Wide views and great beer – cycling Tours in the heart of the Franconian Jura

This beautiful round takes you along the floodplains on the Pegnitz over the Sebalder Reichswald into the idyllic hilly landscape of the northern Franconian Alb. On the way, you can enjoy wonderful views towards Franconian Switzerland and one or two culinary delights. Don't forget to make a stop at a brewery, because you are driving through the region with the highest density of breweries in Germany - rarely do you get a beer as fresh from the draft as here. The imposing hop fields along the way will remind you of this.You start in Hersbruck at the Giant Store Zweirad Teuchert and after a short ride through the old town you reach the Pegnitz. You follow your run on leisurely overland roads in the direction of Nuremberg, cross a few smaller towns and soon arrive at Lauf an der Pegnitz, where you can make a first stop. The old town and the castle of Lauf really look good and by the river you will find one or the other cozy restaurant where you can take a break.That certain extra energy will do you good, because from here you turn from the Pegnitz into the Sebalder Reichswald - slowly but surely it gets hilly. On hot summer days it is wonderfully cool in the forest. As a rule, very little sunlight penetrates through the dense canopy of leaves and needles. You will soon come to a country road that cuts a path through the forest. There is a well-developed bike path next to it. On the smooth asphalt you can now really accelerate for a moment before the further path leads you up to Tauchersreuth.On the edge of the small town you have one of the best views of the whole tour. Even shortly before you reach Tauchersreuth, it is worthwhile to turn around for a moment, because when the visibility is good you can see from here to Nuremberg. After a wonderful descent you will reach Neunhof, where you can stop for an isotonic drink at the Gasthof Wiethaler brewery. If you are already hungry, you will also get delicious Franconian cuisine here.After a short ascent between Neunhof and Bullach, the mountain of the day awaits you behind Schnaittach: the crossing of the pass road on Glatzenstein. If you are on an all-terrain bike, it is worth making a detour or two from the route: either to the Rothenberg festival, which is on the left of Siegersdorf. Or to the craggy summit of the 572-meter-high Glatzenstein, which opens up on the right hand side above the treetops. From there you can enjoy another phenomenal view.Via Oberkrumbach and Unterkrumbach you get to the Sittenbach, which you follow back towards Hersbruck. Shortly before reaching the destination, you branch off from him for a while and shorten over the Michelsberg. After this last ascent of the tour, you can stretch your legs here, enjoy the view over the city and stop in the local beer garden at the end of the day.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Anytour E +
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On this tour along the Pegnitz, you will find out that in the middle of the Franconian Alb you can sometimes go completely without hills. You explore the floodplain landscapes to the left and right of the river and follow its course to Nuremberg, where an illustrious crowd romps on the banks, especially in summer. Then it even goes a little further to Fürth. Here at the "Spitz", the confluence of the Rednitz and Pegnitz, the rivers unite and flow from then on as Regnitz towards Bamberg and there flow into the Main.It all starts at the Giant Store in Hersbruck. Between the river and the railway line, follow the streets and cycle paths in the direction of Nuremberg. In places the cycle path runs parallel to the main road. However, the further you drive west, the more often it branches off from it and leads you through an idyllic meadow landscape, which culminates in the Pegnitztal Ost nature reserve just before Nuremberg. If you would like to stop off along the way, there are various locations, including Lauf an der Pegnitz with its historically valuable old town.On the outskirts of Nuremberg, the Pegnitz becomes significantly wider, which is why it is also called Wöhrder See here. At the end of the lake, the wide body of water tapers again to the narrow course of the river, which you now leave for a short detour to historic Nuremberg. Along the city wall you drive up to the castle hill. The well-preserved fortifications, the towers and the moat are truly impressive structures. Here it is worthwhile to just stop for a moment to take a look over the wall and stop for a cool Seidla in the Hexenhäusla at Vestnertor.Over the historic cobblestones of the old town you drive back down to the Pegnitz and follow it over the Hallerwiese in the direction of Führt. There is a lot of recreational traffic here, especially in summer, and you have to be careful to find a safe path between the inline skaters, other cyclists, joggers and walkers. In Führt you finally reach the end of the Pegnitz. Here it teams up with the Rednitz in order to continue to flow as Rednitz from now on. After this small river wedding, it is worth stopping in the cozy old town of Fürth before you start your way back.We now return, whenever possible, on the opposite side of the river. On hot days you can still jump for a splash in the Wöhrder See and, if you want, take a little lap through the ruins of the Hammer factory at Laufamholz. Then it's just under 25 kilometers and you are back at your starting point in Hersbruck.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Fathom E +
