Cycling Collection by Radnetz Deutschland
19
days
2-5 h
/ day
1,275 km
6,810 m
6,000 m
D-Route 9 draws a line through Germany from north to south, taking you from the North Sea to the Alps. Along the way, you get to know much of what makes the country special. It journeys from Bremerhaven on the North Sea coast through the North German lowlands and into the low mountain ranges. From there, you head through Bavarian river valleys to the edge of the Alps near Füssen, famous for its royal castles.
D-Route 9 is characterised above all by idyllic cycle paths along rivers and through picturesque valleys. Numerous historic villages and old towns provide sights worth seeing again and again along the way. The route has a fairytale atmosphere, with many half-timbered towns, as well as castles and palaces, which can often be seen from a distance and sometimes lie directly on the route.
The route first follows the Weser Cycle Route, then the Hessian long-distance cycle routes R1 and R2, which also run mostly along rivers. This means the route has very little elevation gain as far as Fulda. Afterwards, things get a bit hillier on the Rhön-Sinntal cycle path to Gemünden am Main, before flattening out again on the Main cycle path to Würzburg. From there, the route follows the Romantische Straße (Romantic Road) to Füssen in the Allgäu. Here, too, the cycle paths often stick to rivers and their valleys, making the cycling pleasant and never too strenuous.
There are numerous towns worth seeing and charming villages along the D-Route 9 and the well-distributed accommodation along the way allows for flexible stage planning. In this Collection, the stages range from 40 to 90 kilometres (25 – 56 mi). In northern Germany, there’s very little elevation gain. After this, you climb more than 500 metres (1,600 ft) on only a few stages. There are also plenty of places to eat and drink along the way: from kiosks and ice cream parlours to cafés, beer gardens and restaurants.
D-Route 9 is part of the German Cycling Network, whose 13 long-distance cycle routes span the entire country. You can explore Germany's beauty from north to south, east to west and along its borders and rivers. You can find an overview of all D-Routes in this Collection: komoot.com/collection/1928660.
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Last updated: November 14, 2024
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
The D-Route 9 begins in the Havenwelten in Bremerhaven right on the water. There is a lot to see here before the bike tour even begins. It really starts on the other bank of the Weser. There you take a ferry, from which you have a nice view back to the city.
The route to Bremen runs a lot on dikes close…
You leave Bremen along the banks of the Werdersee. Then you accompany a piece of the Weser before you cycle across meadows and fields to Achim, which is well suited for a lunch break.
Now you follow straight along the lock canal Langwedel, and then turn back into the fields. Once you have arrived in Verden…
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You are still on the Weser cycle path, so you cycle from Verden back to the riverbank. Through picturesque shore landscapes you follow the water further south through small towns and the city of Hoya.
Something special is on the agenda near Schweringen: a small ferry will take you across the Weser. The…
On this section you drive past some nature reserves on the banks of the Weser. The route becomes even more watery here, because there are many ponds around the river. Most of them are not suitable for refreshing, but there is also a bathing lake.
There is a lot to discover along the way: including the…
Now you drive into the Weserbergland. But since you always stick to the valley of the Weser, the paths remain mostly flat. Shortly after Minden you cycle past Porta Westfalica, which is on the other side of the river. Here you have a beautiful view of the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument, which towers high above…
On this section you often drive directly along the banks of the Weser. You cycle through a beautiful landscape with wooded mountains all around, some of which nestle directly on the Weser.
The historic buildings along the way provide variety, including the white Dutch mill in Tündern and the castle in…
In line with the surroundings, the route is now getting a bit hilly. Although you still stay close to the Weser, you also cycle up to the heights directly on its banks, which results in beautiful views.
In serpentines you follow the partly narrow valley through pretty villages to Hann. mouths. There Fulda…
From Hann. Münden is your new companion, the Fulda, which meanders between wooded mountains to Kassel. There you can make a detour to the city center or the picturesque Karlsaue park, which is located directly on the banks of the Fulda.
Then you follow the loops of the Fulda to Melsungen with beautiful…
It continues along the Fulda like a fairy tale. As you drive through its magnificent valley, forested mountains rise all around. On the way you will pass numerous historic buildings and beautiful half-timbered towns.
In Rotenburg, for example, a detour to the historic town center is worthwhile. Bad Hersfeld…
The Fulda takes you on this section through its lovely meadow landscape to the city of the same name. At Niederaula you cycle through a foothill of the Knüll Nature Park. On the level riverbank, it almost feels like cycling itself.
Always keeping an eye on the water can make you want to cool off. The…
On this section you drive through the Spessart, which is protected as a nature park in both its Hessian and Bavarian parts. During the day it gets more wooded around you, but you mostly stay in the open air on the bike paths in the valleys.
At Schmalnau you say goodbye to the Fulda. Through several stream…
With the Main you have now reached the Franconian wine country and so the first sunny vineyards directly on the river bank are not far. This makes for beautiful views over the mighty current of the river. Again and again, cozy spots invite you to take a break.
Many of the places along the Main Cycle Path…
On the way out of Würzburg there is a decent climb on the program, which takes you to the Zeller Waldspitze. Then you tend to roll downhill via beautiful places like Uettingen, Holzkirchen and Wüstenzell back to the Main, where you drive along the shore to Wertheim. With the beautiful old town and a…
It goes on in quick succession: On the cycle path through the Tauber Valley you pass the picturesque wine town of Lauda-Königshofen. Later you will pass beautiful Bad Mergentheim and Weikersheim with its magnificent castle.
Then it gets a bit hilly and you soon drive through the Frankenhöhe nature park…
In the Frankenhöhe nature park, the picturesque terrain remains hilly. A decent climb takes you to Schillingsfürst, where you can admire a baroque castle. Then you follow the Sulzach to beautiful Feuchtwangen, which is known for its cloister games, which take place every summer.
The path continues through…
On this section you drive through a huge crater: the Nördlinger Ries was formed over 14 million years ago by the impact of a meteorite. But as you cycle through the countryside, you hardly notice it. In the middle of the crater lies Nördlingen, which is ideal for a break. There you can climb the church…
First you follow a piece of the Danube from Donauwörth before you turn into the valley of the Lech. On the way you will pass several churches and monasteries worth seeing. A break in the flower city of Rain is also worthwhile.
You drive along the edge of the Western Forests Nature Park and then on the…
You've hardly left Augsburg before you drive into Friedberg, which is well worth seeing with its Renaissance castle. You then return to Augsburg and cross the length of the large city park.
Along the Lech with its numerous barrages you drive past Kaufering to Landsberg. You cycle through picturesque alluvial…
In the foothills of the Alps, south of Landsberg am Lech, a few more meters of altitude await you. But the views of the high mountains are getting better and better and the finale of the D-Route 9 is a fantastic mixture of beautiful landscapes and magnificent sights.
You always tend to cycle uphill along…
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