Day 12 (12. Tag) 12th September
Kohlbachmuehle - Fall 63 kms (666 kms from start)
Kohlbachmuehle - Jochenstein - Niederranna - Grafenau - Obermuehl - Untermuehl - Aschach - Fall
Click here for Day 13 - Fall - Au a.d.Donau
The morning was dry but cloudy and somewhat humid. We set off at about 8.00 am - it was very hard to drag ourselves away from such a perfect campsite. We rode along the left bank of the Danube beside the road in the morning mist. The views were just lovely - it was a great day to be alive. My bicycle behaved itself - the replacement wheel worked well, although we were both pretty careful not to go over any major bumps at speed. We passed a Kraftwerk and Lock just before Jochenstein. There were many of these further down the river and it is possible to cross over on them when they are not in use for shipping. At Ruine Altjochenstein we crossed over the German/Austrian border. There was no indication of the crossing as both countries are part of the Schengen Pact which allows uncontrolled border crossings within certain countries belonging to the European Union. We continued along the cycleway through Kramesau and towards Niederanna where we bought food for the day at a corner store.
There is a bridge to the east of Niederranna to allow cyclists to cross to the right bank. We decided that the riding was pretty good so we would stay on the left side. A sign along the way showed us the cyclists ferry point at Au where riders on the left side need to take the ferry around the sharp bends to Grafenau. We rode on looking for a good spot to have breakfast and found one a little further along near Schloss Marsbach. At Au we boarded the ferry with a few other passengers and began the short scenic cruise. These dedicated ferries are very basic but it is a pleasant way to travel short distances on the water. They are also quite cheap which means they either get a fair bit of traffic or else they are subsidised. The hillsides came down to the water's edge and it was very steep on the left hand side. The right side of the river is not too bad and there is a cycleway all the way for those who don't want to do the ferry trip. We really loved these short ferry rides and took advantage of the opportunities as they arose.
At Grafenau we walked the bikes onto dry land again and headed towards Obermuehl along an excellent bike path. We had a bit of a climb around a quiet inlet where several boats were moored. Then it was time for our traditional morning tea of coffee and cake. The berry torte was delicious and gave me an idea for when I return home. We always have so many Boysenberries so it's good to have some alternative recipes.
Along the way to Untermuehl we spied a replica Viking boat which stopped us in our tracks. At Untermuehl we took another bike ferry across to the right bank. We could see Schloss Neuhaus on the hills as we crossed the river and a passage through the trees made for powerlines.
Once over on the right bank we then pedalled along a very good cycle path to Aschach. We needed to get to an ATM as our cash was running low. None of the small villages we had passed through had a bank and we needed to find a larger town. There was a nice riverside park where we had lunch and an ice-cream before continuing our journey out of town on the right bank. It was an interesting ride along the levee then through a nature conservation area, with swampy ponds and overgrown hollows.
We covered a fair distance on this leg of the ride most of it on the levee bank with a good surface. After some time riding non-stop we could see the Kraftwerk up ahead. There are always signals set up for shipping approaching the Locks and these are usually a few kilometers ahead of the Works. As we approached a blue barge was making its way through the Lock. It was fascinating to watch but it was a slow process and we had to move on to the campsite at Fall. The campsite is really just an old orchard near a Gasthaus. It is run by an elderly couple and is very cheap but quite neglected. It started to rain as we were setting up the tent and continued most of the night. It was quite disconcerting to hear the constant thud of falling apples around us during the night. Fortunately we'd camped with nothing overhead. Nearby there was a large chestnut tree with nuts pinging down onto a tin roof at the same time. The Gasthaus was fine but it appeared to have the outdoor additions built strangely as though it was done by an unskilled owner. It was an interesting evening. I'm not sure I'd recommend this site but then we had been spoiled.
