Day 19.      Sept 17.

Kelheim to Deggendorf.

Distance. 128 km.

Time: 6 hrs 15 mins.

Speed: 19.4 km/hr.

Distance so far: 2270 km

AHR: 114 beats/min

Feet climbed today: 955 ft

Punctures so far: 1

Weather: warm and sunny all day. Slight south east breeze.

No need for an alarm this morning as M’Asal Beag Dubh outside started to bray at an early hour. Still it was a relatively late departure at 8.45am. I said adieu to my schaferwagen and rejoined the Donau Radweg on the dike of the river not 50 metres away.

Soon, I thought I would have to detour with tree surgery taking place along the path. But, the gent on the ground ordered operations to halt and he helped carry the bike over the splayed legs of the hoist.

Today also was the first barge I’ve seen. At Kelheim the Rhein-Maine-Donau canal connects with the Danube. The number of these will increase as I get nearer to Vienna.

Approaching Regensburg, I passed under the giant viaduct carrying the A3 across. The pillars so dwarfed my bike as I took a breather in the shade.

Regensburg is a large city located at the most northerly point of the Danube. For the last few days I have been generally heading in a north-easterly direction but from Regensburg I start heading south-eastern. The Bohemian Mountains that stretch right onto the Czech Republic forced the evolving river to turn down. Ironically, for the last few days the slight wind had been coming directly from the north-east. This morning, yr.no tells me that now it is going to be coming from the south-east. Not nice, but, still I have the fall of ground.

I detoured in through Regensburg through its narrow streets. It was only when looking back that I observed its huge cathedral towering above. Somethings are better seen from afar.

Just out of Regensburg, I noticed an big increase of touring cyclists. The Regensburg to Passau section of the Dabube Cycle is the second most popular part after the Passau to Vienna stage. Groups of these tourists were moving in both directions.

Just below Regensburg (at 50 km) is situated Valhalla presiding high over the Danube. It was built by Ludwig the First to honour great Germans and opened in 1842. It is modelled on the Parthenon in Athens, measuring 70m by 30m and is totally constructed of marble. Inside are busts of up to 200 Germans of note. From between the marble columns around are magnificent views right back to Regensburg. Every half-hour or so boats from the city bring hordes of tourists down who face a climb and 150 steps before the start on the 350 marble steps of the monument itself. I found the steps a relaxing change from pedalling. I met some who arrived by boat who couldn’t attack those steps and were satisfied to just view from below.

I passed on Worth (60km) as a spot for lunch although its abbey looks noble over the town. I opted instead for Rudlingen (82km) and dined by the bank of the river after passing down the Hauptstrasse with its tower.

Most of today’s cycling was on sealed surfaces and I generally moved along at 25km/hr but it is the villages and towns that bring the daily average down. Also, I spent more time on the drops (unusual for me) today and enjoyed it. The little unpaved parts were along the top of the dikes by the river.

Just on 120 km, I came into view of Deggendorf, my destination for today. A long market stretches down the centre of the city where the Gothic Rathaus is decorated with the crests of Bavaria and of Deggendorf. The first premises that I saw as I came off the cycle-path was The Shamrock, and Irish pub.

I knew that my accommodation was 4 km outside town but I didn’t realise that that 4km was all a tough climb. It was like arriving in Tipp town from Lahinch with a laden bike and then having to climb up to Aherlow House for accommodation.

On the climb up through scattered housing, thoughts of getting a dinner were getting fainter and fainter. But on arrival at Beim Krahwits cheered me up. It is a popular dining spot with magnificent views back over the city into the setting sun over the Danube below.

Quickly checked in, showered and had the most magnificent meal, the house’s Wedensday special Reindl Essen and companies by a bottle of Hausbier.

A lovely day’s cycling in glorious weather.

Thank God for the health and for the energy.

Day 18. Sept 16.

Donauworth to Kelheim.

Distance: 115 km

Time: 6 hrs 14 mins

Speed: 18.1 km/ hr

Distance so far: 2142 km

AHR:103 beats/ min

Feet climbed today: 1447 ft.

Punctures so far: 1

Weather: Cool, dry but misty threatened at mid-day. Warm on the evening. 21 deg when I checked in.

Good prospects as I left Donauworth this morning after a generous breakfast in the Jugendherberge. It had been a very quiet night and generally a pleasant experience for a fraction of the cost of a hotel.

 Again signage around here left something to be desired but I managed keeping the river on my right.

As the route moved away from the river for periods I had the acquaintance of farmyard friends.

Also there is a No Pylons campaign going on over here also.

For much of the day I cycled along the dyke by the river. Usually this was on unpaved track but was easy to cycle on with big tyres (28). Occasionally the Danube had dams and thus great expanses of water were available for leisure activities.

As the route passed through farmland mostly of maize, I was frequently confronted with wayside shrines and Calvaries.

In Neuberg, after viewing the Neuburg Palace, considered the most beautiful Renaissnce palace on the Danube, I was halted by students exiting from Mittelschule at 11.30, waiting for buses and cycling along the footpaths.

Just outside Neuberg, I came to the Grunau Hunting Palace, an iconic image of this area. It was constructed as a hunting palace and summer residence for the palace in Neuberg. It was closed when I arrived but I believe it has a wonderful wetland information centre.

I paused in Ingolstadt (120,000) for lunch. Apparently, it has a huge third-level population and all were out and about at this midday hour. Again the central part had some magnificent buildings and arches. The Frankenstein story was set here by the author Mary Shelly. I had my lunch just near the Bavarian Police Museum on the south bank.

Again today there were people and couples doing the Danube cycle in both directions but no sign of my good friends Helmut and Renata today either. We meet mostly at signposts.

