Travel report: Cycle tour round trip from Regensburg via the Danube and Altmühl
From our guests Janthanipha and Dietmar
Day 1: Arrival
Regensburg is a good starting and finishing point for a round trip. This beautiful and historic city offers something for everyone - especially on a beautiful summer's day like the one we had both on the day of arrival and on our return. So we were able to start and end our tour with a stroll through the city. Across the stone bridge into the old town around the cathedral, through the streets and alleyways with their picturesque buildings and courtyards. There is plenty on offer here to satisfy physical and mental hunger, so you can have a good time, which is exactly what we did.
Show more Show lessDay 2: Regensburg - Abensberg approx. 55 km + boat trip
The first stage the next morning took us from our good hotel, which was conveniently located on the cycle path, along the Danube cycle path from Regensburg to Kelheim. This Danube cycle path is well signposted and easy to cycle along the river. From our point of view, there were only two downsides, but these apply to the entire route: Roadworks along the way, which are often only indicated very late and which necessitated strange detours. And the second is that the path is often graveled. This works quite well when everything is packed down. Newly filled holes and bumps can be difficult, especially if you ride touring bikes without an auxiliary motor with narrow tires like we do. Then you start to "swim" and it's not energy-saving either.
Nevertheless, we enjoyed the ride along the Danube on both banks. A break was planned in Kelheim before the boat trip to Weltenburg through the Danube gorge. Due to the low water level, boat traffic was suspended, so we had to look for alternatives. In fact, we found out that there was an option. A small boat continued to sail through the Danube gorge. To take advantage of this, we just had to cycle a short distance further up the Danube, where we could then get on board. And it was worth it! The ride through the Danube Gorge was very impressive, we wouldn't have wanted to miss it.
We were rewarded with a culinary break in the beer garden of the restaurant of the time-honored Weltenburg Monastery. After this refreshment, we continued on to the next section along the Danube. The cycle path here runs directly along the banks of the river and impresses with its natural beauty - wild, romantic and very green. What is very beautiful to look at, however, takes its toll in the form of more drive power and "shake resistance", even for bikes with suspension.
Shortly before the actual stage destination of Bad Gögging, a good cycle path branched off to our overnight accommodation in Abensberg. What initially seemed like a detour turned out to be a stroke of luck. Firstly, Abensberg is a really picturesque old town that is well worth seeing and that we would probably never have seen without this tour. Secondly, we stayed in a really nice hotel in the middle of the old town. This meant we were only a few meters from the market square and we were able to have dinner there in a lovely atmosphere.
Day 3: Abensberg - Neuburg, approx. 65 km
On the second day, we made our way to Neuburg an der Donau. After a few kilometers, we reached the Danube cycle path again and cycled along the river. Unfortunately, there were few shady sections and it was hot rather than just warm that day. So our main focus was on staying hydrated. This could of course be ensured in the towns along the way. And there were quite a few towns worth seeing, such as Vohburg and Ingolstadt. However, we were less interested in culture today, which is why our highlight was the beer garden at the edge of the cycle path, where we were well and kindly catered for.
At the end of a long and, due to the hot, sunny weather, exhausting stage, we finally reached Neuburg an der Donau. A charming town with a castle on a hill right on the river, a small river island and a lovely old town. Our hotel was also right on the Danube. Once again, one that exceeded our expectations. We were able to relax and recover for the next stage.
Show more Show lessDay 4: Neuburg - Eichstätt, approx. 60 km
The next morning, the route to Eichstätt on the Altmühl was on the agenda. Luckily for us, it had rained during the night and cooled down a little, which made cycling much more pleasant. Unfortunately, the Danube cycle path was closed after a few kilometers due to construction work, which was announced shortly beforehand by abrupt signage. The signposted alternative route was very scenic and attractive, as it led to a viewpoint high above the Danube, which is also a nature reserve.
