Trail Name: Mosel Radweg (Moselle Bike Trail)
Trail Type: Long distance bike trail; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, well-marked.
Length:
Total: (Thionville – Koblenz) approximately 277 kilometers/172 miles
My Segment: (Bernkastel – Cochem) approximately 80 kilometers/49.75 miles
Convenient to: Trier or Koblenz, Germany
Marking: A white letter M and white bicycle icon on a square green placard
One of the best known wine rivers in the world is the Moselle. It begins in France. Flowing north, it leaves France, and flows between Luxembourg and Germany, before entering the Rhine at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz, at the heart, if not soul, of western Germany. Like the Rhine, vineyards cover the slopes along the river, flooding down to the water’s edge. The slopes are some of the steepest in the world, and along with the dramatic twists and turns of the river, form indelible images to remain forever with visitors to the region.
Trail Name: Mosel Radweg
Trail Type: Long distance bike trail; almost exclusively paved, exceptionally well maintained, and very well-marked.
Length:
Total: (Thionville – Koblenz) approximately 277 kilometers/172 miles
My Segment: (Bernkastel – Cochem) approximately 80 kilometers/49.75 miles
Convenient to: Trier or Koblenz, Germany
Marking: White M and white bicycle icon on a square green placard
About 20 miles from Stuttgart, Germany, a real treat awaits wine-loving hikers: the Felsengarten Kellerei circuits. Therefore, the next two posts will cover two circuits of this small but highly accessible wine country.
Overcast, foggy and cool: a typical, late September day in Germany; but perfect for bike riding. Determined to bike along the Mittelrhein Wine Region this year, I could only hope for the happy coincidence of a break in the rain, and some free time. At least the rain held off, in spite of the leaden clouds overhead.
While I couldn’t pick the weather, I could pick the route. Having once taken a day cruise through the world heritage site of the Upper Middle Rhine, I decided to bike through the area for a closer look. It was a perfect choice as the Rhine Cycle Route stays on the left bank of the Rhine throughout this entire stretch. I narrowed it down even further. By starting at the edge of Boppard, near the vineyards, and ending in Bingen, I managed pass through or see two wine regions: the Mittelrhein, and the Rheingau on the opposite bank; and visit the best-known wine villages and river towns along the Upper Middle Rhine.
The resolve to bike along the Main River began with an earlier visit to the Veitshoechheim Palace and seeing the wide, asphalted bike path on the opposite shore in Margetshoechheim. The Main has always served as a commercial trading artery; barges, ferries, and even cruise ships nowadays, ply the waterway in an unending parade of river life. The Mainradweg trail offers bicyclists a fabulous opportunity to see all this activity, as well as some of Franconia’s most iconic vineyards and wine towns, on a leisurely ride along its gentle banks. It is easy to see why the 375-mile trail, which follows the river from east of Bayreuth to the Rhine at Wiesbaden, consistently wins awards in many categories: The route is well-marked, well-maintained, well-organized with bike-tourism services, and marvelously laid out – passing through idyllic countryside and picturesque villages and towns. It is extremely popular with German tourists, many of whom, judging from the overloaded panniers, complete several stages over a period of days.
What I Learned:
Along the Main River in Franconia (Franken, in German), there are three wine districts of good repute: Maindreieck, Mainviereck, and the Steigerwald, set slightly off the river, but still enjoying a climate mild enough to grow grapes. This post focuses on the Maindreieck district only.
Trail Name: Mainradweg (Main (River) Bike Trail)
Trail Type: Long distance cycling trail; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, mostly well marked.
Length:
Total: circa 375 km/233 miles
Segment: circa 70.5 km/44 miles
Convenient to: Wuerzburg, Bavaria, Germany
The Alto Adige is Italy’s name for the province beginning north of Trento, and continuing north to the Austrian border. Formerly a part of Austria, this bilingual region has another name for itself: the Suedtirol (South Tirol). In this area, grapes grow on the sunny side of the Dolomites mountains. To highlight its wine-making culture, landscape and traditions, the region has developed three biking circuits that allow wine-enthusiast bicyclists to explore this beautiful area.
Continue reading Alto Adige: A Trail of Lagrein and Sauvignon
