Odenwald Madonnen Radweg

Neckartal Radweg

Enztal Radweg

Schwarzwald Panorama Radweg

Sudschwarzwald Radweg

Eurovelo 5

La Route des Vins d'Alsace

Rhein Radweg

The Idea

Having previously combined a Twinning visit to our German friends who live in Sattelbach (a village in the Odenwald near Mosbach) with a circular tandem tour from and to their house, Sheila thought we might do the same thing again on our 2015 Twinning Association visit to Mosbach. The formula would be to take the tandem by car using two days to reach Sattelbach, stay for the Twinning visit, then leaving our car with them set off on our tandem tour, finally returning for a few more days with them before driving home.

Our previous German cycling tour had headed south along the River Neckar, then along part of the River Danube, returning using the Altmütal, Taubertal and Odenwald Madonnen Radwegs. This time Sheila planned to head towards the Black Forest and use a series of designated radwegs to make up a circular tour beginning and ending along the River Neckar. The words "Wine Route" seemed to crop up increasingly as she researched possibilities. Using cycle paths, which can be variable in width and surface treatment meant that this would be a two-wheel upright tandem tour, not one for the Greenspeed trike on which we had toured in the last two years.

The Plan

1  Set off downhill to and through Mosbach to reach the River Neckar, then follow this south to its tributary, the River Enz. Then follow the River Enz upstream westwards as it climbs up hill to its source in the Black Forest.
(Odenwald Madonnen Radweg / Neckartal Radweg / Enztal Radweg / Schwarzwald Panorama Radweg)

2  Through the Black Forest and into Switzerland to Basel.
(Schwarzwald Panorama Radweg / Sudschwarzwald Radweg)

3  Cross Country to Pfaffenheim to reach and then follow the Alsace Wine Route in France.
(La Route des Vins d'Alsace / Eurovelo 5)

4  Canal de la Bruche to Strasbourg and then along the River Rhein and back into Germany cross country to Bad Bergzabern. 
(Rhein Radweg / Eurovelo 15 / Deutsch-Franzözischer Pamina Radweg)

5 German Wine Route and Barbarossa Radweg to Worms. 
(Deutsche Weinstrasse Radweg / Barbarossa Radweg)

6 Back along the Rhein through Mannheim to join the River Neckar through Heidelburg and finally from Neckargerach climb steeply away from the river onto the Odenwald and back to Sattelbach.
(Rhein Radweg / Eurovelo 15 / Neckartal Radweg)

Our Final Tandem Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6

By car to Sattelbach
Sattelbach to Rosswag (106km)
Rosswag to Besenfeld (89km)
Besenfeld to Obereschach (69km)
Obereschach to Stühlingen (60km)
Stühlingen to Basel (100km)
Basel – a non-cycling day

Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13

Basel to Pfaffenheim (74km)
Pfaffenheim to Obernai (83km)
Obernai to Strasbourg (40km)
Strasbourg to Bad Bergzabern (94km)
Bad Bergzabern to Worms
Worms to Heidelburg (53km)
Heidelburg to Sattlebach (64km)

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Eurovelo 15

Deutsch-Franzözischer Pamina Radweg

Deutsche Weinstrasse Radweg

Barbarossa Radweg

Rhein Radweg

Neckartal Radweg

Odenwald Madonnen Radweg

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> NOTES FROM OUR BLOG and PHOTOS <

Day 1: Sattelbach to Rosswag
Day 2: Rosswag to Besenfeld
Day 3: Besenfeld to Obereschach
Day 4: Obereschach to Stühlingen
Day 5: Stühlingen to Basel
Day 6: Basel – a non-cycling day

Day 7: Basel to Pfaffenheim
Day 8: Pfaffenheim to Obernai
Day 9: Obernai to Strasbourg
Day 10: Strasbourg to Bad Bergzabern
Day 11: Bad Bergzabern to Worms
Day 12: Worms to Heidelberg
Day 13: Heidelberg to Sattlebach