On the Romantic Road from Gersthofen to Donauwörth
Tuesday May 29, 2018
Today was perhaps our favorite of the four-day tour. First we returned to the Lech, this time a dirt path between the river and the canal although you seldom caught a glimpse of water. It was cool with high trees to either side, but more a kind of jungle atmosphere. We enjoyed ten kilometers along this quiet path.
For a start, straight as an arrow between the Lech and canal
Off the enbankment and closer to the river - it had a bit of a jungle feeling for me.
A bicycle outing that didn't end well
After about 10 km we reach the bridge over the Lech canal.
Looking back where we came from, the paths along the canal
A view of the Lech looking in the other direction
We now head west and then north and have a lovely ride through open countryside, fields of grain, and yes, some more churches. I'm not posting them all, but it is a delight to spy and explore another little church, often a pilgrimage church, perched on the hill.
Everything is green now. Note the three hunter's hides. Not a safe place for deer.
I think this must be rye with its long, thin spikes.
Red poppies fringe the fields.
Kloster Holzen, previously a Benedictine abbey, was converted into a hotel in 2011. It also houses a workshop and living quarters for people with special needs.
Holzen Abbey was established in 1698.
The baroque interior of the abbey church
We find a nice picnic spot outside the walls surrounding Holzen Abbey.
It's another 16 km before we reach Donauwörth, our destination for the day. I don't take any more pictures until we reach Donauwörth although the route continues to be scenic. It's that afternoon syndrome where we just keep pedaling and don't stop very often for pictures. However, when we ride up the main street of Donauwörth we are again motivated to get out our cameras. But first we stop in a cafe for a cool drink and to plan the next step of our journey.
We consider booking a room ten kilometers down the road, or just taking the train from here, or or or ... We haven't made any concrete plans after Donauwörh. I look up from my fizzy water and see Hotel Goldener Hirsch next door to the cafe. Why don't we stay here? Janos pops over to the hotel out of curiosity, expecting it to either be full or too expensive due to its central location. But then he comes back with keys for the room and bicycle garage! That settled the question for today.
We are staying in Donauwörth. And a good decision it was. We stow our bikes in the garage, carry our bags up to our room and get cleaned up. Ready for a walk around town. Here we have some end-of-the-day pictures. Donauwörth has lovely historic buildings and we are again busy with our cameras.
We consider booking a room ten kilometers down the road, or just taking the train from here, or or or ... We haven't made any concrete plans after Donauwörh. I look up from my fizzy water and see Hotel Goldener Hirsch next door to the cafe. Why don't we stay here? Janos pops over to the hotel out of curiosity, expecting it to either be full or too expensive due to its central location. But then he comes back with keys for the room and bicycle garage! That settled the question for today.
We are staying in Donauwörth. And a good decision it was. We stow our bikes in the garage, carry our bags up to our room and get cleaned up. Ready for a walk around town. Here we have some end-of-the-day pictures. Donauwörth has lovely historic buildings and we are again busy with our cameras.
Donauwörth is situated at the confluence of the Danube and Wörnitz.
Our hotel, Goldener Hirsch, with the cafe next door
Gothic interior of the Liebfrauenmünster, Donauwörth
In the church Liebfrauenmünster, stained glass windows depict two different nativity scenes. I like the hats in the lower front, denoting the pastoral scene and the royalty scene.
We roam the streets of Donauwörth and then cross the bridge to another part of town on an island in the Wörnitz. Time for relaxing and an aperol spritz. By the way, that's the trendy thing to drink. It's good and it's photogenic, too.
Color coordinated, drinking our aperol spritz
Relaxing