Thuringia | Kompass cycle tour map 3707

Low mountain ranges characterise East Hesse and Thuringia, some are so worthy of protection that national parks have been established for them, e.g. the Hainich National Park northeast of Eisenach, whose old natural beech forests are on the Unesco World Heritage list. Extensive forests, bizarre rocks, millennia-old moors, clear brooks and the famous Brocken characterise the Harz Forest National Park, home to lynx and wildcats. 97% of its area is covered with forest. More than 100 routes open up the mountain wilderness to cyclists, the highest destination is the Brocken. The Rhön cycle path crosses the Rhön biosphere reserve and follows the Rhön mountains from Bad Salzungen in the Werratal to Hammelburg in the Franconian Saale in the southern Rhön. Remains of former volcanic chimneys characterise the northern Kuppenrhön. Several cycle paths open up the beauty of the Thuringian Forest: the 200 km long Rennsteig cycle path leads over the ridge to Blankenstein an der Saale. It is linked to the Werratal cycle path (300 km), the Saale cycle path (409 km), the Ilm valley cycle path (123 km) and the Gera cycle path (67 km). You can cycle along the rivers from the heights of the densely wooded low mountain ranges into the foothills. Thuringia offers a lot of culture: the Wartburg in Eisennach, the Bauhaus sites in Weimar, the classic Weimar and the half-timbered old town of Quedlinburg are even world cultural heritage sites. But it is also worth visiting Fulda, Göttingen, Gotha, Jena, Gera and Leipzig. 

Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Luxembourg | Kompass cycle tour map 3709

Extinct volcanic cones, maars and bizarre rock formations are the scenic highlights of the low mountain range north of the Moselle. In countless meanders, the Moselle winds its way through the Rhenish Slate Mountains, deep into the plateaus it has buried itself and created impressive, sometimes very steep slopes on which the grapes of Moselle wine grow today. The most famous meander is the Cochemer Krampen between Bremm and Cochem. Unesco has declared the unique cultural landscape between Bingen and Koblenz a World Heritage Site: along the 67 km long breakthrough valley of the Upper Middle Rhine there are terraced wine slopes, picturesque half-timbered wine villages and numerous high-altitude castles and of course the Loreley. South of the Moselle lies the Hunsrück, a rugged low mountain range with many opportunities for cycling. The Nordpfälzer Bergland with its imposing castles and palaces begins south of the Nahe. Along the eastern slopes of the Palatinate Forest, good grapes grow along the Wine Route. From the heights, the view stretches across the Rhine plain to the Odenwald forest. The north of Luxembourg lies in the Ardennes. Among the countless castles in the country, Vianden Castle deserves special mention. The old town quarter and the fortresses of the city of Luxembourg have been declared World Heritage Sites. - One of the landmarks of the Saarland is the Saar loop near Mettlach.

North Rhine-Westphalia Center / South, Hesse Northwest | Kompass cycle tour map 3706

Between the Lower Rhine, the Ruhr area, the Sauerland and the region around Marburg lies a picture book landscape: The highest mountains of the Sauerland, wide valleys, deep forests, meadows and fields, in between flower meadows, high heaths and in the middle the Diemelsee. The Diemel cycle path leads through and numerous attractive routes for racing bikes, touring bikes or mountain bikes. Cycling in the fairyland of the Brothers Grimm! Far away from the hustle and bustle, through picturesque half-timbered villages and along rippling streams are a well-developed network of cycle well-signed cycle paths Marburg is famous for its stairs and alleys and for its lively student life. The medieval town lies on the German Fairytale Road and the 245 km long Lahn Valley Cycle Path also runs right through it. Cycling tours lure through the Vogelsberg or the Kinzig valley, the Ohmtal and the Schwalm. Between the Schwalm and the Vogelsberg lies the largest connected volcanic area of the European mainland. The land between the Rhine and the Meuse is flat and makes bicycle fans rejoice. The dikes along the Rhine are ideal for cycling tours. The Ruhrtalradweg has quickly conquered a fixed place in the round dance of the well-trodden river cycle paths and won the award "Cycle Route of the Year in North Rhine-Westphalia".

South Bavaria, Upper Bavaria, Chiemsee, Ingolstadt, Passau, Munich | Kompass cycle tour map 3712

The Bavarian foothills of the Alps between the Lech and Inn rivers are a postcard idyll: from the moraine hills you can see the glittering lakes and wetlands overlooking the peaks of the Bavarian Alps. The Five Lakes Region southwest of Munich is a popular recreation area, as are the Tegernsee and Schliersee lakes or the Achensee on the Tyrolean side. The Karwendel Alpine Park is Austria's largest nature park with the Isar spring and wild river system and the largest population of golden eagles in the Alps. The Großer Ahornboden is spectacular in autumn. The Chiemgau is an old cultural landscape that is still characterised by agriculture. Many peaks of the Chiemgau Alps are accessible by cable car, and the most beautiful view from above can be enjoyed from the Kampenwand, at the foot of which lies Lake Chiemsee. Also interesting are the numerous gorges (e.g. Weißbachklamm), high alpine pastures (e.g. Hemmersuppenalm, Winklmoosalm) and moors (Röthelmoos). The Königssee at the foot of the Watzmann lies in the heart of the Berchtesgaden National Park. Ingolstadt, Regensburg and Passau are historic cities on the Danube. In addition to the Danube Cycle Route, there are also extensive cycle tours along the Danube tributaries Lech, Isar and Inn. 

Baden-Württemberg (South), Black Forest, Lake Constance, Swabian Alps, Allgäu | Kompass cycle tour map 3711

Baden-Württemberg's south is a land of contrasts: numerous well-known holiday destinations lie between the Oberrheingraben in the west and Lech in the east: In the west there is the Black Forest, followed by the Swabian Alb. In the south, the Lake Constance region is followed by the western Allgäu region with the Allgäu Alps. The Black Forest is undisputedly one of the most attractive low mountain ranges in Germany: forests, gorges, vineyards towards the Rhine Valley, panoramic mountains and lakes, the famous Black Forest farms and typical villages can be explored on many cycle paths. The Swabian Alb is a mountain ridge north of the Danube is known for its 200 km long steep drop-off to the north, the Albtrauf. On the freestanding Zeugenbergen stand well-known castles such as Hohenzollern Castle, Hohenneuffen Castle and Teck Castle. An impressive mountain scenery frames Lake Constance, on whose shores many interesting towns, castles and churches lie. The 273 km long Lake Constance cycle path runs around the lake. No matter on which hill of the Allgäu you take, there is always a view over the hilly landscape rich in lakes in the direction of the Allgäu Alps. A beautiful cycle path leads through the upper Neckar valley, where the river makes its way between the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb.