The MTB region Bamberg
Bamberg is located in the Bavarian region of Upper Franconia, around 60 kilometres north of Nuremberg and 60 kilometres west of Bayreuth. Its population of around 75,000 is supplemented by numerous students who breathe a good dose of dynamism into the old town. Bamberg's status as a World Heritage Site confirms its importance as the historical centre of the region. There is no doubt that the winding old town centre with the town hall in the middle of the Regnitz is a must-see. The same goes for the mighty, four-towered cathedral. The region is characterised by the valleys of the Regnitz, the Main and the Main-Danube Canal, which starts in Bamberg parallel to the Regnitz. The so-called Bamberger Land region includes the Haßberge mountains to the north of the city, the Steigerwald forest to the south and the foothills of Franconian Switzerland to the east. Bikers can therefore expect a hilly, gentle low mountain range landscape. There are numerous climbs, the longest of which cover around 150 metres in altitude at a time. If you want to extend your radius of action beyond the local tours, there are three signposted routes of up to 50 kilometres in length in Heiligenstadt, around 20 kilometres east of Bamberg.
Tour 1 Friesener Warte
- Length: 45.7 kilometres
- Uphill: 610 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: medium
- Journey time: 3.5 hours
Tour description
The tour leads eastwards out of the city to the edge of Franconian Switzerland. Shortly after the start, you can watch cargo ships travelling into the Main-Danube Canal at the Bamberg lock. Only the locals know the forest and root trails towards Geisfeld. After Griess Keller, the ascent to Friesener Warte follows, and it's tougher than you'd expect. The most beautiful panorama in the region awaits at the edge of the glider airfield. Km 35: Please only cross the Regnitz by ferry - crossing the railway bridge is not permitted and can result in a fine. The final highlight is the five-kilometre-long Indian trail, which ends just before the gates of Bamberg.
Starting point
Free Park&Ride car park at Heinrichsdamm (Bamberg Süd, Main-Danube Canal). Camper tip: There is also an official caravan park here.
Highlights
Trail on the summit plateau of the Friesener Warte (km 20). Indian trail through the Bruderwald forest (km 36)
Key points
The trails between Bamberg and Geisfeld are somewhat overgrown, depending on the season. At the Friesener Warte (cliff edge), be sure to show consideration for nature!
Retreat
Griess cellar in Geisfeld (km 13.5)
Tour 2: Bamberg local trails
- Length: 32 kilometres
- Uphill: 545 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: easy
- Journey time: 2:15 hours
Tour description
Directly from the historic centre, you walk past the cathedral up to Altenburg Castle. On the meadows below the castle, you have the best view over the roofs and towers of the city. After a small rollercoaster behind the summit, you could cut straight across to the trail park. But the route first makes a loop in the south of Bamberg. Because the Indian trail is even more fun out of town. The route continues along trails on the Distelberg and past the Wolfsbrunnteich pond. One last climb in the Michelsberg forest and you end up right at the start of the newly built trails. What will it be for the finale? Flow, enduro or jumpline?
Starting point
Bamberg centre at the old town hall. Travelling by bike is recommended. Car park tip: free Park&Ride at Heinrichsdamm (see also Start Tour 1)
Highlights
View from the Altenburg (km 2.3). Indian trail through the Bruderwald forest (km 6.3). Bamberg trail park (km 28.5).
Key points
The paths and trails can be ridden without any major difficulties. Selection in the trail park depending on ability
Tour 3: Hassberge
- Length: 44.2 kilometres
- Uphill: 500 metres in altitude
- Difficulty: easy
- Journey time: 2.5 hours
Tour description
Bikers are more likely to love the Hassberge mountains than hate them. Because they are criss-crossed with flowing trails. The ride along the Main between Dörfleins and Baunach is also great fun. After an espresso in the café of the well-known bike parts wholesaler, the trail-heavy climb to Stufenburg is just right. The route continues undulating to the Mönchsweiher pond, which is surrounded by its own small network of trails. The route then follows the Rennweg for a while, a historic courier route over the ridges of the Haßberge. The final descent from the Kreuzberg leads back into the Main valley. Alternative: For a shorter tour, start in Dörfleins (Hallstadt) or Baunach.
Starting point
Bamberg centre at the old town hall. Travelling by bike is recommended. Car park tip: free Park&Ride at Heinrichsdamm (see also Start Tour 1)
Highlights
Trail section over the Stufenburg ruins (km 20-22), including a challenging ascent. Fun trails at Mönchsweiher (km 27) and from Kreuzberg into the Main valley (km 32). But also the dirt track directly in front of the Messingschlager concept store!
Key points
All trails are easily rideable for bikers with solid riding technique. Short, somewhat more challenging passages every now and then
Retreat
Messingschlager Concept Bike-Café (km 18), Dillerkeller in Dörfleins (km 34).
