Danube Cycle Route Donaueschingen to Regensburg

This eight-day route starts in the small town of Donaueschingen, where a spring announces the start of the river Danube. The cycle trail keeps faithfully to the banks of the river and is often traffic-free. On day 6 we leave the Danube, climbing some hills to meet the river Altmuhl, which we follow for a day and a half. The tour finishes in the World Heritage city of Regensburg. This is limestone country and we'll see strange rock spires, spectacular cliffs and winding gorges. High up on the hills castles can be seen, and in Blaubeuren there's a monastery. When we are following the river, the trail is often flat, though if we wish to visit a local highlight, we'll usually have to climb to do so. From time to time the river is affected by the porous limestone: it starts as a spring, quickly vanishes underground into a cave, and later there is a substantial resergence of water. The Danube cycle trail is the most popular cycle route in Europe so we'll see plenty of other cyclists, often loaded with large panniers, indicating that like us they are travelling the Danube Cycle Way. But it is no busier with bikes than the route we rode in Holland, and there is a pleasant sense of a rewarding experience shared. Towns will usually have one or two cycle shops. There are very regular boards with information or maps, and occasional information centres along the trail, with useful information and staff who can answer questions for you. The total length of the river from the source to the estuary in the black sea is 2840km, traversing seven countries along the way. Many people ride only as far as Budapest, since there have been difficulties in the past with some border crossings later than Budapest. Even the ride that far is a long way, maybe a month's cycling, so most riders will divide their journey into two halves of a fortnight, perhaps ridden during two summers, with Passau the mid-point. So some of the riders you'll share the path with will be on their way to, or perhaps from, Passau. From time to time you'll see small wooden towers, which are for bird watchers. Guide books and maps There are a couple of guidebooks in English, and the best of these is the bikeline Cycling Guide: Danube Bike Trail, part 1, which is available for 14.99 from Maps Worldwide at www.mapsworldwide.com/sku_36804.htm. This is an excellent spiral bound mini book with a detailed map on each page accompanied by useful text describing the route and local places of interest. It does not cover the Altmuhl section though there is a separate bikeline/cycline guide for the Altmuhl valley, but only with German text. Cicerone also publish a guide to the route, which does include the Altmuhl, but lacks the detailed maps, and is somewhat dated. Finally, there are a couple of handy little fold-up strip-maps, printed on tough waterproof paper, one for the Danube and one for the Altmuhl. These are called: Radwanderkarte Donau-Radweg 1 Radwanderkarte Altmhltal-Radweg They cost about 8 euros each and are available from a number of German websites and also from some of the shops en route. The information panels are all in German, but the mapping is excellent.

General information about the tour

Cycling on the Danube Cycle Way We are following the Donauradweg, the Danube Cycle Way, and virtually every single junction is marked with a distinctive green and blue logo on a white background. Very occasionally you will find that our GPS plot takes us away from this track, perhaps to avoid gravel, or to take you either to a place of interest or that evening's accommodation. Sometimes the Donauradweg is a dedicated trafficfree cycle path, sometimes it is a minor road, and sometimes you're on a cycle path running next to a main road. Three things to watch out for: You won't always notice when a cycle path has become a minor road, so if joining another road, say at a T-junction, or crossing a junction, ALWAYS check in case there are cars coming. Don't stop in a big bunch blocking the path, since there are plenty of cyclists coming. If you are on a cycle path next to a main road and a car wants to cross ahead of you, the car has priority. DON'T just ride into its path! Stop for cars turning!

There will inevitably be road works from time to time, and in that event yellow diversion signs will tell you where to ride instead. In general, DON'T try to ride straight through road works! Occasionally you can get off and push past a roadwork as a pedestrian, but often you will need to follow the diversion. Safety, helmets, etc The surface of the cycle trail is mostly tarmac, with some sections on hard packed gravel. Hybrid or mountain bikes will do very well. A racing bike is not suitable, nor are narrow racing tyres. Suitable tyres should have a decent width, say 28-32mm. Another point about the gravel: ride a bit more slowly, especially downhill. Take corners slowly. Allow more space between riders. Ignore all this advice at your peril! Helmets are a common sight along the Danube Cycle Way. By no means everyone has them, but most children and maybe half the adult riders to. Perhaps this is in deference to the rougher sections of the route where the gravel will see some riders hitting the ground occasionally. For this reason, adults taking part in our tour this year are recommended to wear a helmet. Take particular care if moving from a cycle path onto a road. Although cars are required to give way to cyclists when the car is trying to turn across your way, they may simply not notice you! Cafes Cafes occur on a very regular basis, directly alongside the route, a pleasant side-benefit to this being such a popular cycle path. Generally they will have toilets and you can use these, and ask for water bottles to be refilled, if you have been kind enough all to order a drink, milk shake or ice cream. I did try to find what is a typical cafe snack. I did find several ice cream cafes, where you sit down and order from a tempting selection of ice creams with loads of cream or sauces or fruit. They are really rather splendid, although perhaps not the ideal cycling food. Nevertheless everyone ought to try one during the tour sometimes, by way of research. Waiters and waitresses tend to carry long leather purses to keep the money in, and they sometimes have a special method of receiving your tip. It is of course always good manners to reward waiters for their service with a tip of about 10% of the value of your order. When you pay, the waiter will give you the correct change. You should quickly make to give some back as a tip. When the waiter sees this he may just take the tip, or he may dip towards you with the leather wallet open to 'catch the tip', and you drop the coins of your tip directly into the wallet rather than into his hand. Not all waiters / waitresses do this, but it is a pleasant tableau to be a part of.

General information about the tour

Remember: you buy all your own snacks and extra food on this tour. The budget will provide breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal, but anything else you want, you have to pay for. Drinking water Often you will see a water feature in a village centre which would have been used in times past for people to drink from. But it is not treated water, and sadly you are therefore safest not to use it - animals grazing the fields will have polluted the streams which feed the fountain. If labelled, 'Trinkwater' means drinking water, whereas 'Kein Trinkwater' means not drinking water. In a few locations you will come across a proper drinking fountain with a tap, which is modern and safe to drink from, and labelled Trinkwater. Alternatively, find a supermarket and buy a large bottle of mineral water to fill everyones bottles up with.

