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The Altmühltal cycle path is a classic among German river cycle paths. In 2019 it celebrated its 40th anniversary. The Altmuehltal the Jura has a lot to offer: rocks, castles, pretty towns and villages and of course the Altmühl itself.
Due to its popularity, the Altmühltal Cycle Path is correspondingly heavily frequented at peak times (e.g. on long weekends in May). At such times, the Limes cycle path as an alternative. From Gunzenhausen it is an ideal, albeit mountainous, alternative route towards the Danube.
Route profile
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- Length of the Altmühltal cycle path: 241 km
- Signposting: Signposting throughout, but slightly different
- Slopes: the route is largely flat. Only at Rothenburg there are some longer climbs. From Colmberg, however, the path can be driven without any major inclines. The route also includes some smaller, but steeper hills below Colmberg
- Path condition: In the Altmühltal the route is mostly free of traffic and often runs over gravelled Ways. Compared to many other tourist cycle routes with a gravel surface, the water-bound ceilings on the Altmühl cycle path are well cared for and are therefore usually easy to ride
- Traffic load Altmühltal-Radweg: low, in the upper part mixed traffic routing on small local roads, cycle paths or land consolidation paths, sometimes also away from roads
- Suitable bike: Best touring bikes with tread tires
- Family suitability: Yes
- Inline suitability: No
background
The length of the Altmühltal cycle path is 241 km. The “Altmühltal-Radweg” logo is used along its entire length and is supplemented by the Tauber-Altmühl-Radweg (see naturpark-altmuehltal.de). The upper (north-western) section was earlier with Altmühlweg designated. Meanwhile, the first section from Rothenburg o.d.T. to the Altmühlsee marked as Altmühltal-Radweg. Information about this part can be obtained from the "Tourismusverband Romantisches Franken".
Jurassic landscape with rock formations in the Altmuehltal Nature Park, River meanders and side valleys of the Altmühl, Franconian Lake District with Altmühlsee
Camping at the Altmühl
For boat hikers and other hikers (comparable to the Danish nature camps) along the Altmühl own Boat rest areas designated for spending the night in the great outdoors. The maximum length of stay is two nights. Groups (10 people or more) must reserve their places at the Altmühltal Nature Park Information Center. The equipment consists of only one toilet.
getting there
By train
Rothenburg ob der Tauber owns over Steinach Rail connection to the main line Wurzburg - Ansbach - Ingolstadt - Munich. Several intercity trains stop in Steinach. The journey time Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Steinach in a diesel railcar is approx. 15 minutes.
Further entry points into the Altmühlradweg with rail connection are: Gunzenhausen in the Franconian Lake District, Treuchtlingen and Eichstatt.
The next train station in the area of the Altmühl estuary near Kelheim is Saal. From here there is a regional train connection to the main line Ingolstadt - regensburg.
Bicycle bus
- Leisure bus in the Danube and Altmühl valleys: · The FreizeitBus for hikers, cyclists and day-trippers runs from spring to autumn with three lines in the Altmühltal Eichstatt and regensburg. A bicycle trailer is always with you.
- Line 1: Riedenburg - Kelheim - Regensburg - and back, · runs 3 times on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from Holy Saturday to October 3rd.
- Line 2: Eichstätt - Kinding Bahnhof - Beilngries - Dietfurt - Riedenburg - and back, · runs daily from May 1st to October 3rd
- Line 3: Kelheim - Weltenburg - Eining - Bad Gögging - Neustadt an der Donau - Abensberg, · runs 3 times on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from Holy Saturday to October 3rd.
- Kanal-Altmühl-Express: Neumarkt, Bahnhof - Berching - Beilngries - Dietfurt a.d.Altmühl and back. · Runs twice on Sundays and public holidays from May 1st to November 1st.
- Luggage transfer along the entire route.
By bicycle
Solnhofen - Kinding
In the street
Route description with sights
![](https://maps.wikimedia.org/img/osm-intl,9,49.14,10.96,702x350.png?lang=de&domain=de.wikivoyage.org&title=Altmühltal-Radweg&groups=Maske,Track,Aktivitaet,Anderes,Anreise,Ausgehen,Aussicht,Besiedelt,Fehler,Gebiet,Kaufen,Kueche,Sehenswert,Unterkunft,aquamarinblau,cosmos,gold,hellgruen,orange,pflaumenblau,rot,silber,violett)
short version
It is an ideal starting point for tours on the river route Rothenburg ob der Tauber. From here you have to go up the hill first Swiss franc amount be overcome before reaching the still quite small Altmühl near Colmberg.
From here the route leads largely flat through a wide, green landscape to the Altmühlsee in the Franconian Lake District.From Treuchtlingen the Altmühl has dug itself deep into the Franconian Jura. After this quaint section of the valley with the rugged chalk cliffs Pappenheim, Eichstatt and Solnhofen the Altmühl is off Dietfurt channeled and part of the Main-Danube Canal. Here you could change to a passenger ship.
