Travel report: Cycling tour in the Altmühltal Nature Park

Sandra and Ilja opted for a cycle tour from Radweg-Reisen for the second time. In the fall of 2019, the two explored the Altmühltal Nature Park for six days. They enjoyed cycling along idyllic cycle paths, through charming little towns and were also very satisfied with their hotels. There was even enough time to devote to their shared hobby of geocaching.

About our guests Sandra and Ilja:

We, now almost 50 years old, had made the plan to embark on another cycle tour while enjoying a cool beer on our terrace at home during our summer vacation. We initially set our sights on the Danube Cycle Path, but then got stuck in the Altmühltal while looking for inspiration on the internet. Initially, we wanted to plan the cycle tour independently and also travel with full luggage. However, we quickly realized that we didn't want to limit ourselves in terms of luggage and remembered the trip to Lake Constance that we did with Radweg-Reisen in autumn 2018.

We quickly found a suitable trip on the Radweg-Reisen website. Our individual questions were answered quickly by a member of staff, so we booked with Radweg-Reisen again. We were not disappointed this year either.

Just like in 2018, everything went smoothly. The suitcases were always at the new hotel well before 6 p.m. (as were we) and the route was always very easy to cycle according to the information provided. Only once was a cycle path closed due to construction work and we had to find an alternative route ourselves. However, thanks to the good maps, the internet and a bit of "just going with the flow", this was not a problem.

The hotels we booked were all good to perfect. What we sometimes missed a little on our trip was a small, hotel-owned sauna, which we had twice in the hotels on Lake Constance. We enjoy ending the evenings in the sauna. This time we had also packed bathrobes and the like, but unfortunately none of the hotels were equipped with them. Perhaps you should choose a higher hotel category when booking, but we don't think that's necessary as they were all good, clean hotels with nice rooms and sufficient breakfast.

What more do you need on a cycling trip, after all, nature is the main focus!

Day 1: Individual arrival in Kinding-Enkering

We arrived early as we had planned a short hike before checking in on the first day. We set off from a hiking parking lot in Kinding-Enkering on the castle hiking trail. A total of around 10 km of easily accessible and signposted forest and meadow paths led us past some beautiful places to take a break.

We were also able to indulge in our nature-loving hobby of geocaching, as there were more than enough geocaches on this hiking trail. As a hint for geocachers, there are plenty of caches to collect along the entire route of the Altmühl cycle path.

To the hotel in Kinding-Enkering

Tired and hungry, we checked into our first hotel later that day, the Gasthof zum Bräu in Enkering. This was to be our hotel for the first and last night. We were allowed to leave our car in the yard. There is a sufficiently large shed for the bikes, which is locked overnight. The hotel room for that night had two separate single beds and was nice to look at. It was all very clean so we also had our evening meal at this hotel. We were not disappointed.

Day 2: Kinding-Enkering - Treuchtlingen, approx. 55 km

The breakfast at Gasthof zum Bräu on the first morning offered enough choice for everyone - I particularly enjoyed the naturally cloudy apple juice from the apples in our own garden. The scrambled eggs with bacon were also very tasty and fortified us for the day. As it turned out during the tour, we really needed the energy for this first stage. At the end, the display on my e-bike showed around 55 km.

The first stage was a tough one to master, as there was quite a bit of altitude to cover. We knew this in advance, as we had also used the GPS data provided by Radweg-Reisen. Accordingly, we simply planned a few more breaks, including one at the Ritter Bier brewery in Nennslingen. As we discovered over the next few days, this is just one of many good types of beer in Franconia. We made another major stop in Weißenburg. Here we had a really good time. We enjoyed an ice cream in the bright sunshine and admired the old buildings (half-timbered houses, medieval walls and the town gate). We continued on to Treuchtlingen.

We were to stay in Treuchtlingen for two nights. We deliberately chose Treuchtlingen rather than Wettelsheim as the place to stay, as there is a thermal spa with a sauna area here. With two overnight stays, it would make sense to skip the excursion the next day and take a wellness day (bad weather alternative). Radweg-Reisen also made it possible for us to stay overnight in Treuchtlingen on request.

At the hotel in Treuchtlingen

It was the Hotel Stadthof, which was converted from a manor house into a hotel. The hotel has its charm and is still very reminiscent of a horse farm. We received a very friendly welcome and were given plenty of tips, for example for dinner (there is no food in the hotel itself). The room was very large and clean and had a lovely little terrace overlooking the courtyard. The bathroom had a bathtub with a shower, which I enjoyed on the second evening after the long tour to relax my tired bones. For us, this hotel offered the best breakfast on our trip. There was really nothing missing here and the breakfast eggs were really soft, just the way I like them.