Kein Trinkwasser NOT drinking water

Trinkwasser drinking water Cash machines for adults If adults need to withdraw some cash from a bank machine, take note that quite a few of the machines are inside banks, and there is 24 hour access to these simply by swiping your card at a reader next to the door. If it doesn't work the first time, try the card the other way up! So if you haven't seen a bank machine for a while, it'll be because the machines are more often found indoors. Level crossings Like in Holland and Denmark, level crossings are common. This route regularly crosses the river Danube, and the railway runs close to the river, so often you cross the railway, and most of the time you do so on a level crossing. The rule is, if you are mid-way across the crossing and the bells and lights go, then continue promptly to the other side. But if you haven't started crossing, then stop safely and wait. Catching a train to reduce the length of a day Trains, also like in Holland, are double deckers, and there are stations regularly along the valley, which often you pass directly by on the trail. This is your option if you have to shorten the day. You need to buy a ticket for yourself and a ticket for the bike too. You can't buy on board and will be fined if you don't have a ticket, so make sure you get a ticket at the station. Not all trains accept bikes, though the trains plying the Danube route often do take cycles since they are usually regional rather than express trains. There is limited space on each train for cycles (look for the cycle diagram on the door for where to put your bike). If it is too full of bikes, you may have to wait for the next train. That said, trains on this route often have more cycle space than usual, since it is such a popular cycle route.

Two versions of the route: cycle path versus road I have planned a cycle path and a road version of the tour.

General information about the tour

The cycle path route follows the Danube Cycle Trail faithfully. It will be less hilly than the road road, and certainly have less traffic: often you are on a car-free trail, though certainly not always. In busy towns there are sometimes dedicated cycle paths, labelled as such and with a painted bike on the tarmac. But you will cycle through quiet villages sharing the road with the few cars which appear. Only very occasionally therefore will you see a dedicated cycle lights-controlled crossing, unlike in Holland where these are very common. Don't ride on pavements, which are generally for pedestrians only, unless you see a cycle sign (and usually a painted cycle on the tarmac too). Whilst the road version will avoid the gravel where at all possible, there will still be some gravel sections where the route makes it unavoidable, for example in the spectacular limestone gorges. Typical gravel surface, with dramatic limestone scenery in the background a common feature on this tour

Although I did ride the complete route in summer 2010, I could only ride one option each day, generally the cycle path option. So there will be times when I have plotted a route but what you'll find doesn't quite match up with it. At these times the green sign is your friend: the cycle routes, which we are trying to follow, are marked with green signposts, so if my GPS route seems to take you into a ditch, then look for green sign posts pointing to the next village. And have a note in your mind of the names of villages and towns we plan to pass! German Youth Hostels German hostels are very family oriented, or so it seemed during my week's stay. In each hostel the main type of customer was families with relatively young children, some of whom were cycling and some using the hostel as a base for a day or three of local sight-seeing. The atmosphere was thus very pleasant, with parents enjoying a glass of wine maybe, and their youngsters playing. The hostel network does accommodate large groups of course - it's just there weren't any during my stay, other than in Burg Wildenstein, where they had a group of several families, and a group of young children doing a musicthemed week. Just like in hostels in other parts of Europe, you can expect a few basics across the hostel network.

They will have a cycle shed, though our large party will be too big for the shed. A sheet, duvet cover and pillow cover are all provided, and their use is compulsory. We found in Holland that half the boys didn't use these. It's unhealthy, and in Germany if the hostel manager

General information about the tour

notices, each person who has broken the rule will be fined 15. You will have to pay your own fine - we won't pay it for you. Spray deodorents are NOT ALLOWED. This is because, like in many other hostels, the small particles in the spray can set off the fire alarm. In Germany, the hostels have got wise to this, and have forbidden spray deodorents. So, bring a roll-on. If you do set off the alarm, they will know which room it is, and a fine of between 250 and 500 is payable. All the hostels provide dinner, bed, breakfast and a packed lunch. You will need to make up your packed lunch at breakfast time. Wifi internet access is available in many of the hostels / hotels if you want to use your phone or laptop. The hostels mostly seem to use the same provider, so if wifi is important to you, you could buy a full weeks access at the start. The hotels all use different providers. Germany seems rather more environmentally friendly than the UK: the hostels have three recycling bins, and more strikingly, quite a few houses on the first day have their whole rooves covered with solar cells.

Swimming There are plenty of pools on our route, most of them open-air and a delight to visit. Five of the hostels / hotels have pools a short ride away.

Edeka is a common supermarket name to look out for

Bridge over the Danube on the first day

General information about the tour

Route Notes On the maps we are generally travelling from West to East.

The text and photos in these route notes are all by Chris Boardman. Maps are mostly from Google, with routes uploaded using GPS Visualiser. Two map extracts are from MagicMaps which was also the principal route planning software for the tour.

General information about the tour

Day 1: Sat 13 Aug 2011 1A: 45 miles (to valley-bottom hotel, younger boys) 327m up, 430 down 1A: 33 miles starting at Donaueschingen, or 19 miles if starting at Immendingen all following same GPS route 1B: 48 miles (older boys to hostel) 547m up, 456m down same as 1A except the final few miles

We are staying at Villingen, which is on the river Brigach. 11 miles into the ride we arrive at Donaueschingen, where the water from the Danube spring joins the river, and here the river Danube officially starts. Boys in the UMs and above will ride the full distance, whereas boys in the Shells and Rems will need to decide whether to take a shorter route, since it is the first day. For these boys, the journey will start with a short ride to the railway station in Villingen, then a train journey. What a splendid start to the tour this day provides. The trail is largely flat, and tarmac most of the way. Often it is traffic free, and when you are on roads, they are quiet. The towns and villages are pretty and you'll want to make time to take photos. The final section through the limestone gorge is one of the prettiest sections anywhere on the river Danube. And all along you'll see lots of other cyclists, often laden down with larger and heavier panniers than ours, perhaps because they are cycling for longer, but more likely because they will camp on some of the nights.

