Along the Danube River in Germany: Hiking, exploring & eating your way through Baden-Württemberg.

I just literally “came across” something. The border between Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg that is, right inside the city of Ulm in Southern Germany. Ever since I’ve set out on a journey to trace the German part of the Danube river upstream, I’ve really come to look at it with different eyes. But instead of just looking at the river reflecting the cityscape of Ulm, I have something quite different in mind this time. “Here is the entry point,” says Dirk to me, pointing to a dirt road leading down to the Danube. “I’ll watch you from the river bank and shoot some nice photos, okay?”, he adds, smiling. That and a few more words from Robin, my SUP instructor, and way I go enjoying the second ever SUP lesson of my life! On the Danube river. Of course. (My very first such lesson, by the way, also took place in Germany, near the city of Leipzig).

Einfach nur traumhaft - und gar keine solch wackelige Angelegenheit, wie es aussieht ...

SUP, short for “Stand Up Paddling”: A really cool way to explore the Danube river, as well as the city of Ulm! Photo (c) Dirk Homburg / Ulm/Neu-Ulm Tourismus

 

Foto (c) Dirk Homburg / Ulm/Neu-Ulm Tourismus

… love the feeling of floating down the Danube river, which is quiet and reassuring here, no boats or anything to make you tumble and splash ! Photo (c) Dirk Homburg / Ulm/Neu-Ulm Tourismus

 

Toll, was man auf der Donau in Ulm alles machen kann! Hier filme ich gerade, wie mein SUP-Lehrer Robin noch ein paar Kunststücke vorführt ..! Foto (c) Dirk Homburg / Ulm/Neu-Ulm Tourismus

Loved my SUP lesson, and filming my instructor Robin as he performs some tricks on his board. You should really try this out for yourself, it’s less difficult than it might look ..! Photo (c) Dirk Homburg / Ulm/Neu-Ulm Tourismus

 

Next up, Dirk takes me to the inner city of Ulm. Since I have read that the cathedral, or minster, of Ulm possesses the highest church tower in the world (a good 161 meters in height, thus even slightly higher than the world-famous Cologne Cathedral!), I knew I just had to come and see it. And indeed: The bell tower soaring into the sky, as well as the entire construction and its unique history, inspire me. Add to that, the lively atmosphere of a small city market, or the quaint little “Fischerviertel” district with yet another superlative, the “world’s most inclined hotel”, and you get the feeling that Ulm really has a lot to offer. Check this out.

Anziehungspunkt der "historischen Skyline" No. 1 : Das gewaltige, im 19. Jahrhundert vollendete Münster von Ulm ...

Soaring to the sky, the cathedral’s organ inside the church …

 

Anziehungspunkt der "historischen Skyline" No. 1 : Das gewaltige, im 19. Jahrhundert vollendete Münster von Ulm ...

… surrounded by this rather lovely square, bustling with life in the summertime.

 

Von dort ist es nicht weit in das historische "Fischer- und Geberviertel" ...

From there, it is but a stone’s throw to reach the popular “Fischerviertel”, hinting at a trace of the Alsace region, and Strasbourg, in particular …

 

... einzigartig in Ulm: Das von Guiness ausgezeichnete, "schiefste Hotel der Welt"! Ihr könnt, wenn Ihr anklopft, gar einen kurzen Blick hineinwerfen, oder am besten mal drin nächtigen ..?

… and there you go, unique to Ulm as well as the world: The world’s most inclined hotel, as proclaimed by the Guiness Book of Records! Would you stay there ..? My tip for you, is that a knock on the door can get you a free visit, in any case at least!

 

Ulm, ich will & werde wiederkommen, soviel steht fest!

Ulm, I’ll be back! What a lovely city you are.

 

From Ulm, we take to travelling on into Blaubeuren. Just twenty minutes’ drive from Ulm, you will find the most extraordinary natural & cultural “wonders of the world” ..!

And again, one superlative follows the next, which fascinates me even further on my journey tracing the Danube river upstream: Here, very close to the small town Blaubeuren, the oldest human statuette in the world has been found, still to be admired in the local area history museum. Then, there is the unique “Blautopf” freshwater spring, the “second-most water-rich spring of Germany”, which in size and color even surpasses my memory of comparatively similar freshwater sources in New Zealand or Canada (think Banff and their ink pools in the Rocky Mountains). Enormous. And as if all of this were not enough, we even went around historical Blaubeuren with the “Donauroller”, a happy Segway ride that is. Whoa!

Da es jedoch so viel zu entdecken gibt hier, schlage ich vor, ihr beginnt wie wir mit dem Urgeschichtlichen Museum ...

My tip for you starting to discover Blaubeuren: The local area history museum, featuring bilingual English & German displays …

 

... auf weitere Tuchfühlung mit den Eiszeitmenschen ...

… then, I recommend you to go for a short ride into the nearby valley, where old firestones like these, thousands of years old, are to be found as tools by early mankind …

 

... nimmt Euch diese junge Dame hier, Iris, die wohl enthusiastischste Archäologin, die ich je getroffen habe.

