Nuremberg Trails and Trials

Nuremberg End to the Trail

The end of the trip to Europe this year saw me finish in Nuremberg, Germany. Admittedly I didn't really know much of Nuremberg before arriving. I knew they were the host city to perhaps the most famous legal trials of the 20th Century, the Nuremberg Trials. But I didn't know much of their medieval history. The history I'm sure more Germans would prefer we know Nuremberg by.

Turns out that Nuremberg was shalt we say the centre of Europe for quite some time. I mean the place had its King etc. But it was the fact this place was where the Reichstag met. Basically where your royal courts would meet. And then you also had the burghers that were appointed to look after the municipal city make sure the trade was good. We're talking medieval times. When the power of the salt trade diminished so did the power of Nuremberg. Importantly I picked up a lot of this information doing a tour of the Nuremberg Castle. Very interesting.

More interesting was the development of the Nuremberg castle over time. The place was extremely secure from invasion. So as the area got wealthier kings would come and go the leader of the time would make an addition to the castle.

So Nuremberg was quite a rich city. Perhaps in part the area's history of wealth and identity was conducive to their attraction to Hitler when they faced poverty after WW1. Nuremberg rose to power again etc with the Nazi rally grounds. Which were not really a  highlight I wanted to visit. So I didn't. Plus they were way out of town in reality.

Nuremberg's Grain History

What the Nuremberg area was famous for was the production of wheat and other grains. Think barley for beer production. So Nuremberg's architectural fame has been installed by the buildings which were originally grain storage. I spent my time walking around the old town area, although knowingly rebuilt due to the WW2. What was recreated provided the sense of grandeur and purpose. Even if that purpose was of giving the town executioner a means to enter and depart the city safely. 

 

  

 

A day in Passau to Recover

Passau was a bit hilly. I guess I didn't really look at the map in detail when confirming my trip. I had assumed it was all flat and easy access. Well in most of Passau it was mostly flat. But my hotel had a little kicker at the end to get up to. Meant that any time I departed the hotel into town there was the walk back up hill. Wasn't too bad as I was only there one night before I moved to another hotel right down in the old town for the final night in Passau. However context was I had been cycling for days. Once off the bike each day the legs would refuse to do hills. Understandably tour company hadn't led on which hotel I'd be placed into when placing the deposit. So when I booked the extra night I was flying blind. I took as place, in my budget, in an area I though was important. I wasn't wrong with it. Just the tour company took the other option up outside of the city centre, and not on the river.

Passau as a city was great. The city is a place all the river boats stop. This is Grand Central for German river cruising. Makes sense as Passau is where the 3 rivers join up and enter into Austria. Passau therefore is a prime place for history. The Donau as I had learnt was one of the only rivers to go east to west and hence why in the days when horses and boats reigned. Before the trains and cars of today this was a prime trade route. This was where salt was king and money was made. And why all the wars centred on who controlled the river passages. And yes as you can guess there was one of those castles here too. One up the top of the hill. Another climb indeed. But it was worth every step. An wow what a lunch I had there. Another pork knuckle with salad. My favourite. Realisation now was that I was only days out from returning home. Cycling part of the trip was done.

Finishing the ride. 350kms to Passau Germany

So the end of my cycling trip in Passau Germany meant I completed over 350 kilometres in 6 days of cycling. To some that wouldn't seem much. But think about it and you understand to the average person that's quite a journey. Nearly 60kms a day on a bike seat. Even for me as a casual cyclist it was quite a lot. Especially as I had learnt it wasn't a road bike on smooth flat roads and bike paths as I had become accustomed to back home. This was gravel paths and rolling hills included. Yes hills on a follow the river ride.

Anyway the final day saw me on a larger ride to finish me off. Being the last day I really was looking for places to stop along the way. Not only because I was tired. But primarily because it was the last day and well the whole idea of doing this ride was to explore the smaller towns along the way. Get the experience of the small little places the big tour buses don't go. Stop in the places the locals know of but the tourist don't see.  These were to be the places all my former guests from host were from. When they say "I live near Munich". They don't mean they live near Munich. They mean to say "Munich because it's the only place you'll know that's nearby. Even though it's 200kms away and I've been there only once". I can now say I've ridden the Donau. Perhaps I've ridden closer to their own home town than anyone they've met when I get another German visitor in the future. This will be a great way of opening up conversation.

Around lunchtime I rode into Vilshofen. If it wasn't for the place being just that bit far from Straubing or too close from Deggendorf and too close to Passau it would have made for a great overnight stop. Heck the realisation was one I made it to Vilshofen this place was perfect distance from Passau for the day cyclists like we are back home. You're about 25km from Passau. The cycle was flat and along the river on mainly bitumen surfaces. And off the main roads for all but a crossing entering into Passau. Vilshofen had the nice main street and outdoor summer hangouts. Really liked this coffee stop.

A bit further up I made my final stop of the bike trip. A nowhere town with nothing special. But a smart resident had set up perfectly to capture the day cyclists setting up a little cafe along the river in a quiet spot. Made for the perfect place to get lunch. And well I felt like I had rewarded a local for providing a service I not only needed but valued. They knew their target market, and understood their position along the river. Small communities along the river here didn't always capture the tourist dollar when they had the chance but this place did. Well done to them.

10kms on and I had arrived into my final resting place. Passau. Goodbye bicycle, you had done enough.
 

Digging in deep to drive to Deggendorf

Pedaling Deggendorf 

By day 5 of cycling this tour along the Donau the body was starting to say "that'll do". Not to say that this cycling trip was a grind, or a wrong decision. No it's just that I was shattered, and no matter what I did, ate, or drank after the daily ride would matter. I was tired. The rides now were fairly relaxed compared to earlier in the week. There was a definite increase in the amount of bitumen as I approached Passau nearing Austria. And reality was the distances between towns was mostly getting shorter.

Metten side step

I was also getting much more relaxed about the weather by this stage. It's a much easier decision to just allow the time to take a diversion, or a iced chocolate break when you're not concerned it's going to rain.

 

On this day I remember the constant though of just taking the side trip to a side town just beyond the main path. However that little side trip was a few kilometres each time. And seemed to always look like it would involve a small climb. So I stuck to the main drag until I got close to Deggendorf and justified a stopover in a town called Metten. Oh except for that obligatory Germany bakery stop. In the later afternoon when I arrived into Deggendorf I found a walk along the riverfront complete with Italian restaurant. Here I diverted away from the standard German fare for a nice pasta. I don't think it touched the sides. This was one time carb-loading was definitely allowed.

Seeing the signs on the Donau Radweg

 
And just in case you're wondering just what sort of signage was I following throughout the trip. Take a look at this sign. Most often you've got this white and green street directional sign occurring where ever the bicycle path would lead. Nice and clear and includes the distance also indicated. However this didn't always meant his was the path I needed. Take a closer look a the 2 squares attached to the bottom. The one on the left was for the Donau. The other is for another path.