Source of the river Danube the Donauquelle

Day 1: Villingen to Beuron

The only drawback to the day is that tonight's accommodation is just about the very best you will see on tour. Enjoy it, but don't expect the same stunning locations every night! You will want to stop at Donaueschingen, where you can visit the spring which is the source of the Danube. Park your bikes and walk down the steps to take photos of the circular basin which has been built to surround the source. You can see bubbles coming up as the water rises. The source is called the 'Donauquelle' and the water is quite cold: consistently 7 to 8 degrees. The spring was first officially recognised as the source of the Danube by the Roman Emperor Tiberius. Much later, in 1499, King Maximillian visited. Kings would always travel with a large entourage and the King required his more high ranking guests to leap fearlessly into the chilly waters of the spring. There is an easier-to-follow tradition that you stand with your back to the source, make a wish and throw a coin in, with your left hand over your right shoulder. In Immendingen the trail turns sharp right to climb a ramp over a bridge over the railway. Between Immendingen and Mohringen the river periodically disappears, and all that is left is a broad river bed filled with pebbles. Since the whole area is limestone country, the river has headed underground into a cave system for a few miles, and reappears 14 km away after an underground journey lasting between 30 and 80 hours. After Immendingen you are on the right bank, and about 500 metres after you cross a bridge taking you to the left bank, a 50 metre path leads from the cycle path to the river. It is on the GPS as SINK. Park here and walk to take a look and even step down to take a stroll in the empty river bed. This is the 'Donauversinkung', and is only visible on about a third of days in a given year - during wet weeks, the river bed is full. In Tuttlingen the route crosses the river to the right bank - keep an eye out for the supermarket 'E-Center' on your right, half a mile after crossing the river. This may be the last shop you find today to refill water bottles, so don't miss it! If it's a hot day and you are fine with the time, you could go for a swim at Tuttlingen. The pool is inexpensive, it's very clean and it has a high diving board and a couple of flumes. Further on Fridlingen, about 5 miles before the end of the day, also has a pool if you ask someone to direct you.

Shortly after passing the swimming pool, the route will be confusing on the GPS since it seems to go in two different directions. If you need a supermarket stop, cross the river and a few hundred metres will take you to the 'E-center' supermarket, which may be the last supermarket you find today - so if you are at all short on water, make the stop. Then go back to the bridge and carry on down-river. If you don't need the supermarket, just ignore the bridge and carry along down river on the left bank.

Day 1: Villingen to Beuron

Shortly after the large town of Tuttlingen you pass through the village of Stetten and turn right to cross the river. Now the trail climbs up to cycle through the attractive old town of Muhleim, and on through the woods to Fridingen. This section is a bit hilly.

Then follows a fantastic stretch from Fridlingen to Beuron, a deep gorge with strange limestone towers. Some of us (chiefly, the younger boys and their parents) will be staying at a picture-postcard of a hotel, deep within the gorge, yet catching the afternoon sunlight perfectly. Most of the remainder of the party will stay in Wildenstein Castle tonight, also a completely spectacular location perched at the top of the limestone cliffs lining the gorge. I stayed here and the view from my bedroom window was the best I have seen from a youth hostel anywhere in the world. For the castle-dwellers, we leave the river at the mouth of the gorge to commence our long climb to the Castle. The hill is of a gentle gradient, but it continues unremittingly for three miles, all at the end of the day. Make sure you've eaten and drunk enough earlier in the day to sustain you for the climb. When you arrive at the castle there's a small cycle shed on the left before you enter the castle, and a further cycle rack just inside the first entrance of the castle, on the right. Don't wheel bikes any further in to the castle complex. Many of the doors in the castle fill the original stone frames and you will have to duck: people used to be shorter! In the dining hall you will get a good impression from the windows of how thick the walls were, and this thickness combined with the excellent defensive position of the castle double moat meant that it was captured only once, more by carelessness. The castle is close to a millenium old, since records show its existence at least as far back as 1077. The dining hall and several other parts of the interior are decorated with a hand-drawn and painted motif. For those staying in the hotel, there is no final climb. About a dozen people can't fit into the hotel, so the hotel is providing a lift to other nearby hotels.

Day 1: Villingen to Beuron

Day 2A 2B 2C

2: Sun 14 Aug 2011 Along the Danube Cycle from hotel: 41 miles, 316m up, 409m down Same route as 2A but using the road along the river for the first few miles to avoid gravel Road from castle: 36 miles, 249m up, 528m down

The cycle path (route 2A) starts on the right bank of the river and alternates regularly between gravel and tarmac, roughly half and half (as far as Sigmaringen). Given that today is Sunday and the roads will be quieter, if you want to avoid some of the gravel you could cross to the left bank of the river and follow this for several miles this is route 2B. The road route (2C) starting at the castle, is shorter since the castle is closer to tonights accommodation. All three routes join before arriving at Sigmaringen. In Sigmaringen the trail hugs the river bank which provides a safe traffic free, tarmac surface dont try to find a road option through this busy, large town. However at one point you go underneath a road bridge with very low clearance: it's essential that you look out for this and get off your bikes, or you'll be knocked off your bikes! There is one more similar bridge a few miles later, though not as low as the one in Sigmaringen.

Sigmaringen Castle

Remember to GET OFF YOUR BIKE when going under this bridge in Sigmaringen it is too low (except for Mr Boardmans unusual bike)

As you pass through Sigmaringen look out for its castle on a lofty perch on the right. One of the largest royal palaces still in private hands in continental Europe, Schloss Sigmaringen has been the primary residence of the Hohenzollerns since 1535. Guided tours are provided through the great cavernous bedrooms and grand ballrooms. The palace is also a private museum with artworks, original furniture, tapestries and clocks collected over centuries of grand living, together with a substantial collection of over 3000 pieces of medieval arms and armour. If you have the energy to climb the hill, you may want to visit.