For many kilometres today I cycled on the dyke along by the river and so little climbing except for ramps up to the dyke. Towards the end of the day I missed a turn and went off course. I had to flag down an old gentleman returning home on his bike and check out where exactly I was. Between my few German words, hand signals and the map we sorted things out.....I was way off course and had to backtrack. To speed up things I decided to cycle the road (rather than the cycle path) from Eining to Straubing and this accounted for most of the ’Feet climbed today’. 

I met with groups and tour buses at Weltenburg on the river. This Benedictine abbey, considered the oldest on Bavaria brews it's own beer and lands around are used for the production of hops. I didn’t delay too long at the abbey but made my way down to the slip.

From Weltenberg to Kelheim is the Danube Gorge of overwhelming beauty where the mighty river squeezes between tall cliffs (100 m high on either side). From its previous width of 200 m it is now down to 70 m wide. The gorge is a 5 km stretch and really impresses.

Once landed in Kelheim I had just a few Km to go to my booked accommodation. No problem finding it.

Tonight, I am in a shepherd’s wagon (schaferwage), just like an apartment for 2 with a separate shower unit beside. The man of the house constructed it when he got out of cows (50) as there was no money in it. They have 23 hectares (4 in woodland) and now they grow maize and have a farm-type holiday centre. Besides the shepherd’s wagon, they have a number of apartments and friendly animals (donkeys, chickens and rabbits). It’s one of the best accommodations I have had on this trip.

And tonight for dinner I went down the road to the local football club (S V Kelheimwinzer) clubhouse as training was in progress. By the end of dinner, members came in to view the Arsenal v Dortmund Champions League match. They wore their Dortmund shirts but were amazingly calm even when possible penalties were on the cards. I didn’t wait for the end as my homework had to be done.

I look forward to my night in the wagon and hitting the road again in the morning.

Thank God for the health and for the energy. 

Day 17. Sept 15.

Ehingen to Donauworth.

Distance : 128 km

Time 7 hrs

Speed: 18.3 km/hr

Distance so far: 2027 km

AHR: 102 beats/ min

Feet climbed today: 806 ft

Punctures so far: 1

Weather: Dry all day but little sunshine. Slight headwind from the north east.

On arising this morning spirits were a little lower than usual. But a good hot breakfast before pulling out from Hotel Garni Panorama and within 2 or 3 km I was happy as Larry and wouldn’t wish to anywhere else than on the saddle. That forecast was good for the day with no rain but light wind coming from the east or north-east. No fog or mist to contend with but I still had flashers on front and rear.

Early on I cycled by the road crossing the Danube regularly.

In Echingen

In Ulm.

In Donauworth.

In Ehingen, the river was considerable but by Ulm (36 km) it was now a major waterway. By the end of the day at Donauworth it had grown further and crossing bridges had become fewer and further apart. The city of Donauworth (where I finished the day) grew because of its bridge, one that had been destroyed many times. At present the bridge is being redone again, closed to traffic but open to pedestrians and cyclists.

Very few hills today, only short rises over bridges. In the first 2 hours, I had only ’climbed’ 150 ft.

My distance today could have been 3 km shorter except for a wrong turn. I found myself moving into a maze of small rough tracks through the maize (!). I took time out to consider and knowing that something was wrong I backtracked to the last signpost.

There I found my error. The finger post for Ulm pointed to the right (which I had done) but the arrow pointed to the left. Lesson learned.

The path today passed closer to the river than yesterday. By the Danube I cycled on gravel paths, sometimes moved away from the river on woodland tracks and also on paved lanes through crops, by roads and as usual through villages and allotments. At one stage I moved through great cultivation of cabbage and kohl rabbi.

At 36 km I came to Ulm a major city on the Danube. At this point I moved from Baden Wurtemberg to Bavaria, with its white and blue chequered flag as seen on the BMW marque. Now the Danube is a major waterway (still has another 2500 km to go before it empties into the Black Sea.

I detoured into the city through the Metzgerturm, one of the 14 century gates. The Rathaus (city hall) was an impressive affair with murals depicting the city’s turbulent history. The old city has a mixture of old and modern architecture, as might be expected in the birthplace of Albert Einstein. 

The Gothic cathedral boasts of the tallest steeple in the world (161.6 m) and it’s possible to climb the 768 steps to the top. I passed on that one?

My target was the Museum of Bread Culture, a private collection in the Salzstadl, a renovated storehouse of the 16C.

. On three floors it traces the story and importance of bread. It showed bread on ancient artifacts, it had old paintings of harvesting and baking. Bread as a political issue and tool was dealt with.

But,my favourite by a long shot was the painting depicting the kids excited to be helping in making Granny’s brown bread. I have seen this in real life.

Many times today I was on the receiving end of assistance from kindhearted people who spotted me consulting the map. Some people just coming out of shops helped out and chatted (through a combination of English and German); other times it was other cyclists I met at signposts...all of us in the same boat. One couple from Cologne that I met had cycled down from Donaueschingen, were turning right at Donauworth and cycling over the Alps and finishing in Verona (Italy) in two weeks time. Another local cyclist that I had passed out earlier pulled up to help me when I paused at a collection of signposts.

I didn't expect to see many leisure cyclists today (Monday) but there were a good number of laden pairs going in both directions.

The most impressive palace that I have come across so far was sin Hochstadt, the Pfalz Neuberg Palace whose renovation is almost complete.

The last 20 km into Donauworth was confusing. Many times I lost the signs but could see the steeples of the various churches ahead. The Reichstrasse is imposing with the Rathaus at the lower end and the cathedral at the upper.

By 6pm I arrived at my booked accommodation in Jugendherberge Donauworth, a colourful youth hostel. Very quiet here, I think I have to myself. Bike all locked up in the special garage and ready for a recovering night’s sleep.

Thank God for the health and for the energy.