To Leipheim

August 4, 2024

It's Sunday in Germany. A day not to wash the car or the dog, mow the lawns, buy groceries, perform enthusiastic gardening or housework tasks or play with power tools. A quiet day. A family day.

Some of these prohibitions are enshrined in law, others are regulated in some regions at a local level or are simply neighbourly expectations. A parkrun organiser I spoke to yesterday noted that he didn't expect much growth in the organisation's numbers because Germans already have so much to do on a Saturday (all of the above for starters) in readiness for that quiet Sunday.

We are prepared for a quiet Sunday. Our excellent hostess, Simone, has given us enough breakfast fodder to allow us to make a packed lunch as well. All in all, our stay at the Alte Kass (The Old Bank) in Neidlingen has been excellent. Simone's recommendation of the Swabish gasthof (the only other eatery being Italian) delivered us a hearty Germanic meal last night. And we could have spent more time enjoying the village of Neidlingen. Not to mention the sound of church bells, regularly and at length. The Protestant church, a fine looking building, is right next door to our bedroom window so we have ringside seat.

Providing ear plugs was a nice touch, I thought. We left the packet unopened but apparently guests often complain about the noise of the bells. Why are they travelling in rural Germany, I wonder.

It's a late start after saying our farewells, and there's a long ride ahead Bruce has had the route planned for some months - and has been regularly reminding me that we'll be starting the day with a 450 metre climb over 8 km. I'm not sure multiple reminders are necessary but there is certainly no surprise when we leave town, turn right and immediately start going UP. It's steep and not always rideable.

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But what a fantastic ride it is!

We stay up high for a morning of huge skies, vast landscapes, sweeping downhills on paved paths, and the occasional forest trails. At breakfast, Simone checked Bruce's route and told us of a road closure but . . . The language barrier leaves us in some doubt.

Not 15 minutes later, we're standing in front of a barrier - not language this time, but solid pipe and mesh. Do we take this shortcut or don't we? What will we encounter at the other end? Fortuitously, a young couple cycle up to the barrier. He's wearing an important-looking ranger uniform. We broach the subject with trepidation. The road will be closed for the next 10 years, he says, due to the danger from rockfalls. His job somehow involves taking a daily photo of the barrier. He doesn't directly answer my question but points out that there are risks involved if we cycle on the road, the alternative route. So, what's it to be, cars or rocks?? We take this as an unspoken yes, thank them (and chat about his Kiwi mate who lives in the next village) and take the less risky route. Sensible chap!

Here's the barrier fence (from the other end; I forgot to record the bottom end) with the young ranger and his partner both risking rockfall in the line of duty

Picturesque, I thought, and included for tractor lovers

The day gets better. We discover that one is allowed to find an open bakery/cafe and enjoy a morning coffee and treat - especially if one is wearing tight lycra and clickety-clackety shoes, as most of its clientele seem to be this morning.

The route continues on the high tops but gradually losing altitude. We stop for lunch when a seat in the woods turns up, and watch a steady stream of cyclists and walkers pass by with a cup of tea and Simone's filled roll in hand. It's a steep drop from here down to Ulm.

The route through Ulm is easy, following a train line for some time until delivering us onto the bank of our old friend, the Danube. Older and grubbier, I have to say, than the pristine waterway we met on the way to Vissingen last Sunday.

The Ulm Minster towers over the city; no surprise then to learn that it's the tallest church in the world . . .

. . .at 161 metres high. It's been here in some form since 1377 but was finally completed in 1890.

Summery atmosphere on the banks of the Danube, where we stopped for cold refreshments

Let's hurry to our destination now. It's an easy ride to Leipheim, following the Donau Radweg. We lose sight of the river not long after Ulm but it's never far away. Our hotel is on the edge of town in a large light industrial estate and turns out to be more of an NZ-style two-storey motel block. The check-in procedure is automated, key-less and human-less so we have no qualms in dragging our bikes up the outside staircase and into our room.

We're all very cosy in here.

Today's ride: 72 km (45 miles)
Total: 516 km (320 miles)

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Toni LinkI like the colors in the tractor photograph!
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3 months ago

Barbara TameHi Robin I know u have finished but its taken me a while to get on the site...and I am loving your writing and your pics...a truely fantastic trip..cant wait for the rest.Barb Picton
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2 months ago

Robyn RichardsThanks, Barb!
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2 months ago