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Day 2: Beuron to Riedlingen

A mile or so after you enter Sigmaringen, you cross a large road with a big bridge over the Danube. After you've crossed the road (you don't need to cross the bridge) there's a statue of a man with a small boy standing on his shoulder, which marks a drinking water tap, properly labelled 'trinkwater' so you know it is safe to refill your water bottles. This is handy since Sigmaringen is half way on the day's route. After Sigmaringen the route reaches Mengen and passes directly by its Roman Museum, although this is probably not worth the stop: there are a limited number of artifacts, and more importantly, everything is in German so you won't understand what you are seeing. For the final four miles to tonight's stay at Riedlingen, we abandon the official Danube Cycle Way on the right bank, instead preferring the left bank where a new cycle path with an excellent surface has been made. Riedlingen has a thoroughly attractive town centre with lots of old half-timbered buildings, one fantastically illustrated with paintings. Our hotel is just across the river from the old town centre. We will be in two buildings, both owned by the same hotel, half a mile apart, and we'll all eat together in one building (the Hotel Charisma Brucke, closest to the river and town centre). Everyone will be in twin rooms tonight, all ensuite and with TV. It's unlikely that anyone will want to swim today - there's no pool in Riedlingen. There are open air pools at Zwiefalten and Uttelweiler but both are nearly 8 miles away, so a 16 mile return trip would be needed. There is a pool in Sigmaringen, half way into the day's ride.

Painted house in Riedlingen

Day 2: Beuron to Riedlingen

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Day 2: Sun 14 Aug 2011 longer options Boys who stayed in the castle can have a short day, described on the previous page. The longer alternatives from the castle are shown below. I have not been able to cycle either of these - the route is based on research of the German ADFC cycle network. 2D: 45 miles, 526m up, 804m down - first half of the day is out of the Danube valley, visiting the towns of Messkirch and Pfullendorf 2E: 66 miles, 1053m up, 1332m down - an ambitious day cycling South to the shore of Lake Constance, a very popular and attractive destination. The route will follow the shore of the lake several miles before heading North again to get to the hostel. It is considerably further, and hillier, but a decent challenge and potentially very satisfying. However, there isn't an effective rail alternative to cut short the day, so it would be better only to pick the Lake Constance route if you are confident that you will cope with the day without needing to shorten it.

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Day 2: Beuron to Riedlingen

Day 3: Mon 15 Aug 2011 3A Cycle Path: 48 miles, 458m up, 447m down 3B Road: 46 miles, 686m up, 678m down If someone needs to shorten the day, a reduced option can be plotted heading East from Ehingen.

The road option is only slightly different to the cycle route for two thirds of the day as far as Blaubeuron. After Blaubeuron the road route climbs out of the valley to avoid the gravel. It is slightly shorter, and rather hillier, and it also misses out the swimming pool so if you fancy a swim, stick to the cycle route! When I rode this day in summer 2010, it proved to be a superb day's riding. It wasn't just the glorious sunshine I enjoyed: the path wound its way along the Danube flood plain, almost entirely on tarmac; there were three fantastic places to visit en route, loads of cafes and several supermarkets for restocking too. The youth hostel in Ulm proved to be a modern building with nicely set out en-suite rooms. If you did get at all weary of the gravel paths yesterday, then today will be rather easier: most of the day is on tarmac, with the gravel only making a relatively short appearance towards the end of the day. We start therefore on a pleasant, flat, winding cycle path / minor road which takes us to Zell where we cross the Danube and climb on a road, away from the official route, to keep off the gravel. A bit of hilly terrain follows and we ride for a while on a dedicated cycle path next to the very busy B311 - make sure you get onto the path, not the road! There are several occasions on today's ride when we are next to a busy A-type road and each time there is a dedicated cycle path, so keep an eye out for these so you don't ride on the busy road by mistake, which would be dangerous and will get motorists to beep their horns at you. Eventually you will spot the two towers of the Abbey in Obermarchtal, our first stop for the day. Cycle as far as the entrance arch, then get off and push 50 metres to the cycle park just outside the Abbey, which is the oldest baroque church in Upper Swabia. Inside proves to be a superbly decorated church with many paintings and carvings - well worth a few minutes of time.

Day 3: Riedlingen to Ulm

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As you leave the Abbey the plot will take you straight past a supermarket and you then pass underneath the B311 to continue the day's ride. If you look out carefully to your right, a mile or so after leaving the village, there is a sign to a German military cemetery which you could divert to visit if you wish. There's just 100metres or so of gravel, then you're back on nice quiet tarmac roads. The next village of Munderkingen is enclosed within a tight loop of the Danube, so when you cross the river to enter the village it may seem to be flowing in the wrong direction. Munderkingen is a pretty village with a few cafes if you need a stop. Obermarchtal Abbey After passing through Rottenacker you will arrive at Ehingen, roughly half way along today's route. It has a pleasant town market square lined with old merchants' houses and cafes, and has a particularly interesting fountain worth stopping to look at - each water spout is on a timer. Following Ehingen you ride North, away from the Danube, along a pretty valley whose walls will gradually become steeper and rockier, taking on a similar aspect to the limestone gorge we rode through two days ago. Eventually you arrive at Blaubeuron, a lovely village with two great things to see. The route will first take you past the Kloster (Abbey), where you should park up and pay (3 adults, 2 children) to enter and look and the superlative altar decoration, with carvings and paintings. You might value asking for a copy of the small, copiously illustrated booklet in English, which cost about 6 but is money well spent to share between a group.

Blaubeuron Kloster

The Blautopf, where the river Blau rises dramatically from the ground

The abbey dates back to the 7th century and the perfectly preserved altar piece which was completed in 1493 is among the most important works of gothic art in Germany. The altar piece is formed like a huge book (a large facsimile is in a room nearby for you to open out), with large carvings of five saints gathered around the virgin Mary and Jesus in the centre section. In the wings of the book are representations of the nativity and epiphany. Straight after leaving the Abbey you arrive at the famous Blautopf, where you should park near the cafe at the bottom of the hill. The easiest place to leave bikes is on the right of the road leaning against a wall. Walk to the left, where lots of others will be walking, to see the serene and attractive spring, by far the largest spring in all of Germany, where an entire river simply rises up from the depths of a azure-blue pool. You can walk around the pool taking photos, and it is worth the effort: trees are reflected in the water and from different angles you will see the abbey you have just left, and a water wheel driving and old