GPS data for the MTB trails around Bamberg
Info about the Bamberg biking area
Franconian Rome, Little Venice - Bamberg is given many nicknames. In fact, the city and its new designated bike trails have an almost Mediterranean flair.
Arrival
RailwayBamberg is perfectly connected to the Deutsche Bahn network, including the ICE railway line. Bicycles can be taken on all trains or must be reserved. Info: www.bahn.de
CarBamberg is located at the motorway junction A70 (east-west Bayreuth-Schweinfurt) and A73 (north-south Nuremberg-Erfurt). Distance from Munich 230 km, from Frankfurt/M. 215 km and from Leipzig 250 km.
Overnight stay
Bamberg is very popular with tourists due to its historic old town. Even in the low season, it is therefore a good idea to book accommodation in advance. Especially in the city centre. For example, at the bike-friendly Hotel Tandem directly on the banks of the Regnitz, just a stone's throw from the nightlife. Quieter alternative: Cyclists are also in good hands at the Landgasthof Büttel in Geisfeld. Although it is located a few kilometres outside the city, you can be on the trails in no time at all.
Maps
Compass maps no. 167 "Nördlicher Steigerwald" and no. 171 "Südliche Fränkische Schweiz" (scale 1:50000).
Bike shop
The Bamberg bike shop for spare parts, repairs and tips. The four-strong bike shop team is Bamberg's centre of expertise in all areas of cycling. Steinweg 4a, www.radladen-bamberg.de
Organiser
Sundayrides - the mountain bike school: MTB coach Oliver Sonntag and his team pass on all their experience as enduro racers. In addition to riding technique courses and camps at home and abroad, guided tours in the region are offered on request. Bike hire is also planned. www.sundayrides.de
General information
Bamberg Tourismus, Geyerswörthstraße 5, 96047 Bamberg, Tel. 0951/2976-200, www.bamberg.info
Scene highlights
The trail park
Since June 2022, the trails on the Michelsberg near the city centre have finally been open to bikers. There are four routes to choose from: Flowline, Enduroline, Jumpline and a Kidsline. Up-to-date information can always be found on the website of the operator association Zweiradsportler Bamberg, www.zrs-bamberg.de or on their Facebook page.
There is also a dirt jump course on the club grounds, but this is only open to the public during events. Other bike playgrounds in the region: Litzendorf pump track (9 km from Bamberg), the Messingschlager Baunach dirt track (12 km from Bamberg), Burgebrach pump track (15 km away).
Little Venice
In addition to the famous old town hall, which was built in the middle of the Regnitz river, the Little Venice district is a particular highlight. The half-timbered houses of this medieval fishermen's settlement were built close to the north bank of the Regnitz, with their own moorings in the tiny front gardens. A walk along the opposite bank offers the best view of this picturesque row.
Eat / Drink / Celebrate
The Upper Franconia region scores highly with beer fans thanks to its incredible density of breweries. Almost every village has its own small brewery with its own cellar. This is the name given to the beer gardens that were once set up directly above the cool storage facilities. In Bamberg itself, 13 breweries ensure a constant supply of barley juice. Bamberg's status as a student city also favours the development of the pub scene.
- Schlenkerla: One of two breweries that still brew the unusual Bamberg smoked beer. Old Town, Dominikanerstraße 6.
- Mahrs Bräu: typical Bamberg inn, naturally also with its own brewery. Popular for regional dishes such as Schäuferla (pork shoulder) or Gerupfter, a type of Obazda (Wunderburg 10).
- Stöhrenkeller: Not a cellar in the Franconian sense, but an inn popular with the locals with varied cuisine. Relatively close to the old town, but not so crowded (Oberer Stephansberg 11).
- Kawenzmann: Bamberg's cocktail paradise in the backyard (Lange Straße 13).
- The pelican: Franconian wok cuisine. Ingenious! (Untere Sandstraße 45).
The BIKE Report: Studying law
Even Oliver is speechless. In the middle of the most beautiful flow, we are abruptly stopped by a sign. It talks about private land. And of mortal danger for mountain bikers if they cross the brushwood barrier and continue on.
"I came down here just a few weeks ago," says Oliver. "Nice forest path, completely easy." Danger to life? The question is in what form. A rogue who thinks evil of it. But you can literally see Oliver's disappointment. After all, it's the worst-case scenario for a local who wants to show you the best trails around his home town. On the other hand, the incident does have a positive side. It shows how important initiatives by bikers like Oliver are, who are campaigning for better co-operation between mountain bikers, forest owners and other forest users with their trail-building project. But more on that later. For now, let's not spoil the fun. We quickly find a way round the chicane and continue our ride through the eastern Bamberg countryside. Apart from Oliver and me, we are Maike and Philipp from Frankfurt. The two of them are actually on their way on holiday with their camper.