However, we wondered whether those who had chosen this route as an alternative to the Danube cycle path had ever really cycled (outside of the Tour de France or the Giro). The steep climbs alternated with equally steep descents on forest paths. We had to dismount and push several times - in my opinion, the maximum punishment for cyclists. Never before have I wished for an auxiliary motor more. Fortunately, it had cooled down during the night and that morning the sun was overcast.
After a few, but very intense kilometers, we were finally led back onto the Danube cycle path. From Rennertshofen we left the Danube and turned into the Urdonau valley. A beautiful landscape with good cycle paths and great views awaited us. The route led through fields along the valley, which was bordered by wooded hills with impressive rock formations. The ride was now a pleasure. We reached the Altmühltal, where we continued our ride along the Altmühl to Eichstätt. And the landscape remained comparable to the Urdonau Valley - perhaps the Altmühl Valley is narrower in some places and so the hills seem a little higher and closer. But that could also be a false impression.
After a total of 55 long, intense and impressive kilometers, we reached Eichstätt, which nestles around the rather narrow valley, with its old town, and its impressive fortress high above the Altmühlbogen. Here, too, we were well accommodated and were able to round off the day with a stroll through the historic university town.
Day 5: Eichstätt - Beilngries, approx. 45 km
The fourth day of our trip took us through the Altmühltal valley from Eichstätt to Beilngries. This stage was the shortest and also the least demanding in terms of cycling. Nevertheless (or perhaps because of this?) it was very beautiful. The landscape changed very little compared to the previous day. The valley widened a little without losing any of its charm. We were still able to admire rock formations and castles high above the valley and cycle through a lovely river valley that invited us to stop, look and pause again and again.
At the end of this stage, we reached Beilngries, which turned out to be a really beautiful old town. Since then, I had only known it as a name on a highway exit, but now we were able to get to know it properly. At the risk of repeating myself, Beilngries is also a very interesting, historic town with everything that goes with it. There is a church in the center, a town hall, a street with well-preserved half-timbered houses that are home to many restaurants and hotels and the remains of a town wall. A castle sits enthroned on a hill above the town, from where you are sure to have a great view of the valley and town. This is where the Main-Danube Canal branches off towards the north and the River Main.
In these pleasant surroundings, we were able to round off our evening with culinary delights in our great hotel after a stroll through the city. We took this as good preparation for the final stage the next day, which was to bring us back.
Day 6: Beilngries - Regensburg, approx. 65 km + boat trip
For the return trip on the last day of the tour, a boat trip from Riedenburg on the Altmühl to Kelheim was included in the program as a special treat. So we set off in the morning with a little more than 30 kilometers from Beilngries to Riedenburg - our last cycling kilometers in the Altmühltal. They delivered what the previous ones had promised and were accordingly very beautiful. And despite the relatively low water level, the boat sailed on schedule.
This boat trip was also one of the highlights of the tour. Cruising through the picturesque Altmühltal valley on a beautiful sunny day, seeing the impressive nature, villages and castles is an experience we won't soon forget. "To make matters worse, we didn't have to pedal ourselves to get there, instead we were driven and had something to eat and drink.
On arrival in Kelheim, mentally (more) and physically (less) refreshed, we set off on the last section of our cycle tour back to Regensburg. We cycled the same route as on the first day, but in the opposite direction. In this respect, there is not much new to describe here. We arrived back in Regensburg, which hadn't changed in the few days we were away. And we were able to round off our tour with a stroll through Regensburg's old town before going to our hotel to sleep before heading home the next morning.
Conclusion
In summary, we can say that it was a very enjoyable cycle tour from Regensburg to Regensburg via the Danube, Urdonau Valley and Altmühl. There was a lot on offer - nature, culture and exercise in a great landscape. The organization of Radweg Reisen was really convincing. The choice of hotels left nothing to be desired and exceeded our expectations. And the luggage was always picked up and delivered reliably, so we felt we were in very good hands. The individually compiled travel documents, including maps, also helped to ensure that everything went smoothly, even if there were changes to the route on-site. We enjoyed it and won't forget it in a hurry.
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