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Day 3: Riedlingen to Ulm

blacksmith's. You can pay a euro to walk inside the smithy if you wish, but it is only a re-enactment by models, so not especially worth the money. The cafe is very pleasant, looking directly into the water of the Blautopf. You can either queue at the window to be served quickly an ice cream cone, or sit at one of the pleasant tables where there is a menu card with lots of tempting ice cream designs. Note though that this is a busy place: it will be ten minutes before someone appears to take your order, and the same again or longer before your order arrives, so by the time you finish and leave you'll have spent an easy 3/4 of an hour at the cafe. If you are in a hurry, queue at the window for a cone instead. Leaving the Blautopf and Abbey there are about 10 miles' riding remaining along the river Blau whose spring you've just seen. The main road along the valley is too busy for cycles, and there is a nice cycle path. You will encounter a couple of sections of gravel in this final phase of the day, each about a mile and a half long, but neither is especially hard work and the terrain remains flat. Two miles before arriving at the hostel you pass a swimming pool called Bad Blau in the outskirts of Ulm. This is the nearest pool to the hostel, so stop here (before checking in to the hostel) if you fancy a swim. Ulm is a large city, the largest we've seen on the tour so far, so it will take 3/4 of an hour to cycle through the outskirts to the hostel. Initially we keep on a cycle path near the Danube and eventually we have to leave this to head South to the hostel. Pay close attention at this point: care is needed to avoid trouble with cars. The road crosses a couple of major roads and on each occasion if you look you'll see a lightscontrolled crossing within 100 metres. Don't attempt to cross these large roads without using lights. Note that the final ride to the hostel is largely uphill: sorry about that! It is along a road which whilst not busy does take buses, so be careful not to weave into the path of a bus as you climb the hill. The youth hostel in Ulm is a modern building with pleasant en-suite rooms. You'll get a card key, possibly one between you, and a 10 fine is payable if you lose it, so take care! The cycle store is tiny, so we will need to keep all our bikes outside, locked. There is a small football / volleyball field and some table tennis. A mile and a half away is the city centre with its famous cathedral, having the world's highest cathedral tower: 530 feet (161.5 m). Visitors are allowed for a small fee to climb the stairs to the top for a fantastic view. There are 768 steps in all and your cycling legs will find the climb interesting for sure! The cathedral is the second largest church building in Germany, after Cologne's Dome. It is open 9am to 7:30pm daily and costs 4 for adults to climb, or 2.50 for children, with a 50c discount for groups. It may be best visited tomorrow morning if you get away promptly, or today if you arrive early. Also in the city centre is the swimming pool. Ulm is also Elbert Einstein's birth city and a display about him is in the entrance to the hostel.

The huge tower at Ulm Cathedral

Part of the unusual fountain in Ehingen

Day 3: Riedlingen to Ulm

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Day 4: Tue 16 Aug 2011 22 miles, 166m up, 195m down

This is a short ride, since we are spending the afternoon at Legoland. Everyone is on the same route there's only one 3-mile section where you might want to avoid gravel, but the road around is a mile further and more importantly it goes past a factory which is busy with lorries coming in and out. This is shown on the map, and the alternative is called Day 4 X. Our tour passes through two of Germany's provinces and at Ulm we leave Baden-Wrttemberg and continue our journey in Bavaria, Germany's largest, and hilliest province. That said, the only really hilly day for those on the cycle path route is tomorrow, when we move Northwards to pick up the river Altmuhl, climbing some hills to do so. We've had several days of riding along a small but pleasant river. The Danube in Ulm is now a significant presence, swollen by the waters of the Blau, whose source we saw yesterday. We ride down to the city centre, the two miles or so passing very easily, and divert away from the river to enter the medieval heart of the city. The route passes 'The Crooked House' in the fishing quarter, a strange old building which is in the Guinness Book as the most crooked hotel in the world! Next is the Munster which has the tallest church tower in the world - see yesterday's notes. Nearby is a modern glass pyramid, a familiar sight to those who have visited Paris. You may also notice the town hall - Rathaus - with its richly painted walls. Leaving the city centre we continue along the Danube for a while, sharing our path with pedestrians, roller skaters and nannies wheeling prams. Then we are back in to the countryside and at one point (12 miles into the route) we leave the road and travel on a forest track for a while. This is quite hard going until you rejoin the road. Gunzburg has a very pleasant town centre which might have its market day when you pass through. A stop will surely be called for at one of the several cafes. Take care while cycling in Gunzburg - the cycle route is sometimes on the pavement and sometimes painted on the road. When you move from the pavement to the road you need to look behind for cars and only cycle onto the road when no cars are coming. On the final approach to Legoland the path skirts a warehouse where there are plenty of parked lorries. Take care here in case there are moving lorries. Note: we are staying at Legoland Village, which is called Legoland Feriendorf. So if you are looking at signposts, we don't actually cycle to the front door of Legoland itself, rather to Legoland Feriendorf. Legoland Germany is relatively new, and the holiday village is even newer. We are in little chalets, each with their own shower/toilet. Sheets, duvets and towels are all provided. The chalets do not have any kitchen facility, and there isn't a shop on the site - so if you do need any supplies, buy these in Gunzburg before cycling to Legoland.

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Day 3: Riedlingen to Ulm

The chalets will only be available from 3:30 and our plan is to arrive by around noon, so that we can spend the whole afternoon in Legoland enjoying ourselves. The first group to arrive needs to report to reception who will explain where the bikes may be left, and then one person will need to remain with these for the afternoon, handing over as more groups arrive. We're all eating a buffet dinner at the restaurant in Legoland Village. This will be at before Legoland closes, so make sure you arrive on time for dinner. The woods around Legoland are home to biting insects with a large appetite. If you plan to sit outside your chalet in the evening, long trousers, a long sleeved shirt and some insect repellent are all recommended! Try not to cycle too much on the grass at Legoland Village, especially if the weather is wet you will leave unsightly tyre marks which will take a couple of weeks to heal after we have departed.

