Days 28-33

If I asked you where
Albert Einstein was born,
I bet you wouldn't say
In the city of Ulm.

Schaffhausen to Gunzburg - kms - who's counting?

As we continued from Schaffhausen, the painted houses in the town of Stein-am-Rhine were spectacular.

We followed the ever widening Rhine into Lake Constance, and stumbled across a campsite on the lake with a flea market in full swing and a band called the Rockadiles about to start their set, which lasted about 5 hours! It was a no-brainer to stay there. As seems the theme in Germany so far, we were the only tent and camping bikers, everyone else staying in large caravans or guest houses.

The source of the Danube is in Donaueschingen, in the Black Forest, and we picked up the trail a little further along in Tuttlingen, where the Danube is still little more than a stream.

Now, I know I said way back in the Loire Valley that I wasn't going to harp on about the stunning scenery, but this part of the Danube Valley is something else. The trail alone is exciting, cutting through forests with some very decent climbs (some even had Steve pushing his bike due to lack of bottom gear), and freewheeling down the other side to join back up with the babbling river, and the dizzying cliffs that surround you. Truly spectacular.

Fairytale towns like Sigmaringen are dotted along the route, with houses more like you'd imagine in Switzerland - long, sharp-angled roofs and painted wooden beams. Or maybe that's just more Bavarian?

After one month puncture-free, Steve had 3 in 2 days. Two within an hour of each other! The area is full of bike and hiking trails, and canoes are for hire for those who prefer to travel on the water.
The Swabian Jura is a range of karst-limestone mountains riddled with caves, where the very earliest art objects and musical instruments known to man were fashioned. It is a bit hard to take heavily laden bikes up to caves, so we're just taking their word for it!

Further along the Danube you come to Ehingen, famously known as the beer culture city where you can take a tour around the breweries and beer shops. We arrived with the afternoon heat and most things were shut until later, so we sampled a cold beer, (I'm learning rapidly this is NOT a good idea when you've still got pedaling in the heat to do), and we went on to find somewhere to camp, with access to a quick dip in the chilly but refreshing river.

And so onto Ulm. Home of the tallest church spire in the world. 161.5 metres high. 768 steps take you to the top level at 143 metres. And I know, because I climbed it! Steve's knees, which are of a slightly older generation than mine, decided (probably wisely) against it. But honestly, what an experience.
The narrow spiral stone stairs make you dizzy and slightly claustrophobic as they wind their way up to the heavens. And just as I passed the bells, they chimed midday! It was deafening, and the vibrations nearly knocked me off my step!
Right up until the very top, this Gothic style Lutheran church has intricately carved stonework, and is unimaginable as to how it ever got built. The main steeple was finally finished in 1890 - 613 years after building began!
Photos do it no justice, but here's one anyway.

We are now taking a little detour from our route, and going to visit our dear friend Kristin and her family in Munich for a few days. We will have a much needed rest, and we've got a good few years to catch up on!