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This round in the east of Hersbruck is high. You drive through the wonderful hilly landscape of the Middle Franconian Alb. Past Sulzbach-Rosenberg it goes over Illschwang to the bear rock, from which you can enjoy a fantastic view over the Franconian Alb. At the end of the tour, you take another lap below the Houbirg on the banks of the Happurger reservoir, where you can end the day with relish.The tour starts at the Giant Store Hersbruck. First you follow the Pegnitz to Hohenstadt. Here you turn off in an easterly direction and follow the Högenbach to its source. It goes slowly but steadily uphill - ideal to get ready for the rest of the tour. Shortly before Sulzbach-Rosenberg you make a U-turn and drive over the natural monument "Sieben Quellen" back to the southwest. If you want, you can also make a detour to Sulzbach-Rosenberg to see the city.On the further route via Illschwang to the Bärenfelsen you face a hilly ascent, which picks up again shortly before reaching the summit with a gradient of around twelve percent. It may be worthwhile to push the last hundred meters to the lookout point, as the terrain here becomes a bit impassable. Then you have reached the rock and you will be rewarded for your efforts with a fantastic view.The highest point has been reached, but until shortly before Molsberg the landscape profile is still from a rather hilly side. Then you turn into the Molsberger Tal. Here you follow the Molsbach through one of the oldest nature reserves in the Nürnberger Land and can look forward to the refreshing descent that takes you directly to the Happurg reservoir.Once there, you can first stretch your legs, refresh yourself in the lake or stop in one of the restaurants or cafés around the lake. The lake is located directly below the Houbirg. If you still have time, you can take a short excursion from here to the “Hohler Fels” viewpoint. This is located on the southern flank of the mountain and can be reached via a few smaller hiking trails. If you are out on a mountain bike, you can try your hand at the trails before you return to Hersbruck. The view of the lake is definitely worth it.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Explore E +
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This wonderful tour takes you through the lichen and pine forests of the Middle Franconian Jura south of Leinburg. A unique flora and fauna awaits you here: Idyllic forest ponds surrounded by unspoilt pine trees, the bare trunks of which have earned the forest the nickname "Steggerlaswald". The leisurely babbling brooks have washed up enough sand over time, so that whole dunes could pile up in the forest due to wind drifts. It is no coincidence that this region around Nuremberg was also jokingly called the “sandbox of the empire”.From the Giant Store Zweirad Teuchert in Hersbruck you drive via Henfenfeld to Gersdorf. A small exit to the Moritzberg awaits you here, it is also known as the gateway to Franconian Switzerland and lives up to its name - the driveway really has it all. So that you don't tip over directly from your bike, a cozy beer garden with good Franconian cuisine awaits you on its top. From the Moritzbergturm you also have an excellent view over the Franconian Alb. If you prefer to avoid the ascent, you can also drive from Gersdorf via Leinburg directly to Diepersdorf, where you will meet again on the tour.At the large Birkensee you can take a wonderful bathing break in the middle of the forest, then it goes to the Röthenbachklamm. Here you can now decide whether you want to drive the gorge all the way to Ungelstetten, or if you prefer to take the secondary route after crossing the main road. If your bike has a hard time off-road, it is still worthwhile to at least cover the first part of the gorge on foot, this gem on the edge of the Frankenalb is so beautiful. By the way, you can push your bike here without any problems.From Ungelstetten you can now take a trip to the lichen and pine forests. When you arrive at the Wolfsgrube, you have an impressive panoramic view of the barren inland dune. You follow the dune down the slope and may have to push your bike for a short distance here. The subsoil is really extremely sandy, which is what makes this area so attractive. The Franconian Dune Trail also runs here.Via Weißenbrunn and Oberhaidelbach you drive to the Entenberg, the last highlight of this round. On the ascent, you quickly get that feeling on a pass road, maybe you will also meet one or the other racing cyclist who does his training here. Once at the top you can enjoy another fantastic view before you cycle back to Hersbruck via Engelthal and past the Reschenberg.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Anytour E +
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Even this comparatively short tour through the Northern Franconian Alb has a little superlative on offer: the highest point in the district of Nürnberger Land. In addition, there is no constant ups and downs awaiting you on this lap. Rather, it goes up and down again shortly afterwards, which makes the journey a little more pleasant and still has some great views on offer.It all starts at the Giant Store in Hersbruck. You drive past orchards to the east out of the city and follow the course of the Pegnitz to the north. After 20 kilometers you will reach Rupprechtstegen and leave the Pegnitztal for an excursion to the Hohenstein. Only shortly before reaching the village of the same name does the slope increase significantly. The view from the castle attracts from afar. You will also be magically drawn to the cream puff café of the Eckert family in Hohenstein. It is well known for its specialty and will provide you with some energy again after the climb. But be careful: the cream puffs are really huge!After a long break, you can expect an equally extensive descent down to the Sittenbachtal, which you reach at Aspertshofen. It's not far from here and you're back in Hersbruck. If you still have some time, you can make a detour to the Michelsberg in the north of the city at the end of your tour. With the beer garden there you will find the perfect place to end your tour appropriately - all with a great view over Hersbruck and towards the Middle Franconian Alb.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Anytour E +
