The Altmühltal cycle path — fantastic nature & fairytale castles
Bike Touring Collection by Altmühltalradweg
8
Tours
24:25 h
237 mi
6,675 ft
Along the Altmühltal cycle path, you will find unique rock formations that line the banks of the Altmühl, fairytale castles standing at dizzying heights on rugged cliffs, clear lakes and shallow river banks, and untouched nature that will make you dream.
The Altmühltal is one of Germany's most beautiful landscapes — and the Altmühltal cycle path takes you through the heart of it for 160 miles (254 kilometers) from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Kelheim. The mostly flat stretch of the popular cycle path meanders almost exclusively along the banks of the Altmühl and offers you some breathtaking natural spectacles such as the impressive rock formations of the Juraalb, which include the Twelve Apostles and the Burgstein rocks near Dollnstein.
The ride also has a lot to offer in terms of culture. The starting point at Rothenburg ob der Tauber is home to a world-famous medieval town center. On the way to your destination in Kelheim, you can also look forward to seeing countless castles and palaces, some of which you can visit.
Another great feature of this ride is the infrastructure as you go: You'll be awash with hotels, guesthouses, and campsites that offer bicycle-friendly accommodation. In summer, special buses with bicycle trailers are also used along the route. Otherwise, however, it is also possible to take bicycles with you in normal buses and by train, which makes traveling to and from the Altmühltal valley completely uncomplicated.
We have divided the route from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Kelheim into five roughly equal stages of approximately 30 miles (50 kilometers) each. If 160 miles (250 kilometers) and five days of cycling are not enough for you, you can also extend your ride by attaching a stage to the end and riding from Kelheim along the Danube to Regensburg. Or you can start right at the beginning of the ride in Wertheim. From there, you can cycle in two stages along the Tauber to Rothenburg, where the Altmühltal cycle path begins.
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Last updated: November 8, 2021
The stages of the Altmühltal cycle path
- 03:2334.1 mi10.1 mph1,000 ft975 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a romantic medieval town, surrounded by the original landscape in the Tauber Valley. Here begins the Altmühltal cycle path, the first stage of which leads you from Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Herrieden. You can travel to Rothenburg comfortably by train.
After a short climb…
- 03:3634.7 mi9.6 mph350 ft375 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today you can look forward to a very nice and relaxed bike ride along the Altmühl. The distance of this stage is almost completely flat. Nevertheless, some highlights await you on the way.
It starts in Herrieden southeast. After 16 kilometers you come through the small town Ornbau, which is located directly…
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- 02:4026.8 mi10.0 mph850 ft950 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
After the first two stages were each over 50 kilometers long, you can recover today on the approximately ten kilometers shorter track a bit. In the immediate vicinity of the river you cycle through fresh forests, past green meadows and pass spectacular rock formations. Nature is simply breathtaking on…
- 02:4427.8 mi10.2 mph700 ft775 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Some portions of the Tour may be unpaved and difficult to ride.
From Eichstätt we continue along the Altmühl to Beilngries. Today's route of about 45 kilometers contains some small slopes. On the whole, it is quite relaxed in the shallow Altmühltal always along the shore. First, the Altmühl leads you to the southeast, but then makes a large arc and takes the path…
- 03:1028.6 mi9.1 mph425 ft525 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today is the last stage of the Altmühltal cycle path. She brings you from Beilngries to Kelheim. In addition to incredible scenery with beautiful hills and impressive rocks, you can look forward to some castles and castles that you can see from the bike path high on their mountains and rocks.
The 46 kilometers…
- 03:0530.2 mi9.8 mph1,225 ft1,000 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
If you really want to enjoy the Altmühltal cycle path, it is a good idea to start the multi-day bike tour from Wertheim. From here you can cycle in two stages on the Tauber Altmühl cycle path to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where the starting point of the Altmühltal cycle path is.
So today you set off on…
- 03:1931.7 mi9.6 mph1,575 ft925 ftExpertExpert bike ride. Very good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
Today we head to the second stage of the Tauber Altmühl cycle path, which joins the Altmühltal cycle path in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It starts in Bad Mergentheim, the lowest point of the route. From now on, going up the next 51 kilometers continuously, which makes this tour even more demanding than…
- 02:2823.3 mi9.5 mph550 ft525 ftIntermediateIntermediate bike ride. Good fitness required. Mostly paved surfaces. Suitable for all skill levels.
If the Altmühltal cycle path alone is not enough for you, you can extend the tour to Regensburg with this stage. The route is only about 37 kilometers long and thus a nice and relaxed end to this multi-day bike ride.
First, drive from Kelheim a short distance along the Altmühl until it finally flows into…
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Collection Stats
- Tours8
- Distance237 mi
- Duration24:25 h
- Elevation6,675 ft
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