Wuerttemberg’s Weinradweg (Wine Cycle Route) complements this German state’s long-distance, wine-themed hiking trail, and extends a bit further south as well. When it comes to wine trails, both the hiking trail and this biking trail fall in the category of extensive. I had already hiked, and really enjoyed, parts of the 470 kilometers/292 miles-long hiking trail. I wanted to explore the bike trail as well.
Since I knew I would never complete the whole route, I decided to cover new ground, the area south of Stuttgart, along the Neckar River, one section of Wuerttemberg’s wine country that the complementary hiking route does not reach. Looking at the trail map, it is easy to see that the very first segment lends itself nicely to a circuit route: starting from Rottenburg am Neckar, and going to Tubingen, via the Ammerbuch valley, and returning to Rottenburg along the easy, popular and well-marked Neckar Valley bike trail.
The state of Baden-Wuerttemberg is Germany’s third largest in land size. Therefore, it is not surprising that its trails are so long! Passing through the territory, you encounter great variety of terrain and vegetation. In the Wuerttemberg part of the state, the vineyards tend to follow closely along the rivers, which mostly are the Neckar River and its numerous tributaries. The part of the route I completed, temporarily left the Neckar, and followed the Ammer River valley, one of the Neckar tributaries.
Once out of Rottenburg am Neckar, the official start for this trail, I found myself cycling through farm country. Rolling hills were covered with a variety of agricultural products. The south facing slopes held the vines, flatter lands were devoted to grains and vegetables, and fruit trees punctuated the landscape. No single crop, monolithic agricultural practices here: it was farming on a smaller scale, providing a visual patchwork of colors and textures along the way.
Here and there were villages. These were villages largely without any tourism infrastructure. Restaurants only open a few evenings a week, only a couple of hotels throughout, no public toilets in sight. Thus, the route alternated between these villages and farmland, all the way north to Breitenholz, a lovely village set on the bottom of steep slopes covered with trees.
From here, the route followed the Ammer River (creek, more like it), all the way to the university town of Tuebingen. It is a very picturesque small city. The Ammer River and the trail reach the entrance to the old town center at the site of the Haagtor gate. The old town is well worth exploring, filled as it is with cafes, pubs, restaurants and scenic attractions. But the trail turns right at Haagtor, and proceeds through a long, pedestrian and cyclist-only tunnel, replete with lane markings, under the old palace, making this trail unique in my cycling history!
Stopping at the end of the tunnel, I was rewarded with a view of the palace on top of the hill I’d just cut under. More interesting though, just in front of me, were the punters on the Neckar, at least a dozen or so parties of students enjoying themselves on the river! I have never been to Oxford University (no vineyards), where students likewise often spend their free time on a river, but I would like to go punting someday, and Tuebingen offers, along with the regular rides, a delightful, wine-themed opportunity!
Crossing the bridge over the Neckar, the trail continues north along it (or close by it) for about 10 miles. But to make my circuit, I headed south along the river on the Neckartal Radweg. It followed partly along the river, and partly inland from it, returning to the start in Rottenburg, with its significant Roman-era past on display.
Thus, I completed the first 32 kilometers of the Wuerttemberger Weinradweg. Not quite one-tenth of the whole, I came to realize the magnitude of this trail: Only another 321 kilometers, and about another half-dozen Wuerttemberg wine districts to go!
