Schertelshöhle

Of cows and robbers

The Schertelshöhle is one of the most beautiful caves in the Swabian Alb with its richness of dripstones. Daylight falls mysteriously into the cave through the "Kuhloch", this entrance funnel used to be the only access. Today, the cave can be entered via an artificial entrance 160 metres deep. The cave was once a robber's hideout.

In winter, the cave is closed because it is an important bat roost. Nearby is the Steinerne Haus, a spacious cave with a vaulted cave portal, and the Burkartshöhle, a cave ruin.

Special feature: What does cowhole mean?

The terms "cow hole" and "dog hole", which are common in Swabian dialect, initially indicate that an animal fell in somewhere - such as here in the cave. But it may also mean that people on the Alb used the sinkholes and burrows to dispose of waste and dead animals.