From Ulm, the route leads clockwise through wide orchards and hop gardens, through the hills in the attractive Alpine foothills with distant views of Lake Constance and the Swiss Alps, past the moors and small lakes of the Wurzacher and Federsee-Ried. This area is also home to three prehistoric pile-dwelling settlements, which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Culinary delights await you far beyond Kässpätzle with fried onions. In many rustic country inns, Swabian hospitality is still celebrated with regional specialities and traditionally brewed beer. A tip for those interested in culture are the sights of the Upper Swabian Baroque, such as the Benedictine Abbey in Ochsenhausen, Schussenried Monastery and the castle in Bad Wurzach. A visit to one of the wellness temples in the Upper Swabian spa region, which traditionally use peat as a remedy, helps to relieve tired legs and aching muscles.
Character
Around a quarter of the routes run along quiet side roads and low-traffic district roads. There are short sections on moderately and heavily trafficked country roads. The rest is on country lanes, forest tracks and cycle paths, which sometimes have longer climbs.
Route
Ulm - Ochsenhausen - Bad Wurzach - Leutkirch - Isny - Wangen - Tettnang - Markdorf - Aulendorf - Bad Saulgau - Bad Buchau - Ehingen - Ulm.
The route is signposted throughout.
Tour combinations
Connection to the Danube-Lake Constance cycle path and Danube cycle path
Arrival/means of transport
Arrival and departure by train to Ulm, DB cyclists' hotline on 0180 6 99 66 33. www.bahn.de
The route passes the railway stations in Laupheim, Leutkirch, Wangen im Allgäu, Markdorf, Aulendorf, Bad Saulgau and Erbach en route in order to shorten or bridge routes if necessary.
Cycle-friendly accommodation
Hotel Garni Lehrertal in Ulm, www.lehrertal.de
Brauereigasthof Engel in Isny, www.engel-isny.de
Württemberger Hof in Bad Saulgau, www.wuerttembergerhof-badsaulgau.de
Hotel-Pension Stern in Bad Buchau, www.stern-badbuchau.de
Maps & Literature
Bikeline cycle tour book with maps 1:50,000 "Donau-Bodensee-Radweg, Oberschwaben-Allgäu-Weg", 112 pages, 12.90 euros.
Brochure "Cycle routes between the Danube and Lake Constance" (with route and overview map) to order or download from Oberschwaben Tourismus
Information (general)
Tourist information about the region is available from Oberschwaben-Tourismus, Neues Kloster 1, 88427 Bad Schussenried, Tel. 07583/331060, www.oberschwaben-tourismus.de
The complete article was published in Trekkingbike issue 5/2015. You can read the entire issue in the Trekkingbike app (iTunes and Google Play) or order the issue in the DK shop.
