R1.07 Mühlviertler Dom round

Wonderful peak bike ride from the European protected area Upper Danube valley to the panoramic view village of Pfarrkirchen in the Mühl district (840 m), the highest point of all Danube bike rounds! Breathtaking distant views to the Alps, an enjoyable descent through Mühlviertel farm country past the Mühlviertler Dom, ... reward you. Final highlight: boat trip through the Schlögen Danube loop. 

Highlights:

• Pfarrkirchen in the Mühl district (highest point of all Danube bike rounds, panoramic viewpoint)


• Mühlviertler Dom / Niederkappel (highest building in the Mühlviertel)


• Ferry ride through the Schlögen Danube loop

ATTENTION: from October, NO return possibility with the longitudinal ferry from Grafenau to Au!

Located in the deep gorge of the Upper Danube valley - at the Ranna mouth into the Danube - the lonely Rannamühl is the starting point for this wonderful peak bike tour. Initially, you warm up riding downstream along the broad Danube on quiet secondary roads. About 1.7 km after Niederranna, the 550-meter elevation climb starts! The first third leads in switchbacks through the shady mixed forest on the steep flank of the Danube gorge. At the mystical Marsbach Castle, once a feared robber baron nest, the toughest section is overcome. Then it continues up through the narrow Marsbach ravine, after which the landscape opens up - an initial sense of altitude creates a welcome feeling of success.

Now, lush meadows, fertile fields, scattered farming hamlets, small woods ... pure Mühlviertel rural idyll delight you! You climb gently on farm roads up to the ridge in Emmerstorf. Here a first view opens up over the village Hofkirchen in the center of a rolling high plateau. A hidden paradise, is the first thought. The relaxed ride with easy ups and downs to the village allows for recovery. In the charming village center, the large parish church, townhouses, village fountain, pillory ... tell of a long market history. A highlight: the plant labyrinth a little above the village. An old power place staged symbolically and surprisingly with a magnificent panoramic viewpoint! Up a natural field path it goes - partly steeper - to the next terrace. There, you ride easily on farm roads to Hamet. The last climb leads through ancient mixed mountain forest to the panoramic view village of Pfarrkirchen. At the forest edge above the parish church is the "peak" - a magnificent panoramic viewpoint (840 m). Congratulations, you are at the highest point of all Danube bike rounds!

Magnificent deep views make altitude feel real, and breathtaking views of the Alps imply boundless vastness. Simply incredible! Another reward: 2.4 km of pure downhill fun - in the rush of speed through natural mountain forest! After the Falkenstein state road, a farm road leads over a gentle forest ridge. Then a wide, hilly plateau with hidden ravines surprises. Lush meadows, fertile fields, small woods, traditional farming hamlets ... – pure Mühlviertel rural idyll! The short descent to Harrau is followed by a short climb back up to the gentle ridge. Now begins a 3.4 km enjoyment descent full of harmony into the charming rural village Niederkappel. Here is the cultural highlight of the round: the Mühlviertler Dom, the highest building of the Mühlviertel! The swift descent into the Daglesbach ravine is followed by the last long climb on the opposite slope. With a low gear, you ride comfortably through lonely farmland up to Ritzersdorf. Congratulations, from now on it goes downhill!

The next station is the historic market town Lembach. Here also a short detour to the nice marketplace is worthwhile. Now follows a delicacy: 6.2 km of downhill fun - through the shady mixed forests of the Kleine Mühl valley down into the Danube gorge! From Obermühl, you enjoy riding along the broad Danube - across the farming floodplain terrace Grafenau - upstream to the dock of the longitudinal ferry. The final highlight: the ride with the Danube longitudinal ferry right through the famous natural wonder "Schlögen Danube loop"! The deeply cut river changes its flow direction twice within a few kilometers by nearly 180°. Above Au, the bike ferry docks. The last kilometers you pedal along the mythic river out. A wonderful peak bike tour with a lot of landscape cinema – on land and on water!

Explorations with a delightful stopover! These routes lead directly past the following culinary partners:

• Bakery Pastry Shop Panoramic Café Bauer


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  Donautaler Cider Cellar

  
  

The main part of this wonderful peak bike round uses quiet, paved (secondary) roads. Between Hofkirchen and Hamet, a 1.3 km long section runs over a steeper field path! Basic shifting technique is necessary for the long - partly steeper - climb. Basic braking technique is necessary for the long descent. Not very suitable for classic racing bikes (see "steeper field path").

Please note the ferry times of the longitudinal ferry through the Schlögen Danube loop. There is no land alternative for the gap closure!

Signage:

To make orientation easier for you, the Danube bike rounds have been marked with their own bike guidance system. This round follows the signage "R1.07 Mühlviertler Dom round".