Franconian Beer Message Board

Biking Around

Posted by Nick B. on 2006-07-23 02:45:05

I've taken a first, rough crack at writing a sort of guide to brewery/keller bike tours. Eventually, I will take a second crack at it, and then maybe even a third, but these days I prefer to spend my time actually biking around rather than writing about it. More challenging (but also more rewarding) tours will be added later--and I'll write them in Deutsch too! ### Easy Franconian Brewery/Bierkeller Bike Tours From Bamberg (distances from Bamberg Zentrum): 1. Viereth (8km) and then on to Weiher (11km). Of course Bischberg is about half-way along this easy stretch. From Viereth to Weiher, it's a bit uphill, however, but not too steep--about 35m elevation gain. 2. Memmelsdorf (6km), Drosendorf (7.5km), and then on to Merkendorf (10.5km). About 25m elevation gain from Drosendorf to Merkendorf. 3. More challenging: To Litzendorf (8km with a steady but not steep uphill route) and then either north uphill to Schammelsdorf (9.5km), farther east and gradually uphill to Tiefenellern (13km), or SE and uphill to Melkendorf (10.5km). Overall about 110m elevation gain for the Schammelsdorf & Melkendorf options; 145m gain to Tiefenellern. 4. Geisfeld (9km, 120m elevation gain) has two wonderful breweries, one with a great Keller. From there it's downhill to Roßdorf am Forst (11.5km) with the beautiful Keller there--though the beer is not the most exciting in the area. Loop back to Bamberg through the woods, making the trip about 21 km total. If you hop a train with the bikes to one of several nearby towns (bikes can be taken on the train for free as far south as Forchheim, and as far as I know as far north as the border of Bavaria and Thüringen--south of Forchheim you have to pay extra for the bikes), your choices multiply. There are two types of trains to consider: Regional Bahn trains and Regional Express. RB's stop at every station, but are old trains and their doors are not designed for bike access--it takes a bit of work to get a bike up through the doors. The RE's were updated in 2005 with new, faster, and nicer trains into which it is pitifully easy to walk a bike. RE's stop at Hirschaid and Forchheim. The tours from Strullendorf and Buttenheim can be easily made from Hirschaid, just as the ones from Eggolsheim can be made from Forchheim. From Strullendorf: 1. Roßdorf am Forst is 4km, and then Geisfeld is 6.5km, with a relatively steep 50m climb. 2. Over the Main-Donau Kanal, and then over the Regnitz with a little ferry (3km), then through Pettstadt and on to the awesome Schmausenkeller outside of Reundorf (8km). From Hirschaid: 1. Röbersdorf is about 6km, and then on to Herrnsdorf--9km or 10.5km if you take the quieter bike route through Schlüsselau. Herrnsdorf's beer, however...Sambach is just another 3.5km farther west. From Buttenheim (n.b. the Bahnhof is actually in Altendorf; B-heim is 2km E): 1. Buttenheim's two Keller (2km) are great. Dreuschendorf's brewery (3.5km) doesn't have a regular Gasthaus, but if there's somebody there working, ask if you can try some beers. On to Gunzendorf (5km) with Br. Sauer's Gasthaus and their awesome Keller on the Senftenberg--an extra 1km 70m steep climb, but beautiful and walkable if the biking is too tough. Drügendorf is at 8km. You can head on from here to Weigelshofen (11km) and then on to Eggolsheim for the Keller there (15km) and then to Eggolsheim Bahnhof (17km). From Eggolsheim (Bahnhof is actually in Neuses; E-heim is 1km E): 1. Schlammersdorf and Br. Witzgall is about 2.8km west. From there on to Hallerndorf (5.5km) (through Trailsdorf--this way is quieter although it adds an extra 20m climb). Both breweries in this Dorf have Keller(s) IN the Dorf, but then also on top of the Kreuzberg (8km--steep but also walkable 1.3km climb), where there's a third Keller--from Friedel in nearby Schnaid. Back downhill and on to Stiebarlimbach for the spectacular Roppelt's Keller (10km). This route is perilous because of the amount of beer--be careful and pace yourself. From towns north and west of Bamberg, the possibilities are just as numerous, if not more. But I personally just haven't explored much up that way yet, since I live to the south. Only RB trains stop at these Bahnhöfe. 1. From Zapfendorf Bahnhof, about 4km to Ebing's cute brewery, then on to Höfen (7km) and then Freudeneck (9km). 2. From Baunach Bahnhof, about 5km to Appendorf's adorable brewery...really a special little place. 3. From Ebelsbach, Stettfeld is 4.5km along the bike road. Staffelbach is at 8km, but I haven't been there yet. From there, skip the brewery at Oberhaid (14km), but do head on to Dörfleins and the excellent brewery there (17km). Then a couple km farther to Hallstadt, with its Bahnhof, or from there back to Bamberg (22km). I highly recommend the purchase of a good biking or hiking map; I use this Fritsch map all the time: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/3861160668/302-5626655-7517650?v=glance&n=299956 Also worth mentioning is the Kompass Fränkische Schweiz map, though it covers the area to the SE of Bamberg, not to the N or W: http://www.amazon.de/gp/product/385491122X/302-0817970-3800011?v=glance&n=299956 These maps can be found at the magazine shop at Bamberg Bahnhof, as well as at the book store at the Grüner Markt(?). 1:50,000 is a good resolution for these tours, IMO. I can also provide GPS data files for any of these routes...email me at erlangernick@poop.de for more info. (Replace the poop with yahoo, of course.)

Biking Around by Edo/Bierkoning on 2006-07-24 00:16:35

Biking Around by Mark Jamison on 2006-07-24 02:32:44

Biking Around by Nick B. on 2006-07-24 13:30:52

Biking Around by JosB on 2006-07-24 14:20:23

Biking Around by Fred Waltman on 2006-07-24 20:48:55

Mark: Are you here? by Nick B. on 2006-08-03 09:35:48

Sorry about the downturn in the weather, BTW! (nt) by Nick B. on 2006-08-03 09:39:56

Mark: Are you here? by Mark Jamison on 2006-08-04 04:33:05

Mark: Are you here? by Nick B. on 2006-08-06 02:34:10