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Fancy a trip to Franconian Switzerland? Then this tour is just right for you. But you should plan a full day and get up early, because the 133 kilometers are not without it. Of course, you can also do the tour in two days and spend the night halfway, for example at Grandma Eichler's campsite in the Trubach Valley, where there is always an illustrious climbing crowd. Or you can shorten the route by train, for example from Bamberg back to Kersbach, which saves a good 30 kilometers.It starts at the train station in the small village of Kersbach south of Forchheim. With the Regional Express and the S-Bahn via Nuremberg you need about an hour from Hersbrucker Bahnhof (right of the Pegnitz) to the starting point. It's a little faster with the car. You drive over Effeltrich to the fields and enjoy a wide view from the hilltop. By the way, part of the Way of St. James also runs here - from Bamberg to Nuremberg.Behind Neunkirchen am Brand you turn into the Schwabachtal and then follow the Aubach to Weißenohe, where you can take a short break to strengthen yourself. A short time later, the first mountain stage is waiting for you. The climb at Graefenberg has it all. How good that there are a couple of beautiful breweries halfway in town that invite you to refresh yourself in their beer gardens. The second part of the ascent up to Lillinger Höhe is not that wild anymore and before you know it, you are between hop fields and fruit trees and a fresh breeze blows around your nose.On the horizon, Hiltpoltstein Castle announces the last ascent of this mountain, then it goes on idyllic roads down into the Trubach Valley. As you drive through the valley, you can catch a glimpse of the rugged rocky outcrops that jut out of the forest on the slopes to your side. Franconian Switzerland is not considered a climbing paradise for nothing and, with around 12,000 climbing routes, is a true Mecca for climbing.You reach the end of the Trubach Valley at the confluence with the Wiesent near Pretzfeld. It's worth a short stop here to refresh yourself in the wonderfully cool water of the river. If time permits, you can also take a detour to Streitberg a little further north near Gasseldorf. There is the entrance to the Bing Cave, a 300 meter long cave system.Gently ascending, you crank yourself following the Leinleiter up to the last big mountain of this tour. At the end the slope increases again significantly, then, shortly after the village of Lindach, you have made it and a rapid descent down towards Bamberg awaits you. Once there, it is worth making a detour from the tour towards the city center. Finally, in the south of the city, the Main-Danube Canal is the last part of this tour.On comfortable bike paths you follow the canal to the south. Here and there you can also see the Regnitz, which flows from Nuremberg via Bamberg into the Main. In places it also shares the river bed with the canal. In Hirschaid, it is worth taking a detour over the bridge to the beer garden of the Kraus brewery. Here you can strengthen yourself again before you start the last 18 kilometers. Due to the good paths, these pass in a flash. Last but not least, you branch off from the canal for a short detour through downtown Forchheim, then you have reached your destination. Wow! What a tour!The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Fathom E +
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This tour takes you to the south of the Franconian Alb, more precisely: to the Weißenburger Alb. At its foot lies the Great Brombachsee, a true natural paradise and also one of the largest dams in Germany. You start your tour at the train station in Mühlstetten. You can reach this with the Regional Express via Nuremberg. From Hersbruck train station (on the right of the Pegnitz) the journey takes about an hour. You are a few minutes faster by car.From Mühlstetten it goes directly to the Großer Brombachsee, around which you turn a 13-kilometer lap. On the shores of the lake you will always find beautiful bays that invite you to take a long break. Be careful not to doze off in the sun, because most of today's route is still ahead of you.South of the lake, the beer garden of the Ellingen Castle Brewery invites you to take another break. It's not often that you enjoy your beer in such a regal ambience - definitely another reason to stop here and strengthen yourself for the following route. Because now it's up to the Weißenburger Alb. The increase is not without, but at least constant. After two and a half kilometers you made it. If you still have a bit of power left in your legs, the detour from Geyern to the small viewpoint in the west of the village is worthwhile. From there you can see as far as the Brombachsee and, if the visibility is good, even to Nuremberg.After a short round over the heights of the Weißenburger Alb you will reach your eaves again at Thalmässing. You turn north and drive along the European watershed to Pyras, where another brewery visit awaits you. The non-alcoholic draft beer is particularly recommended here, so you stay fit for the rest of the route. You finally start your way back to Mühlstetten through an extensive forest area, which is criss-crossed by a few light fields.The perfect bike for this tour: Giant Explore E +
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