… Iris, one of the most passionate and enthusiastic archaeologists I have ever met, will take good care of you there.

 

Only recently, caves & ice age of the Swabian Alb have been a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, rightly so: here I hold a replica of the very first human figure found here in a karst cave along the old Danube valley. Touching, she is a handsome 42,000 years old - and obviously a woman!

Only recently, the so-called “Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura” have been recognised as UNESCO World Cultural Heritage, and rightly so: In my hands, I hold a replica of the very first human figure found here in a karst cave along the ancient Danube valley floor. Touching to know this rather handsome 42,000 years-old figure is obviously a woman!

 

Auch den berühmten Blautopf kann und möchte ich Euch natürlich nicht vorenthalten ...

Also, do not miss paying an extended visit to the mesmerising fresh water spring known as the “Blautopf” …

 

... an seiner Seite liegt übrigens eine alte Schmiede, die auch Schmiedekurse für Kreativ-Reisende anbietet!

… whose natural pool bank features an old forge, where even today, creative courses in forging your own little souvenir take place, and beautiful ironware is being wrought!

 

Wir genießen weiters die abendliche Stimmung ...

We enjoy the summer evening in Blaubeuren …

 

... bei einer informativen ...

… as part of an entertaining, and educational …

 

... sowie abenteuerlichen Fahrt mit dem Segway "Donauroller": Vielen Dank, lieber Klaus, für diese schöne Möglichkeit die Gegend in & um Blaubeuren zu erkunden! Mehr erfahrt Ihr auf Donauroller.de.

… ride with the Segway: Thank you for the nice pictures, dear Klaus! Check out www.Donauroller.de for more.

 

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And finally, do stop at this inn here in Blaubeuren, really worth your while for the good quality of local fare and cosy atmosphere.

 

Last but not least, and even further towards the source of the Danube river, “Donaubergland” makes for a fairy-tale like escape.

Finally, my journey along the Danube river has become entirely calm, as the Danube, too, becomes a small, narrow river, which winds its way gracefully through the landscape before it. There is one particular detail to it, though: The river completely disappears at a place marked “Donauversickerung” (Danube swallowing). Like, what?! But it’s true. In fact, the Danube, shortly after its source in the Black Forest, disappears underground for a while, only to emerge again and flow calmly a few kilometres further downstream. An interesting natural phenomenon – and one among many I have already marvelled at throughout my entire journey through Bavaria & Baden-Württemberg.

The “Donaubergland“, then, is best explored hiking. Oh, how I could lose myself here for hours and hours, despite (or because?) of the countless, numerous signposted paths. Even a part of the Way of St. James, which I have just returned to in northern Spain a few weeks earlier, leads along here! My tip: Look out for the so-called “Donauwellen” (Danube waves)! No wind or current is necessary to produce them, no. Rather, this term refers to the area’s most popular circular hiking routes, as well as a local delicacy, a cake made of black & white chocolate as well as sour cherries. Do. Not. Miss. ..!

Die traumhaften Landschaft des "Donaubergland" ...

Forever beautiful, to be travelling in this particular landscape “Donaubergland” …

 

... mitsamt seiner kulturhistorischen Kleinode, wie dem Kloster Neuron hier zum Beispiel ...

… including cultural treasures thrown in, such as Beuron Monastery in this case …

 

... lädt Wanderfreunde aller Art ein ...

… and also, as mentioned, a top destination for hikers of all levels and kinds …

 

... die vielen Aus- und Einblicke über das sanft geschwungene Donautal zu genießen.

… enjoying the many vantage points overlooking the lush green Danube river valley.

 

Tausend Dank für die schöne Zeit zusammen, liebe Anita ...

Thank you so much for this wonderful day together, dear Anita …

 

... schließlich, bei der Entdeckung der "Donauwelle" hoch über der Donau selbst: Einem fantastischen regionalen Kuchen, den Ihr probieren müsst ...

… and for introducing me to the “Donauwellen” Danube cake …

 

... für die nicht so süßen Naschkatzen unter Euch: Wie wär's mit hausgemachten Bratwürsten, zum Beispiel hier im Gasthaus Sonne ...?

… or how about homemade Bratwurst, such as these ones served at the Hotel Gasthof Sonne in the local town of Fridingen …?

 

Nicht vergessen: Die Donauversickerung besuchen. Eindrucksvoll, posiert diese Familie hier vor der Stelle, an der die Donau echt "aufhört"!

And yes, you must go and visit the place where the Danube river literally slips aways, drowning in an underground swallowing only to reemerge again later!

 

Feierabend an der Donau!

They’ve got a nice little cafe & beach bar open during the summer months, too!

 

Last but not least, check out my travel video about Baden-Württemberg, guaranteed to make you want to explore the Danube river on your own …!

[su_youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my2LuOQCUt4″ width=”800″]

 

More pictures about my journey are here:

 

Check out my other blog post about following the Danube river in Bavaria, too, including lots of useful tips in order to plan and organise your stay!

 

Disclaimer: I have been invited by on this trip by the German National Tourist Board. All opinions are my own.

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