Stuttgart drops away via Vaihingen and the edge of the Filder, and the stage quickly turns greener. Böblingen and Herrenberg mark the shift into the Gäu: open fields, orchards, small villages and long rolling sections instead of city streets. Beyond Herrenberg, the terrain tightens, the roads grow quieter and the Neckar is never far away. Around Horb and Oberndorf, valley views, woodland and higher plateaus take turns. Near Dunningen, the route already feels close to the Black Forest.