Day 4: Ulm to Legoland

Day 5: Wed 17 Aug 2011 44 miles, 390m up, 481m down

There is one route today, which has very little gravel. Just be aware that the main roads carry plenty of lorries and whilst the route is mostly on roads or paths away from these, there are places where the traffic is unavoidable - these are mentioned below. In particular there are a few occasions where our route has to cross a road which is busy with lorries, and you need to take special care with the crossing. Note for the start: if you don't mind a short section of gravel, you can actually cycle along the pleasant winding path through the woods that you walked along yesterday to get to Legoland. When you get within sight of Legoland, turn right (signposted Gunzburg) rather than left for Legoland and within a few hundred metres you will pick up today's route again. If you want to stay gravel-free, then follow the GPS plot out of the car park at Legoland Village. Leaving Legoland we re-trace our steps as far as the little village of Deffingen through which we cycled yesterday. After the next village of Leinheim we cross a main road to get on to a good, separate cycle path - take care with the crossing. In the next village of Groanhausen the route safely goes under the main road using a tunnel - don't miss the tunnel! Burgau has an attractive town centre - you will enjoy cycling through the narrow gatehouse. Take care in Burgau - there is plenty of traffic. There are several cafes in the town centre if you need a stop, or if you just want water / snack bars, continue through the town and as you leave Burgau you pass two supermarkets which will be cheaper. Note: there are no more cafes or shops for quite a long while after Burgau, so take the opportunity to stock up, with water at least, and anything else you need. At one point in Burgau you will arrive at the railway station. This is not a mistake! Look in front of you for the steps going down to the tunnel under the railway, and use these. There is a ramp for the bikes. A little bit later, in the village of Rohaupten, we again need to take care crossing the main road since there are plenty of lorries. Our path approaches the village on quiet roads, and as we leave the village we pick up a nice separate cycle path, which we stay on after Rohaupten until the route turns left at the next village, away from the busy road. There are no shops or cafes until the small village of Zusamsell, which has one cafe. Wertingen is a much better bet.

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Day 5: Legoland to Donauwrth

Wertingen's pleasant town centre has several cafes which will surely be worth a stop. After this there are no more shops or cafes until Donauwrth. Following Wertingen the route takes quiet roads running close to the main road. Eventually you turn right, away from the main road, but what looks like a quiet road still does attract some lorries, so take care. We arrive at Donauwrth by way of crossing the much wider Danube over a structure which perhaps generates electricity. Donauwrth has a thoroughly attractive medieval centre, complete with the bronze statues you have by now become accustomed to. You'll surely need to stop here since there are many tempting cafes in the attractive surroundings. Our final mile or so to the hostel is somewhat unusual. To start with we pass through a short arched tunnel - essential that you get off and push for these few metres since you could easily injure a pedestrian. Then we ride pleasantly through a park, followed by a longer tunnel which used to hold a railway. It is a couple of hundred metres long and you'll notice the chill in the air. We continue in the sunshine along the disused railway embankment before dropping very suddenly. A cunning cycle path delivers us to the final obstacle: a very steep, though relatively short, climb to the hostel: see if you can ride all the way after today's journey without getting off to push! Arrival at the attractive town of Donauwrth

In Donauwrth town centre, the cycle route ducks through this narrow alley to a park. You can cycle (on nice tarmac) through the park, but just for this 50 metre stretch from the town centre along the alley to the park, it is essential that you get off your bike. It would be very easy to collide with a pedestrian, and since cycling is not allowed on this short section, it would be your fault.

Day 5: Legoland to Donauwrth

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Day 6: Thu 18 Aug 2011 6A Cycle Path: 34 miles, 433m up, 456m down 6B as 6A, but using roads where possible: 34 miles, 474m up, 496m down. However, I recommend the other routes! 6C CTC recommended: 55 miles, 756m up, 768m down 6D via Wemding 48 miles, 609m up, 620m down I have plotted a couple of longer options, but I havent cycled these, so I cant tell you whether there is much gravel, nor whether there are sections busy with traffic. When you hit the Altmuhl valley, all the routes except 6B keep to the cycle path since it is safer and very pleasant riding, despite the gravel. If you really want the tarmac, pick 6B when you get to Muhlheim.

When I rode this day in 2010 it proved to be a very fine day's cycling. It is marginally more hilly than yesterday, but only a bit: I'd characterize it as gently rolling, rather than hilly. There is plenty of quiet, peaceful riding, on winding tarmac cycle paths with the gravel appearing rather later. The village of Monheim is an absolute gem, as is tonight's University city of Eichsttt. And there are the cliffs and towers of the limestone gorge to enjoy in the latter half of the day. Leaving Donauwrth we ride on the road which was used before the main road was built. It winds pleasantly across the countryside and is smoothly covered with tarmac. After passing through Kasheim we arrive at Monheim where our route takes us past a supermarket and then through the very pretty old town centre. There is plenty to see here, so take time for a stop and perhaps a pastry from the bakers, or a drink at the cafe. The fountain on your right with two arcs of water has the names of famous residents of the town. Nearby is a tap with drinkable tap water. As you cycle on for a hundred metres or so, just before the arch leaving the town centre, on your left, is the town hall which is also the tourist information centre. The town hall is a little diamond of a place: in the 1700s it was owned by a wealthy Jewish businessman and if you ask at the tourist information office inside, they will gladly walk you upstairs to see three rooms each with outstanding stucco roof decorations. The first (a room now used for wedding ceremonies) has King David. The second has Moses with the 10 commandments, set amongst the mountain scenery where he received them. The final room, which is the largest and used now for town council meetings, has a large representation of Abraham in the centre. At the left of the room is Joseph and the ladder, and on the

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Day 6: Donauwrth to Eichsttt

right a final ceiling panel shows Abraham with his second son, Isaac, when God commanded him to sacrifice his son. All these ceilings are remarkable and well worth a visit, which will cost you nothing.

Monheim town hall and information centre

Detail from one of the fabulous frescos in the upstairs rooms in Monheim town hall

Just before the arch leaving the town centre, on the right, is a building where Martin Luther lived for a while. Turn the corner to find the church, where the inside is filled with outstanding works of art. Leaving Monheim the cycle path has several sections of gravel, rough for the first couple of hundred metres and fine thereafter. The alternative, which I have plotted on the road route, takes the main road. There is steady traffic on this, so only use it if the people in your group can ride reliably in a straight line without weaving dangerously across the road. After three or four miles I have plotted the cycle and road routes to leave the cycle path and take the road, which by this point is very much quieter and provides a splendid downhill swoop into Muhlheim, a five kilometre stretch which might take you no more than ten minutes to ride. At Muhlheim we have arrived at the river Altmuhl in its limestone valley adorned with crags and steeples of rock, reminiscent of the end of our first day's riding. It is a fitting place to be, since this valley was originally carved out by the Danube before it took a different course and a new river, the Altmuhl, took its place. From here on, with 15 miles to go, the cycle path has more gravel than tarmac, and although on the road option I have plotted a gravel free route, I recommend the cycle path and the gravel. The riding is never difficult, and the peaceful scenery is considerably more enjoyable than the noise and attendant danger of the traffic. From time to time you'll ride past tempting cafes too. The cars on the road don't drive too quickly, but there is a fairly steady stream of them: the cycle path is the nicer option. The first notable building you'll see in Eichsttt is the Willibaldsburg castle up on the hill, which turns out to be very close to the hostel just below it. You may wish to cycle to the hostel to drop your bags off, but you should also continue into the main town of Eichsttt, by cycling along the river another half mile or so beyond the turn off for the hostel. On your left you'll notice the lovely new outdoor swimming pool which

