The tour
The eight-thousand-metre tour starts in Sankt Englmar and covers a total of 50.8 kilometres and 1630 metres in altitude. It climbs over the peaks of Pröller (1048 m), Predigtstuhl (1024 m), Knogl (1056 m), Kälberbuckel (1053 m), Hirschenstein (1095 m), Klausenstein (1050 m), Rauher Kulm (1020 m) and Vogelsang (1022 m). There aren't necessarily any long climbs, but the constant ups and downs do take their toll. You should therefore plan five to six hours of pure riding time. In terms of riding technique, the route remains in the S0 to S1 difficulty range on gravel and slightly rooty forest paths.
If the eight thousand metres in one day is too much for you, you can also split the tour with overnight stay in Gotteszell into a two-day tour (1st stage: 33.1 km and 980 m elevation gain, 2nd stage: 17.8 km and 650 m elevation gain).
You can download the complete travel article "Germany: Bavarian Forest" from BIKE 7/2020 as a PDF in the download area below.
Journey
From Munich via the A92 to Deggendorf and on the A3 to the Schwarzach motorway exit. Also from the south-east (Passau). Continue on well signposted country roads to Sankt Englmar (180 km/2 h from Munich; 80 km/1 h from Passau). From the north-west (Regensburg), leave the A3 motorway at the Bogen exit and take the state road 2139 to Sankt Englmar (70 km/50 min}.
Overnight stay
The Hotel Sonnenhügel high above Sankt Englmar is the meeting place for the local mountain bike scene. Hotelier Tom Karl is a thoroughbred biker himself and knows exactly what his guests need: reliable information, a cosy atmosphere, a panoramic sun terrace after the tour - and an affordable menu rich in carbohydrates. Overnight accommodation including breakfast costs 31 euros per person.
Retreat
The described tour runs between Sankt Englmar and Gotteszell constantly over lonely mountain ridges. There are therefore no refreshment stops. Not even at the Ödwies forester's lodge. The same applies to fountains: Apart from the Saustein spring (on the ascent to Pröller) and the fountain near the Regensburger Stein (on the ascent to Vogelsang), there are no refill points for your water bottle. So make sure you take enough provisions with you! Only in Gotteszell - i.e. after all eight summits - can you refuel, e.g. at the Hackerbräu inn. You can also spend the night here if you want to split the tour over two days.
Map
Compass map "Bavarian Forest", sheet 198 (scale 1:50000), price: 16 euros.
Guided tours
Bayerwald-Bike from Viechtach is the expert for mountain bike trips in the "Woid". Karen Widmann and her guiding team organise a wide range of tours from flow trails around the Geißkopf to "Enduro Tiefenräusche" and the six-day Bayerwald-Cross XXL - and also offer riding technique workshops and mechanic courses.
You can find this article in BIKE 7/2020. You can read the entire digital edition in the BIKE app (iTunes and Google Play) or the print edition in the DK shop reorder - while stocks last:
Webreader: https://kiosk.delius-klasing.de/
DK Kiosk app for Apple: https://apps.apple.com/at/app/delius-klasing-kiosk/id1588235359
DK Kiosk app for Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=delius.klasing.android
