Naturpark Neckartal-Odenwald: Gravel Crossing from Weinheim to Walldürn | Bike Touring Collection by komoot (2024)

In the southwest of Germany, a true gravel jewel awaits you in the Neckartal-Odenwald nature park! Lush meadows, deep forests, grandiose panoramas, picturesque vineyards, idyllic orchards and historic town centers provide the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable gravel weekend.

🧭 The route: Our Naturpark-Crossing Gravel Route runs right through the beautiful landscape with its diverse flora and fauna. In addition, there is pure nature, wonderful peace and quiet away from the hustle and bustle and plenty of variety: in the Odenwald it goes up and down. Challenging climbs provide sporting demands, fast descents bring the flow. In this collection, we show you a three-day bikepacking adventure through the Neckartal-Odenwald Nature Park.

By the way, the route works perfectly according to your tailor-made wishes and ideas. Would you like to ride slower and take in many highlights along the way? Then simply plan more days. If, on the other hand, you are looking for a sporting challenge, you can ride the route in one or two days.

🚆 Arrival: Since it is a one-way route, arrival and departure by train is recommended. Both from Weinheim and Walldürn, Aschaffenburg is the nearest major railway junction that you can reach well. From Heidelberg to Eberbach there is a train connection that runs parallel to the Neckar. With this you can return to Weinheim if necessary. This train route is ideal as a backup if something does not go according to plan. If you only want to ride one or two stages, you can also use it to return to the starting point.

🏕️ Accommodation: Along the route you will find numerous accommodation options from campsites to hotels. A special highlight are the trekking sites in the Neckartal-Odenwald Nature Park. You can find out more here: trekking-odenwald.de. Cyclist-friendly accommodations can be found at bettundbike.de.

🚲 Equipment: The route runs mostly on unpaved paths and is ideal for a tour with the gravel bike. Partly long climbs await you, so we recommend a mountain-suitable gear ratio. What you take with you beyond that depends on your overnight planning. Basically, the route is well rideable with conventional bikepacking equipment (handlebar roll, saddlebag, etc.). You can easily plan your trip with overnight stays in trekking camps or on campsites.

💪 How demanding is the route? Mostly the route runs on unpaved forest and farm roads with gravel surface. It becomes demanding whenever it goes steeply uphill. And that happens quite often: a total of almost 3,500 meters of altitude on around 150 kilometers - that is a house number. Take this into account in your planning and rather take it a little slower. The three stages presented here are feasible for riders with a good basic fitness. If you are not used to so much up and down, rather plan with shorter stages.

🍕 Catering on the way: There are always shopping opportunities along the way, so you can supply yourself well and do not have to take a large stock with you. If you have a little more time, we recommend that you visit one or the other regional business. In the nature park there are numerous direct marketers who offer honey, bread, vegetables, fruit or other specialties directly from the region. Here you can find an overview: naturpark-neckartal-odenwald.de/geniessen/direktvermarktung.

Further tips and information about the Neckartal-Odenwald Nature Park can be found here: naturpark-neckartal-odenwald.de.

You Might Also Like