From canoeing in Almuehltal to visiting Munich and cycling around the Starnberger See, summer in Bavaria has been fun for me. And definitely not boring. Although, the weather can be quite unpredictable, but when the sun is shining, the days are great. I spent my days cycling, walking, running and enjoying the gorgeous backyard of my holiday house in Dietfurt.
What an enjoyable summer in Bavaria so far.
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Canoeing in Altmuehltal
Apparently you can’t visit the Altmuehltal National Park without canoeing in Altmuehltal. At least try it once I have been told by the locals! And so, that is finally what I did. With my dad.
From my previous canoeing (or kayaking) experience (e.g. Dubrovnik and then Turkey) I learned, I am best when I kayak by myself. And so I organised us a single kayak each via the Yezzt Activemuehl Kanu hiring service. Not sure what to expect, I booked a full day hire, to go from Treuchtlingen to Solnhofen. With my dad. 17km along a slow flowing river. Surely it wouldn’t take a full day to paddle?
That’s how summer in Bavaria is done! Canoeing in Altmuehltal is THE activity.
Well, it didn’t. Both, my dad and I, are very efficient, so we didn’t waist any time with long breaks. After all we know the area and towns pretty well (I cycle through Pappenheim almost every day). So, we only had a quick snack after an hour of paddling, when we had to bypass one of the three small damns via land. Yes, it involved pulling the kayak 20m across the grass to a new river flow. Otherwise, we paddled and paddled, for 3 1/2 hours, until we reached the finish at Solnhofen.
And so…
Maybe we were a little bit too ambitious? Paddling for that long in our individual kayaks certainly didn’t come without pain. However, it had to be done. Going only to Pappenheim would have been too short (approx. 1 hour), and by going all the way to Solnhofen, I could enjoy the sceneric river view for longer. Not to mention it was a good workout.
Whether it is only you, or more of you paddling down the river, I would certainly highly recommend canoeing in Altmuehltal. It is a great and unique experience. Quite picturesque as well. A shame I couldn’t take more photos but I was too busy paddling.
Small tip: don’t forget the mossy spray!! Very important!
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Visiting Munich
You can’t have a summer in Bavaria without visiting Munich.
I love this city. Munich was my home before I moved to Australia so I always enjoy coming back here. And every time I feel like a local, rather than a tourist, so I never really take to many photos while walking the familiar streets. For me, visiting Munich is more about catching up with friends in one of the many great restaurants or beer gardens.
On my last trip, the weather was great, so I spent some time cycling through the Botanical Garden, eating Weißwurst and visiting the Marienplatz. The old Rathaus looked stunning against the blue sky. And with no tourists in town the city felt empty, but nevertheless beautiful.
Everybody should be visiting Munich at least once in their life. It is a gorgeous city!
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Cycling around the Starnberger See
I like the Starnberger See. This lake was my go to, when I was living and working in Munich. I cycled here many weekends to go for a swim (if I didn’t work in the beer garden). Not to mention, that my very first hike, the Konig Ludwig Hiking path, started right here, just over two years ago.
Cycling around the Starnberger See was great fun, especially since one of my longtime friends joined me. As he is a local, it felt like I had my own personal tour guide for the day. Following the signs around the lake is easy, and the views across the water are stunning. Of course, no cycling trip around the Starnberger See would be complete without a swim. It had been a while since I last took a dip in the lake, so it was great to be back.
The perfect day was rounded off with an ice cream in Starnberg.
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My summer in Bavaria …
After a great Summer in Bavaria, and lots of outdoor activities in Altmuehltal, it is time to go on a road trip again. My time in the Altmuehltal has been great, including canoeing in Altmuehltal. It was a great base after arriving here from Spain, back in April, after my five week lockdown in Altea (due to COVID-19). Throughout my two months here, I feel I became a local, meeting great people and spending some time with my family.
From my very first cycling trip on the Altmuehltal Radweg to canoeing in Altmuehltal this week, my summer in Bavaria has been nothing short of an adventure. But for now, it’s coming to an end… though not for long. I’ll be back!
And I am sure I will be visiting Munich again! Catching up with my friends. Would you go canoeing in Altmuehltal? Or anywhere else for that matter? How do you spend your summer in Bavaria?
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