Cycle tour from Heidelberg to Lake Constance
Even the starting point is a highlight. You set off against the backdrop of Heidelberg Castle. The first few kilometres through the Rhine plain and through asparagus country towards Bruchsal and Bretten are ideal for warming up. But the hills of the Kraichgau and the heights of the Black Forest soon demand a solid level of fitness. A number of climbs are to be expected. The route leads to the gold town of Pforzheim, then along the rivers Enz and Nagold deep into the Black Forest valleys to the half-timbered towns of Calw and Nagold. The route is mainly on tarmac, occasionally on gravel paths. Heavy car traffic is to be expected at most when passing through a few towns. The route is signposted throughout with the red Heidelberg-Black Forest-Lake Constance Trail logo. From Donaueschingen onwards, long-distance cyclists can rejoice: most of the metres in altitude have been covered. Passing the largest castle ruins in Germany in Singen, you slowly but surely cycle to your destination at the western end of Lake Constance in Radolfzell.
Journey: The starting and finishing points of Heidelberg and Radolfzell are easily accessible by train. The return journey from Radolfzell takes 3-4 hours. www.bahn.de
Tour combinations:
Neckar Valley Cycle Route, Rhine Valley Cycle Route, Tour de Spargel, Kraichgau-Hohenlohe Route, Enztal Cycle Route, Danube Cycle Route, Lake Constance Cycle Route, Odenwald-Madonnen Route, Castle Road Cycle Route
Accommodation tips:
Hotel Regina in Heidelberg, www.hotel-regina.de
Hotel Koch garni in Bad Liebenzell, www.hotelkoch.com/de/
Hotel Kloster Hirsau in Calw, www.hotel-kloster-hirsau.de
Flair-Hotel Grüner Baum in Donaueschingen, www.flairhotel-gruenerbaum.de
Ringhotel Johanniterbad in Rottweil, johanniterbad.de
Worth seeing:
- Heidelberg Castle, www.schloss-heidelberg.de
- Hohentwiel Fortress in Singen, www.festungsruine-hohentwiel.de
- Old town centre of Nagold an der Enz, www.nagold.de
- "Hermann Hesse town" Calw with Hirsau Monastery, www.calw.de/Sehenswürdigkeiten
- Danube spring in Donaueschingen, www.donaueschingen.de/donauquelle
- Rottweil, the oldest town in Baden-Württemberg; www.rottweil.de
- Mettnau Tower near Radolfzell, marvellous view over Lake Constance; www.radolfzell-tourismus.de
Maps and literature:
Kompass large-scale cycle tour map "Baden-Württemberg Süd" 1:125,000. A PDF with detailed maps and description can be downloaded at www.tourismus-bw.de download and print.
Information:
www.tourismus-bw.de
The complete article was published in Trekkingbike issue 5/2017.