Day 6: Donauwrth to Eichsttt

21

you can enter up until 7pm (you have to get out by 7:30 and the doors close at 8). Entry in 2010 was just 1.50, and they won't need us to tell them a large group is coming. Continue on past the swimming pool and cross the next bridge which takes you into the pretty city centre. The cathedral is a must-see place, with lots of important sculptures and paintings. There are of course loads of cafes to enjoy too. Route 6Fossils is a 3 mile ride from the hostel, climbing a hill to reach a quarry where you can cheaply hire a hammer and gloves, and try your hand at splitting rocks to find fossils. You are allowed to keep the rocks you split. The quarry is in Blumenberg and is called a Fossiliensteinbruch. There is a shorter route, but the hill is impossible!! Back at the youth hostel, if you climb up to the castle (right and right out of the hostel) you can see the Jurassic museum, which is open every day 9am to 6pm. Children are free as part of a school group, so you will only need to pay for the adults if we all turn up together.

Willibalds castle with the river Altmuhl. The castle is a mile from our hostel in Eichsttt, and houses a superb museum of Jurassic fossils and Roman finds from the Altmuhl valley.

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Day 6: Donauwrth to Eichsttt

Day 7: Fri 19 Aug 2011 7A Cycle Path: 45 miles, 480m up, 506m down 7B Road: 45 miles, 611m up, 657m down

Before you leave Eichsttt, did you manage to see the Jurassic museum yesterday? It is 3 minutes' ride away in the castle just above the hostel and opens at 9am. Today's road and cycle routes are both the same distance. The cycle route has been amended to remove a fair bit of the gravel, whilst remaining well away from serious traffic. On this route you will ride on maybe 13 miles worth of gravel all told. For these gravel sections the road route takes the main valley road, not too busy with cars, but they do travel quickly. Take the road route if you are confident that you can all ride close to the edge of the road without weaving. The road route remains relatively flat until the last ten miles where it leaves the valley (see later).

Fossils and roman spears in the museum at Willibaldsburg just above Eichsttt youth hostel

Day 7: Eichsttt to Riedenburg

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Five miles in to the route you pass the village of Pfnz where a Roman Fort once stood. Part of the fort has been reconstructed and it would be worth leaving your bikes for a short while at the bottom of the hill and walking up to see it. The path starts with some steps on the left of the road and continues through some woods - no more than five minutes' walking in total. Pfnz Roman Fort There are several villages where pleasant cafes can be found, and I enjoyed the church in Beilngreis, a building with two interesting towers and an exquisitely decorated interior. In Dietfurt, about 10 miles before the finish, the water mill (towards the end of the village) houses a museum of local life; there is an attractive market place and several churches. In addition you could visit the Franciscan monastery or the motor museum. Dietfurt also has a swimming pool which tonight's town does not. The waterways here are confusing. The valley was formed by the Danube, which is now in a different valley to the South, and the river bed is occupied by the River Altmuhl. There are two canals, the old (narrow) and the new (very broad) Rhine-Main-Donau canals. The older one turned out to be something of a failure and the newer canal seems to be heading the same way: I saw only a limited amount of traffic on the water. If you need to shorten the day, an easy option would be to take a boat for the later stage. The boat has plenty of room for bikes, which are carried for free, although passengers of course pay! There are boat stops at Berching, Beilngries and Dietfurt to collect you, and at Riedenburg to drop you off. Tonight in Riedenburg we are spread amongst several hotels, there being no youth hostel in the area. If you arrive early, there is plenty to see: Rosenburg Castle has a busy falconry which is open all day and at 3pm put on displays of the birds flying. Open every day except Monday, price 7 adults, 4 kids. The Crystal Museum (Kristall Museum) has an outstanding display of rock crystals, including one single crystal cluster weighing over 8 tonnes. They are open until 6pm (last admission 5:30), price 3.50 adults, 2.50 kids. There are two well decorated churches The Klingendes museum has a collection of audio, hifi and recording equipment from the past 150 years The Meeresmuseum Ozeanea has a collection of over 3000 snail and mussel shells Paddling in the stream near the Krieger's hotel is popular there are several pieces of fitness equipment in the park here. The nearest swimming pool is in Dietfurt, the town you cycle through about 8 miles before Riedenburg, so stop here if you fancy a swim. There is also open-air swimming in the lake at Freizeitsee St. Agatha, a couple of miles before you get to Riedenburg, but it is not life-guarded, so boys MUST NOT swim here. The bob-sleigh run, also a couple of miles before Riedenburg, is also OUT OF BOUNDS for our party.

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Day 7: Eichsttt to Riedenburg

The Kristall Museum

One of tonights four hotels

Three hotels are in Riedenburg, and this is where the Shells and most of the Rems are staying. The older boys are at one hotel in the village of Prunn, 2 miles further along the valley. There is a castle in Prunn, high on a cliff, but whilst the whole village is very attractive, there is more to see and do plus cafes and bakeries in Riedenburg, so if you are staying in Prunn, pause in Riedenburg for a pleasant break before riding the final couple of miles. If you are staying at the hotel Zur Krone in Prunn, you will need to select route 7 Zur Krone to get you the final couple of miles from Riedenburg to Prunn.

