Travel report: The Altmühl Cycle Path
On the road with Radweg-Reisen in the Altmühltal in July 2021
"I had a dream ..."
Over 50, new knee joints and not exactly interested in sporting excellence ... but still: the dream of the bike tour through the Altmühltal was there. Our research had soon yielded a hit that appealed to us and the tour with e-bike was quickly booked. We also bought equipment for our adventure tour (rainwear, padded cycling shorts - best decision - cell phone case for the bike, Komoot app, bike helmet and whatever else seemed important to us).
Day 1 and 2: We arrived very relaxed with the Deutsche Bahn and checked into the "Hotel Rappen" in Rothenburg ob der Tauber - a hotel that far exceeded our expectations and is also quite centrally located! The bikes and equipment were already ready, but first we had to take a closer look at Rothenburg. Fortunately, we had booked an extra day and could explore the wonderful historic old town extensively - a dream. The Italian cuisine at the "Michelangelo" is also a real treat. The tour of the city walls, the Plönlein, the Käthe-Wohlfahrt Christmas House and a visit to the Kriminal Museum are highly recommended. The café "Einzigartig" with its rustic ambience also has a very special charm.
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Day 3: After breakfast, we set off in the direction of Ansbach. Well, not immediately, first we had to move the "Drahtesel" to the start - he bucked! We then took the "Radweg-Reisen-Service for all cases" and came quickly on the trail of the problem: The on-board computer was not loaded. Actually not possible, hardly ever happens... and yet it had happened. How good that we had a micro USB cable with us, so we could charge and practice a little patience until then - no easy task.
We left our luggage at the reception in time beforehand and were anxious to see if it would arrive at our destination. We definitely wanted to see Colmberg Castle, so today's route was set. As "Flachlandtiroler" we had worked our way up one or the other incline on this stage. To paraphrase Ernest Hemingway, "It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them." The view from the castle was fantastic, the old castle walls radiated something medieval and the castle restaurant invites you to linger. The detour had already been worth it. Our destination in Ansbach was the Hotel Bürger-Palais in the middle of the city center. This hotel has a very special charm (still without elevator, with gold-colored playful bathroom fixtures and furnishings like King Ludwig would have loved - so do we) and the reception with appetizers was very warm. In the evening there was only time for a city walk and a short sightseeing.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Ansbach: Stage for the day 49.6 km
Colmberg castle
Day 4: We set off for Wettelsheim
Our route - based on the maps provided and our cell phone navigation app, there were no significant problems with orientation - took us through beautiful landscapes. We were particularly taken with the Altmühl bridge in Ornbau. Again and again on our tour we had to stop, enjoy the scenery and take a few photos here and there. Later our way led us past the bathing place Gern - a quiet place for bathing in the lake with kiosk and toilet. We drove on for the time being and decided on the bathing place Muhr am See. Here we treated ourselves to a cycling break and a swim in the Altmühlsee in the best weather. At this bathing place there was clearly more going on. Fascinating we found that nowhere at the Altmühlsee (and also nowhere else at the bathing places, as we should determine later) entrance or cure tax was taken. That is definitely different here in the north. However, it was somewhat difficult for us to get back on the e-bike after two hours... it was too beautiful at the lake. Our destination for the day was the hotel "Zum goldenen Lamm" in Wettelsheim - a modernized country inn with a wonderful beer garden. Since we had arrived late, free seats were scarce - a reservation in advance would be advisable. But following the motto "nothing is impossible", we still got two seats at the long table on a wooden bench (we had to order seat cushions after all).
Ansbach to Wettelsheim: Stage for the day 63.1 km
Day 5: Well strengthened we cycled - after the rich breakfast on the terrace - further to our next stage destination: Eichstätt.
We passed through Pappenheim and got to know a very special church: the Weidenkirche Pappenheim. Here, church services are held in the open air under a willow dome. A rest stop was made at Burgstein Dollnstein - the landscape on this stage is reminiscent of Karl May movies. Passing the Willibaldsburg Eichstätt we reached our destination for the day. The "Hotel Adler" is again in the middle of the city center, but has neither its own bar nor a restaurant. But the Italian downstairs in the building has "Lambrusco to go" - so the evening was saved. It was a bit inconvenient that the bicycle cellar was a few streets around the corner in a not very attractive storage room (reminded us of a basement dungeon). However, before moving on to the more leisurely part of the evening, we set off again on foot through Eichstätt. There is an ice cream factory a little further down the street past the fountain - a real taste sensation! Eichstätt has many interesting buildings and it's worth taking a tour.
Wettelsheim - Eichstätt: Stage for the day 51.9 km
Day 6: From Eichstätt to Riedenburg
We had respect for this stage, as it was the longest stage on our tour. The old town café in Beilngries is located in a side street and is really worth a stop. Especially the cream puff with red fruit jelly leaves nothing to be desired. The rustic ambience and the owners provide a feel-good feeling with Bavarian charm. The route took us along the Ludwig-Danube-Main Canal and nature showed itself from its most beautiful side. In the meantime, a few clouds had gathered and it rained a little in between, but that wasn't a nuisance - after all, we had equipped ourselves with rain gear. Overall, the Altmühl cycle path is very well signposted and you meet many cyclists. On the route, you have always met the same people who have overtaken you once, which you have then overtaken again or with whom you have come to chat. Clearly an advantage over a vacation with the car!
In Riedenburg, the next stop on the plan was the Gasthof zur Post. The inn is on the other side of the Altmühl River, we crossed a bridge into a very quiet and beautiful part of town. Done. Our evening walk took us past an open-air lake stage and small waterfalls. The route was well manageable, why we had thought so much before... no idea!
Eichstätt - Riedenburg: daily stage 79.7 km
Day 7: Off to Regensburg!
As every day, we started with a leisurely breakfast and then calmly started our day's stage - as usual between 9:00 and 11:00 - it is, after all, vacation.
On the way we left the castle Prunn on the left and enjoyed the nature at the Danube. The entire route was almost exclusively off the roads and could be arranged individually. Between Bad Abbach and Regensburg, hunger overcame us and the stop at the inn "Zur Walba" was a good decision.
The last stretch of the way led us always along the Danube, past beautiful nature and various bathing places, a large park area and a small ferry. When we arrived in Regensburg, we checked into the Ibis-Styles. The hotel is located a bit away from the city center directly on the Danube and is a "hotel modern Art". We walked along the Danube into the city, explored the Stone Bridge and the city center, and walked past the Porta Praetoria to the "Thurn und Taxis" residence. The brewery restaurant "Spitalgarten" in a great location directly at the Stone Bridge, where we had our dinner, wasn't our favorite. In Regensburg we had again booked an extra night and have used the time with comfortable sightseeing. We were able to drop off the bikes at the hotel - everything was uncomplicated.
Riedenburg - Regensburg: Stage for the day 53.1 km
By the way, our luggage always arrived at the hotel before us, the service was great! The hotel selection was good to very good.
The routes were also good manageable for us Ü50, with an artificial knee joint and as newcomers in the field of cycling vacations. We saw beautiful landscapes, took away many impressions and enjoyed a very relaxing vacation despite some effort. It will not be the last of this kind, we are already planning the next tour and are already looking forward to it. The return trip was again by Deutsche Bahn. Completely relaxed and - since the arrival and departure points were not identical - the optimal means of transport for us.
