Day 2: Paterzell - Gauting
Sunday June 13, 2021
We wake to a sunny Sunday. Our chosen route takes us first to Eibenwald, a protected yew forest with some very ancient trees. We have been there before and just stop by for a quick look.
We wake to a sunny Sunday. Our chosen route takes us first to Eibenwald, a protected yew forest with some very ancient trees. We have been there before and just stop by for a quick look.
Janos in good spirits, getting his bike set up for the day
Countryside with chapels and farms
Luxuriant gardens on the wayside
We stop by the yew forest
The paths aren't meant for cyclists so we only wander a short distance.
Our next and last monastery is at Wessobrunn. According to the legend, it was again Tassilo III of Bavaria, who, prompted by a dream, founded the monastery,
The legend: “In the year 753 Tassilo is out hunting with companions Wezzo and Taringeri. He spends the night in a tent and in his dream he sees a ladder to heaven with angels and St. Peter. At the foot of the ladder he sees three springs that flow together in the shape of a cross. The next morning, Wezzo found these springs and Tassilo had a monastery built here. "
The legend: “In the year 753 Tassilo is out hunting with companions Wezzo and Taringeri. He spends the night in a tent and in his dream he sees a ladder to heaven with angels and St. Peter. At the foot of the ladder he sees three springs that flow together in the shape of a cross. The next morning, Wezzo found these springs and Tassilo had a monastery built here. "
The site of the three springs
The extensive monastery buildings
After having been occupied by the Benedictine Missionary Nuns for 99 years, in 2012 the buildings were sold to a cosmetic company, a step probably necessitated by the dwindling number of nuns and the substantial cost for the upkeep of the aging monastery.
Church of St. John the Baptist and the bell tower and defensive tower of the demolished Wessobrunn monastery church
Church pews No. 200 and No. 201
Church doors
Please don't lean you bikes on the walls
Walls surrounding the monastery grounds
From Wessobrunn we have some lovely roads and open countryside, then more excellent paved roads through the woods which eventually deteriorate into a very bumpy and uncomfortable ride for a distance which seemed not wanting to end but was only six kilometers.
Our route now takes us down to Ammersee
A colorful bench in fields of hay
We are now in Diessen on the southern tip of Ammersee and yes, there is one more church to visit.
Upon entering Diessen, a rather dilapidated building with some interesting wood sculptures
And a picturesque window
Marienmünster in Diessen
The cathedral in Dießen is another beautiful example of the baroque splendor in Upper Bavaria.
Cathedral door
We will follow the west shore of Ammersee to its northern tip. Today is Sunday and the splendid weather has brought thousands of visitors to the sometimes shared walking and bike paths. Had I known I would have planned our route differently but now the only answer to the situation is patience.
Lovely Ammersee
The last 20 km from Ammersee home are on familiar territory.
Before we reach Wessling we come across this lovely bucolic scene. While the shepherd watched over his flock, the well trained sheep dog diligently rounded up the strays and kept the flock together.
We hadn't felt tempted to stop to eat on the lake, too many people, but now we are hungry. We set our sights on the beer garden in Unterbrunn. The food is good, the beer is good and after another five kilometers we are home.
Gasthaus Högner in Unterbrunn
In three days we are leaving for a longer tour, finally. We already postponed it a week due to a discouraging forecast of heavy rain and thunder storms. The forecast for next week doesn't look too much better but we will ride regardless. Until the next journal, auf wiedersehen!
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