Radfahrer absteigen cyclists dismount

Day 7: Eichsttt to Riedenburg

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Day 8A 8B 8C

8: Sat 20 Aug 2011 Cycle Path: 34 miles, 211m up, 242m down Road: 33 miles, 238m up, 264m down road via Monastery: 38 miles, 452m up, 488m down

Ive been able to avoid the gravel for the first few miles by taking a quiet road through villages to the left of the cycle path as far as Essing, but after that there is a regular sprinkling of gravel. We are beside the river for most of the way, so this is the flattest day of the tour. Route 8C leaves the canal and climbs over the hill to see the famous monastery at Weltenburg. Weve been cycling in the Altmuhl river valley for a couple of days (since leaving Donauwrth), with the river yesterday becoming the Main-Danube canal. Today the Altmuhl valley rejoins the Danube at Kelheim. The Danube reaches Kelheim via the famous Danube Breakthrough where the river flows through a dramatic narrow gorge with cliffs either side. There is a river-boat return trip from Kelheim, through the gorge to the Weltenburg monastery, but in total it would add maybe two hours to your day, so not a good plan! However, if you follow route C, you can visit the monastery, and if you like, take the boat trip oneway.

Tatzelwurm bridge near Essing

Befreiungshalle

(photo www.schloesser.bayern.de)

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Day 8: Riedenburg to Regensburg

Routes 8A and 8B Close to Essing we cross the Danube on a fantastic humped bridge, called locally the Tatzelwurm, a mythical beast which is a cross between a dragon and a lizard. At 190 metres, the bridge is the longest wooden bridge in Europe. It is well worth a stop here for some photos! It is a pedestrian bridge, so you should really push your bike across, but I have seen plenty of people cycling across. About 400 metres down the path after you have crossed the Tatzelwurm brudge, look out for a path on the right leading into the woods. It is marked as CAVE on the GPS route. Park here, but keep your helmets on and bring your bike lights. Walk 100 metres up to the woods. Look up and you will see an excellent cave, the Klausenhhlen, on four levels, linked by steps. This can be explored and at the back of the highest entrance a narrow alleyway can be followed for some distance using torches.

The Klausenhhlen Cave near Essing As you arrive at Keilheim the route takes you uphill to the famous Befreiungshalle (Hall of Liberation). This impressive site commemorates the Napoleonic battles during the wars of liberation, 1813-1815. The diversion to see the building adds 90 metres of climbing to the day. Children can visit the site for free; adults need to pay 3.50. If you prefer to miss it out, simply keep straight on when the GPS plot shows two ways on, at 9.4 miles into the route. Keilheim is an attractive town with its medieval walls largely intact. Youll likely want a stop at one of its cafes. The Befreiungshalle is visible as you cycle away from Keilheim find a good place to look back and take a photo. The remainder of the ride to Regensburg follows the cycle path by the river side. In a few places I have diverted the road option in order to miss out some of the gravel. The final approach to the city though will be on the gravel, since it is an attractive path and also keeps you away from the traffic until the final mile or so. See next page for description of route 8C via Weltenburg Monastery

Day 8: Riedenburg to Regensburg

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Dom St. Peter, Regensburg

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Day 8: Riedenburg to Regensburg

Route 8C: 38 miles, 452m up, 488m down On this route we climb out of the Altmuhl valley and drop down into the Danube valley at Weltenburg Abbey, a monastery founded in 620AD, famous both for its spectacular location and its beer. The brewery itself was established way back in 1050 and is reputedly the oldest monastery brewery in the World. When you reach the river, pause to take a photo, since the best view of the abbey is from the side where you have arrived. Then locate the ferry which is for pedestrians and cyclists only and cross the river. Visit the abbey, whose central courtyard houses a large open-air caf. You can also pop into the chapel whose entrance leads onto the courtyard.

Weltenburg Monastery

Danube Breakthrough

Leaving the abbey you have two ways forward: a) You can continue to follow the GPS route which climbs away from the abbey to get beyond the Danube Breakthrough, and eventually joins the other route by the side of the Danube, or b) You can catch a river boat downstream. These leave every 30 minutes and take bikes too. Walk past the abbey towards the gorge and the boat landing is a couple of hundred metres after the abbey. The one-way trip is 7 for adults or 6.40 for children, including the bike. Since it is downstream the journey is brisk, about 20 minutes, and there are excellent views of the cliffs of the Danube Breakthrough. When you arrive at Kelheim, simply change your GPS route to 8A or 8B.

The chapel at Weltenburg

Weltenburg ferry

Day 8: Riedenburg to Regensburg

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Regensburg: a well preserved medieval city Once you have checked in at the hostel, got rid of your panniers and locked your bike up, a walk into the centre of Regensburg is strongly recommended. If you have an iPhone, there is a free app from the tourist bureau about Regensburg which would be very helpful. Otherwise, there are plenty of shops who have a variety of maps and guides on offer. The map below is my suggested stroll through the city, starting from the hostel.

The hostel is on the North side of the river and you need to cross a bridge to the South side, since this is where all the sights are. The old walled town is a compact place of about a mile square; you can get quite a good view of the walls from the river bank. As you cross the bridge, look upstream for a view of the Steinerne Brcke (Stone Bridge) a famous sight in Regensburg. It was completed in 1146 and as the only bridge for some distance either way on the river, gave the fledgling city control of trade. From the Stone Bridge I suggest you wander into the old town, heading for the Dom St. Peter (cathedral) whose impressive towers will be easy to spot from a distance. The cathedral is home to a wellknown boys choir called the Domspatzen (cathedral sparrows). The square around the cathedral is a pleasant place to find a caf. The cathedral itself is well worth a visit and is free; make sure you also find the cloisters. There is also an exhibition of the main religious artifacts and treasures of the cathedral which is worth seeing. This closes at 5pm, so head straight over if you have time. It costs 2 for adults and 1 for children up to 14 years. From the cathedral, I suggest you locate two relics from the time when Regensburg was a Roman encampment. The most impressive of these is the Porta Praetoria, an impressive stone gate. Look through the metal grille to see down to a section of the original roman road. Then, as you return to the hostel there is a roman window on the corner of the street. There are lots of other places to see, all within easy walking distance. If youd like to read about the options in advance, you can download a useful guide (in English) and map from the tourist bureau here:

http://www.regensburg.de/sixcms/media.php/20/AeB_english.254478.pdf
or Google Fodors Regensburg.

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Day 8: Riedenburg to Regensburg