors form, usually in the form of fissures at the bottom. There are almost 20 such dolines with swallow holes around the Schopflocher Moor. They are particularly worth seeing after heavy rainfall or in spring when the snow melts, when the excess water flows out of the moor and disappears into the swallow holes with a gurgling sound after a few meters. This is a typical contact karst and can be observed around the entire moor.

The Stauchloch sinkhole is the most important of the sinkholes. It is located directly at the entrance to the Otto Hoffmeister Haus and is covered with trees. Nearby is the Höll doline, a tree-free doline that is cut by the road to Ochsenwang. To the southwest, the Wasserfall sinkhole can be reached after a short walk through the moor. It lies between the moor and the edge of the forest. To the southeast is the doline field at Kreuzstein, close to the asphalt hiking trail from Otto Hoffmeister Haus. Here, a spring with a pipe has been converted into a sheep trough with a water trough. The water moves through the moor, dammed up by the impermeable subsoil, the spring is located on the edge of the limestone.

The Schopfloch moor has been severely altered by centuries of peat extraction. Old literature reports of sinkholes that were also active as ponors in the past, but are now filled in. The growth of the moor has come to a standstill as a result of this human intervention. Extensive rewetting measures are aimed at restoring moor growth.

In addition to the peat bog, we have also mentioned the Schopflocher Alb nature conservation center. It is located not far from Schopfloch in an abandoned quarry where limestone was quarried. The center’s museum explains all possible aspects of the peat bog, the geology as well as the extraordinary flora and fauna. It also offers guided walks in the moor, either for groups by appointment or on special days.