Day 3: Day tour to the Altmühlsee, approx. 75 km

After the aforementioned refreshment in the morning, we decided to give cycling a try. Unfortunately, the weather forecast wasn't great (rain, storm...) and we had planned to visit the Altmühltherme in Treuchtlingen as an alternative. If the weather turned out to be too bad, we could always turn back - we had the same hotel today. It turned out to be worth it after all, despite the very strong headwind, as our destination was a hive of activity for the windsurfers. We watched their sporting activities for a while and then went for a bike ride around the beautiful lake.
The weather forced us to put on rain gear for a short time, but soon the sun came through the clouds again and it was simply beautiful - so we hardly noticed that we had covered a total of 75 km that day. The way back was also very quick, as the wind now helped us to make fast progress.

The trip to the Altmühlsee is specified by Radweg-Reisen as being around 40 to 60 km. Why we had more kilometers on the speedometer? 
On the one hand, this is probably because we had to leave the recommended cycle path for a short time (as there was construction work on the cycle paths here) and because we also decided to cycle around the lake once. In Gunzenhausen, we also had a look around on our bikes without heading back straight away. That way, we probably put a few more kilometers on the bikes.

In the evening, after arriving at the Stadthof, I felt that I needed to use my thighs. The warm bath quickly perked me up again and I set off on foot into the old town of Treuchtlingen. We quickly found a good pizzeria to recharge our batteries. Incidentally, there are plenty of restaurants in Treuchtlingen. Any desire for German, Greek, Italian (and I think even Chinese) food can be fulfilled here.

Day 4: Treuchtlingen - Eichstätt, approx. 55 km

Today we set off again to visit our new hotel in the afternoon. The weather was almost windless again today and, above all, a little sunny. We cycled along the Altmühl on well-maintained cycle paths through picturesque villages and an impressive landscape (past the 12 Apostles). Today was a great pleasure. There were many impressions to collect.

To the hotel in Eichstätt

On arrival in Eichstätt, we booked our third hotel. This time it was the Braugasthof Trompete, in the middle of the old town. Our small room was very homely (Bavarian) and newly renovated. We liked the room very much. The new feel-good bathroom immediately invited us to take a shower, but there was no shower gel (luckily we had everything in our suitcase, which was already there). Again, we slept very well, which I didn't expect at first (due to the proximity to the street). There also seem to be very good soundproofed windows in the rooms. You probably can't sleep well here with the windows open. We were satisfied, although the breakfast the next morning was a bit sporadic and the small bicycle storage room was completely overcrowded with six bicycles. Something should be changed here if you offer yourself as a bike hotel.

We explored Eichstätt itself on foot with all the Catholic institutions, especially the cathedral, before dinner. We ate at the Braugasthof Trompete. You should definitely reserve a table here on arrival as the restaurant was very full. However, you shouldn't expect a cozy, romantic dinner for two here. What you can expect is hospitality, good and plentiful Bavarian food and a delicious beer. It's also a great place to make friends with the locals.

Day 5: Eichstätt - Kinding-Enkering

Unfortunately, the last day had already begun. It was to be the shortest cycle tour of our trip - but there were still a few small differences in altitude. We set off early as rain was forecast for midday and we didn't want to get wet. Despite extensive breaks, it worked out well. The scenery along the Altmühl was once again fantastic and the cycle path was in great condition, mostly paved. At one point, during a break, we were able to watch a group of canoeists (it was more like a class of paddling schoolchildren) taking their canoes out of the Altmühl. This is certainly not unusual in summer, but now in October we could only see this one group.
Contrary to the description in the Radweg-Reisen route booklet, we were able to find a few inns. However, you also have to take a detour into the villages. There really weren't any supermarkets on our route. We didn't need them either. A beer in an inn (and today we also had a pumpkin soup to warm us up) was enough to get us the rest of the way.

The last evening in Kinding-Enkering

So we arrived at the Gasthof zum Bräu in Enkering before the rain announced in the weather app. This time we were given a different room with another beautiful view and a double bed. We also ate at this inn that evening, as we were very satisfied on the first evening. One more night and a good breakfast and then, unfortunately, it was time to head home.

Day 6: Hike to the Rumburg ruins and individual departure

On the day of our journey home, we put on our hiking boots again after breakfast and walked the few kilometers (approx. 2 km) up to the Rumburg ruins in Enkering. It was a short but steep climb. The view and the view of the historic walls were our reward. Afterwards, it was time to head back home, but not before we had picked up a pumpkin as a souvenir from a farm in Enkering.

The conclusion to the bike tour

This was our active vacation in autumn 2019 in the Altmühltal and our second vacation with Radweg-Reisen, which we had found on the Internet. We had a great rest and enjoyed the tours. Everything was really well organized and I don't think it will be our last trip with Radweg-Reisen.