"Checking out a few bike parks in the Alps," says Philipp. "And to improve our skills, we booked a day of riding technique training with Oliver as a kind of warm-up." The fact that the trainer combines the lessons with a tour is a new experience in this case. "We're not normally uphill riders," he adds with a grin. However, there is no sign of this. Quite the opposite. As our route climbs steeply up to the Friesener Warte, the region's most famous panoramic mountain, I can only see the rear wheels of the group from a distance. I would say that none of them need a lift. And even on the descents, when the teaching topic is line choice and cornering technique, I'm basically the one who needs a bit of instruction. This is how we work our way through the fading waves of the Franconian Jura. A picturesque landscape that local tourism experts like to refer to as Franconian Tuscany. Even though the beverage of choice is beer instead of wine. After all, Upper Franconia boasts the highest density of breweries in the world. The love of barley juice does not even stop at sport. At this year's brewery run, a real marathon, beer will of course be served at the refreshment stations. I like this attitude to life.
You can tell how much love and passion the locals put into this project. Every jump is perfect and the berms mesh smoothly like cogwheels - Maike Schäfer, trail visitor from Frankfurt
We, on the other hand, still have to earn our after-work beer. As the last highlight of the tour, Oliver guides us along the so-called Indian Trail. The long single trail, whose origin of the name could not be clarified despite all the research, winds its way through the - attention: Bruderwald. This term has nothing to do with the blood brotherhood of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, but presumably goes back to the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages. Be that as it may. With its countless waves and bends, the Indian trail could easily pass as a blueprint for the ideal single trail. This can also be seen in the broad grins of the two guests from Frankfurt. It's quite possible that Oliver got some ideas for building his own flowline in the Bruderwald. We'll soon see. Because the second part of the riding school, the detention so to speak, is to take place in the afternoon in the future Bamberg trail park. Until then, we take a stroll through the old town centre. Every metre in the narrow streets breathes history. Not always romantically, however, as the persecution of witches and executions reached their sad climax behind the city walls in the Middle Ages. The harbour and the historic jetties bear witness to its importance as a trading centre at the intersection of the Regnitz and Main rivers.
The city is basically a gigantic, walk-in monument. A cosy one at that. A snack at the snack bar. An ice cream sundae at the old town hall. Chilling out on the banks of the Regnitz. A handful of young people enjoy the sun on the Lower Bridge, one of two that connect the town hall with the mainland. But it's not always this tranquil under the half-timbered gables. Especially at weekends in the high season, the town is literally flooded with tourists. "In the evening, the bridge is really busy," says Oliver, adding. "Sometimes, unfortunately, too much of a good thing." In recent years, Bamberg has even appeared in the tabloid headlines from time to time as a notorious party mile.
However, there is consistently positive news to report from the Bamberg mountain bike scene. Freshly fortified and recharged with new motivation to learn, we pedal straight from the city centre up to Altenburg Castle and on into the Michelsberg Forest. The three lines of the new trail park, which can safely be described as Oliver's baby, start at a small clearing. "A difficult birth," groans the Bamberg local as he opens the barrier chain exclusively for us. "The negotiations took almost three years until the ground-breaking ceremony." One catalyst was the fact that illegal trail building had recently increased significantly. A problem that countless communities in Germany are facing today.
We were also lucky that the district forester was in favour of the idea right from the start," Oliver continues.
Nevertheless, it took many discussions and almost a dozen inspections of the site to reach the final decision. In the end, the city also agreed to the project. On the enduro line, Oliver explains to Maike and Philipp the basics of jumping and how to elegantly manoeuvre through berms. On one of the descents, we meet Oliver's mate Daniel, chainsaw at the ready. He is in the process of cutting out the missing sections. He is doing this in his spare time on a voluntary basis, as are all the other club members. "It's all manual labour," explains Daniel. "To build one metre of trail, ten men have to spend about an hour wielding pickaxes and shovels. Heavy equipment is not allowed." And as if to prove that the plans have worked out, the locals shoot themselves metres high over the kickers at the end of the session. Maike and Philipp can only look on in amazement.
We round off the day at the Schlenkerla, probably Bamberg's most traditional pub. Over a smoked beer, Oliver philosophises about future plans. If everything goes well, then the trails close to the city should serve as an initial spark for further legalisations in the surrounding area. Despite all the optimism, there are unfortunately still plenty of hotspots in this region, as we were able to experience for ourselves on our tour to the Friesener Warte. The behaviour of bikers is also crucial. They need to be willing to give up the illegal routes in favour of the legal trails. But at least a good start has been made.
