Rock towers and river meadows, stately castles and palaces, baroque splendour and medieval charm – Germany’s Nature Park Fränkische Schweiz is a wonderfully varied region for cycling. Here, I introduce two cycle routes that are great for day trips, but combine to make a nice route for a weekend getaway on two wheels.

The Pegnitz cycle path leads from Bayreuth to Neuhaus an der Pegnitz. From the lively town with its many baroque sights, you can immerse yourself in the magnificent Franconian countryside with its mystical karst caves, extensive forests and picturesque lakes.

The subsequent Pegnitztal cycle path begins in Neuhaus and ends in Hohenstadt. Here, the river valley is narrower and is sometimes lined by steep rock faces. The towns are smaller and the path runs almost exclusively along the river bank.

You can arrive and depart comfortably by train. Both cycle routes start and end at a railway station. In addition, the route always runs close to a railway line, so you can plan your trip very flexibly. You can stay overnight in Neuhaus an der Pegnitz between the two cycle routes and there are also several places to stay along the routes. For refreshments along the way, you will pass cafés and ice cream parlours, beer gardens and inns.

Both routes lead along field and forest paths, asphalt cycle paths and roads with little traffic. So they can be done with pretty much any bike, except a racing bike. Set off on your trusty two-wheeler along the Pegnitz and enjoy the picturesque landscape of this Franconian nature park.