"It's great to ride", you hear from the front. The chain scrapes metallically over a few sprockets until the gear is right. Leaves rustle, branches crack, then the grinding sound of the studded tyres fades away. I see, "great to ride" - as soon as I realise this, Ricardo is already gone. I have exactly two problems with Ricardo. Firstly, staying on his rear wheel as he chases smoothly over his home trails in the Altmühltal. And secondly, to understand him when he explains the route in the broadest Upper Palatinate slang, tells stories or simply says that he likes it here.
Bike trails in the valleys of the Altmühl and its tributaries
The bike area just outside the city gates doesn't have to hide behind walls. The valleys of the Altmühl and its tributaries provide a striking change in the landscape of the Bavarian Jura. Approaching the region from the south or north, the eye initially finds few landmarks on the gently undulating plateau. But here, too, water once again shows itself to be the greatest master builder on earth. Millennium after millennium, the rivers have dug their way into the soft limestone. Time and again, white rock needles were left behind during the digging process, which today rise up from the forests on the steep banks like stalactites. We take a break on one of these obelisks. Falkenhorst is the name of the lookout, which, thank goodness, is secured with a railing. Without the barrier, only one step separates us from a 150 metre free fall into the lazy waters of the Altmühl. "It's beautiful up here," is how Richard sums it up without many words. The sky is a brilliant white-blue, a fresh breeze cools the hot muscle engines, and somehow we feel sorry for all the cyclists down there. The lindworm of children and cones pushes itself along the river. Not bad either, but what is a levelled cycle path compared to a trail with a view?
The fact that you can also have fun on a bike in the Altmühltal has not yet got around. That is about to change. The Dietfurt bikers want to signpost the tours presented. For the bike scene, that would be as smart as kicking out the tax inspector.
Just outside Regensburg: the idyllic Laabertal mountain bike valley
Richard urges us to set off. On the other side of the river, the trail over the Roßberg and an adventurous forest path on the Schwedenleite await. Not forgetting the mill trail through the Laabertal valley, where ancient water wheels still turn today. A hidden idyll, actually even more beautiful than the Altmühltal itself. Turning wheels - that's the keyword for Ricardo again. The path dives into the thicket with him. "This is super fun!" He's right. And I have to make sure I stay on it again.
You can find these mountain bike tours in the Altmühltal in the PDF download:
MTB tour 1: Altmühltal: Upstream to Wotansburg (31.20 km, 640 m elevation gain, 2 h 30 min)
MTB tour 2: Downstream to the Falkenhorst (34.50 km, 720 m elevation gain, 2 h 50 min)
MTB tour 3: Mill trails (30.57 km 653 m elevation gain 2 h 30 min)