In Kelheim the Altmühl flows into the Danube. At the end of the tour, you should definitely plan time for a detour to the Danube breakthrough near Weltenburg.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber to the Altmühlsee
From Rothenburg ob der Tauber to Altmühlsee, the route across the spring is 75 km.
Rothenburg - 18 km - Altmühlursprung - 13 km - Colmberg
Colmberg - 19 km - Leutershausen - 13 km - Herrieden - 21 km - Altmühlsee
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- Rothenburg ob der Tauber - Completely preserved medieval townscape, St. Jakobs Church with Riemenschneider altar, former Stauferburg, museums
- Colmberg - Castle complex
- Leutershausen - Altmühlbad (beautiful river swimming pool, mid-May to September, free entry)
- Herrieden
- → Cut off after Ansbach
- Grossenried
- Ornbau - Old bridge with a romantic city skyline
- Altmuehlsee - in the Franconian Lake District
- Gunzenhausen - Wide market square with old town houses, town church and hospital church from 1352 with a valuable stucco ceiling
Gunzenhausen - Treuchtlingen: 27 km
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- Gunzenhausen
- Windsfeld - further along the railway line
- Customs mill and brick mill in Bubenheim
- dig - Karlsgraben (Carolina fossa), first attempt at a canal connection between Danube and Main from the late 8th century, Karlsgraben exhibition, north of the village.
- Treuchtlingen - Miniaturland Treuchtlingen (Model railroad layout)
→ Alternative over the Brombachsee: 41 km
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The loop over the traffic-free Brombachsee is a special experience
- Gunzenhausen - The Franconian Seenlandweg runs first north to the transition from Altmühlsee to Altmühlüberleiter and then north of the overpass, which later temporarily disappears in a tube, to the east. From Neuherberg it runs on the north bank of the Kleiner and then the Großer Brombachses.
- Brombachsee - 3-part reservoir with many recreational opportunities and swimming areas. All three parts of the lake can be circled on well-developed paths
- Behind the dam, the route continues south on the Pleinfeld-Weissenburg-Altmühltal cycle path. A detour over the dam is worthwhile.
- Pleinfeld - Pleinfeld is considered the northern gateway to Altmuehltal Nature Park.
- Weißenburg in Bavaria - - Former free imperial city with well-preserved medieval buildings, Ellinger Tor, city wall, Roman fort Biriciana, Roman thermal baths, Roman museum, imperial city museum, pharmacist museum, brewery museum, Kaadener Heimatstuben, above the city fortress Wülzburg.
- Dig - Carolina fossa, also called Karlsgraben, was a water connection between the Altmühl and the Swabian Rezat, the water of which leads into the Main. In 793, Charlemagne had an approximately 3,000 m long canal excavated near the present site of Graben.
Treuchtlingen - Eichstätt: 44.2 km
Added vertical meters uphill: 192 m downhill: 207 m
From Treuchtlingen you drive through the deeply cut valley with its limestone cliffs. From Dollnstein the Altmühl uses the Urdonautal.
- Dollnstein - From here the valley widens because in primeval times the Danube from Rennertshofen coming through the Altmühltal flowed.
- Eichstatt - University town with baroque city center, cathedral, Willibaldsburg with Jura Museum.
Eichstätt - Beilngries; 44.6 km
Total meters in altitude: uphill: 65 m; downhill: 63 m
- Arnsberg - Castle ruins and castle, which are located on craggy cliffs high above the village. Today the castle is used as a restaurant and hotel.
Beilngries - Kelheim: 46.2 km
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Altmuehl-kanal.jpg/250px-Altmuehl-kanal.jpg)
Total vertical meters up: 112m - down: 126m
- Dietfurt - from here Main-Danube Canal
- Riedenburg
- → Connection to the Schambachtalbahn cycle path (largely a Railway cycle path) to Ingolstadt at the Donau.
- Prunn Palace
- Essing
- Kelheim - Confluence with the Danube, historic old town, Liberation Hall with viewing platform, Danube breakthrough with Weltenburg Monastery
Nice end of the tour - Danube cycle path to Regensburg: approx. 40 km
It makes sense to hang on for another day. The historical one regensburg with its many sights invites you to close. In the afternoon there is still time for sightseeing. After another overnight stay, there are good rail connections from Regensburg for the return journey.
trips
GPS data
- Route profile with GPS data and Google Earth KMZ file
References to literature and maps
Digital maps:
- Zoomable map at OpenStreetMap - The Altmühlweg and Altmühltal-Radweg are almost completely drawn on the map.
- Route information and zoomable map · of · Bayern-Info - Bavarian network for cyclists
Books:
- Bikeline bike tour book Altmühl cycle path. Esterbauer publishing house, 1: 50,000, local plans, ÜVZ, 120 pages, ISBN 978-3-85000-000-0
- ADFC regional map Altmühltal. 1:75000, Bielefelder Verlag
- Spiral guide Cycling in the Altmühltal. Galli Publishing House
Web links
- The Altmühlweg: An idyllic bike tour from Rothenburg o.d.T. to the Altmühlsee - officially
- Bike tourism site Altmühltal-Radweg - officially
- Altmuehltal Nature Park (is also a tourism association)