Germany: Weekend trips by road bike - Ten weekend trips in Germany for road cyclists

A short holiday in Germany at the end of the season: The TOUR travel authors' favourite destinations let their wanderlust fly away even when they're nearby.

All tips and the GPS data can be downloaded below:

- NORTH FRISIA

- Tour 1: Up the Glockenberg (111 kilometres, 150 metres in altitude, max. 2 % gradient)
Along the North Sea to the lighthouse in Westerhever, before tackling the roof of the route: the Glockenberg.

- Tour 2: Around Nordstrand (116 kilometres, 170 metres in altitude, max. 7 % gradient)
From the Husum water tower around the stormy island of Nordstrand. Then shoot inland with the tailwind you have gained.

TEUFELSMOOR NEAR BREMEN

- Tour 1: Through the Teufelsmoor (88 kilometres, 380 metres in altitude, max. 2 % gradient)
From Worpswede into the Teufelsmoor. On lonely little roads and avenues between endless pastures via the Giehlermoor and the slightly hilly Vollersode to the wooded area north of the district town of Osterholz-Scharmbeck. From there back through the Hamme lowlands to Worpswede.

- Tour 2: Through moor and geest (108 kilometres, 500 metres in altitude, max. 2 % gradient)
On slow lanes to Gnarrenburg. The first "climbs" await at the Geestrücken near Brillit. Past the Huvenhoopsmoor, a renaturalised raised bog, then through the Geest near Tarmstedt and Wilstedt and the beautiful Fischerhude back to Worpswede.

WERRATAL

- Tour 1: Historical tour (68 kilometres, 1,100 metres in altitude, max. 12% gradient)
Varied tour, past the border museum and several castles. Through the Werra valley to the Friedland border transit camp.

- Tour 2: Harter Meißner (127 kilometres, 2,350 metres in altitude, max. 17% gradient)
Undulating loop through pretty half-timbered villages. Final ascent to the Hoher Meißner.

MECKLENBUGIAN LAKE DISTRICT

- Tour 1: Castle and shortcuts (109 kilometres, 600 metres in altitude, max. 7% gradient)
A great tour to Basedow Castle and a dream road that runs north of Malchow through quiet forests without any crossroads.

- Tour 2: Around the Müritz (96 kilometres, 500 metres in altitude, max. 5 % gradient)
Cycling round the Müritz in an anti-clockwise direction has dramatic advantages. The cycle path next to the main road is followed by shortcuts and, in the Müritz National Park, a paved road that is closed to cars - the village of Boek (refreshment tip: the "Auszeit" restaurant) is a dead end for cars.

HOHES VENN NATURE PARK - EIFEL

- Tour 1: Rurserunde (110 kilometres, 1,460 metres in altitude, max. 14% gradient)
Rolling through Belgium and climbing on the slopes of the Rur reservoir. Spectacular: the Ordensburg Vogelsang and the ride through the High Fens.

- Tour 2: Border trip (89 kilometres, 1,150 vertical metres, maximum gradient 18%)
It's uphill straight away. A pasture landscape awaits between Hollerath and Rescheid, the highest point (595 metres) behind the Belgian border.

SAXON ELBLAND

- Tour 1: Elbland (90 kilometres, 900 metres in altitude, max. 12 % gradient)
Very varied tour, partly along the Elbe. Challenging due to the steep climb on the Stoppomat route. Wonderful views over the Elbland, to Radebeul and Moritzburg.

- Tour 2: Vine country (97 kilometres, 380 metres in altitude, max. 9 % gradient)
Through the picture-book half-timbered village of Altkötzschenbroda to the chic villa town of Radebeul; up to the Spitzhaus with its beautiful views, then across the quiet countryside to Moritzburg and back. A beautiful, not too strenuous route.

FRANKENWALD

- Day 1: Five ascents (95 kilometres, 1,500 metres in altitude, max. 17 % gradient)
From Naila in the direction of the former inner-German border, past Lichtenberg Castle and finally up Possecker Berg. Up to there it is always a constant up and down, then relatively flat to Kronach.

- Day 2: To the Döbraberg (71 kilometres, 1,300 metres in altitude, max. 16% gradient)
After Rugendorf, the longest ascent of the day to Presseck awaits. Shortly before the finish in Naila, the route passes below the Döbraberg, the highest mountain in the Franconian Forest. If you have any energy left, cycle to the summit.

PFÄLZERWALD

- Tour 1: Dahner Felsenland (120 kilometres, 1,350 metres in altitude, max. 11% gradient)
Via Queidersbach to the bare Sickinger Höh'. Up and down through the Dahner Felsenland to the Queichtal valley near Wilgartswiesen, where a twelve per cent climb to the Hermersberger Hof awaits. At around
500 metres above sea level, the return journey is almost flat through the Palatinate Forest via Johanniskreuz.

- Tour 2: To the wine route (112 kilometres, 1,620 metres in altitude, max. 10 % gradient)
Through pine and beech forests on lonely little roads to lively Neustadt an der Weinstraße. A few kilometres through the Vorderpfalz to Maikammer, where the Stopomat for the ascent to the Kalmit awaits on the outskirts of the town. After the "Totenkopfstraße" down into the Elmstein valley, the route continues via Johanniskreuz and through the picturesque Karlstal valley back to "Lautern".

HOTZENWALD - BLACK FOREST

- Tour 1: Wehratal (84 kilometres, 1,700 metres in altitude, max. 16 % gradient)
From the Rhine Valley via Göhrwil to the heights of the Hotzenwald. Highlights: romantic high valleys, alpine views in good weather and the descent through the Wehratal valley. Tip: from Todtmoos via Zell im Wiesental and Gersbach - 30 kilometres and almost 800 metres more altitude.

- Tour 2: Upper Black Forest (80 kilometres, 1,200 metres in altitude, max. 17% gradient)
After the ascent through the Schwarzatal, St. Blasien awaits. The fascinating descent through the narrow Alb valley runs 80 metres higher than the river in places and leads through five tunnels.

ISARWINKEL

- Tour 1: Bavarian delicacies (118 kilometres, 1,200 metres in altitude, max. 9 % gradient)
Three private roads with car tolls wind their way through the Karwendel. The ascent to Ahornboden is around 400 metres in altitude, comfortably spread over 25 kilometres. The other climbs are also moderate. Tip: pack your swimming trunks and swim in the ice-cold Walchensee.

- Tour 2: Shortcuts to the Kesselberg (108 kilometres, 820 metres in altitude, max. 12% gradient)
Behind Jachenau, little roads with little traffic meander between pretty farmsteads between Lenggries and Penzberg. Shortly before the end, the route climbs once again: the 240 metres of elevation gain on the Kesselberg road are gradual and varied.

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