Day 6 (6. Tag) 6th September
Donauwoerth - Neuburg 40.5 kms (328.5 kms from start)
Donauwoerth - Zirgesheim - Altisheim - Leitheim - Lechsend - Marxheim - Bertholdsheim - Riedensheim - Bittenbrunn - Neuburg
Click here for Day 7 - Neuburg - Bad Goegging
The day was sunny and warm. We had breakfast at the hostel at 7.30 am and chatted to the Kiwis again. They would be taking the Higginson detour today and doing the Altmuehl route instead of following the Danube. We didn't expect to see them again after today. Don had already worked on his brakes which kept stretching so we were ready to leave by 8.00 am. We bought food for the day at a nearby supermarket which I had spotted the previous day and headed out of town but went in the wrong direction for a few kms. We spotted some of the Kiwis going the other way so they had made the same mistake. Eventually we returned to the edge of town and found the correct exit. This wasted time so we didn't leave the town till about 9.00 am. We rode away from the left bank of the river through Zirgesheim, then down along the side of the river for some distance. We stayed on the main track and went inland through Riedelbergerhof to Altisheim then Leitheim, Lechsend and through Marxheim where we had a coffee and cake (Apple Strudel) in a beer garden. The track then skirts the side of a forest (Wannengries, goes through open farmland where we watched some farmers working with silage. It continues on to Bertholdsheim where we had lunch.
It was a fairly hard morning with some steep sections where we needed to push the bikes. The afternoon was better. we rode inland away from the river to Hatzenhofen then Steppberg and on to Riedensheim. From there the track headed toward the river again and followed the Danube for some time before heading away towards Bittenbrunn, where we met 4 Dutch people and had a great conversation. They marveled at our packs as they were doing a short trip and had the normal panniers. Soon we were on the outskirts of Neuburg. We had to cross the river to get to Neuburg.
There was a camping site just over the bridge in the Englischer Garten. The camping area was fantastic - green lawn overlooking the river next to the rowing club. There was hardly anyone camped apart from a few caravans and campervans. The facilities were open so we showered, washed clothes and dried them over a couple of long benches that we carried over to our tent from another part of the site.
After settling in we walked into town for an ice-cream. Neuburg itself is a beautiful town with an old city which is walled and overlooks the river. There is an excellent pedestrian area in the town full of outdoor cafes. In the summertime this must be a very popular place. Don was pretty tired so he walked back to the tent for a rest while I continued exploring the old town. I walked up through the castle complex and old town which is ringed by a massive wall then came back to the tent.
In the evening we walked the short distance into town and found a restaurant for another Bavarian meal. The way back in the dark was magical with the castle complex lit up and a very sensible array of LED lights along the riverside railing. Although the map says only 40.5 kms for the trip, our detour in the morning added at least another 10 kms to the day. It didn't take long to go to sleep - we were exhausted.
