To Sigmaringen

We started out this morning feeling a bit daunted because today was to be our longest cycling distance at 54km, but while that was long enough the day has been great. Most of the ride has been downhill with just a few really sapping uphill stretches.

The first few km were across lovely rolling farmland along very quiet and narrow roads but soon we entered a limestone gorge with the Danube increasing in size as we progressed. Travelling through several picture book towns, our decision to rest up each hour had me sketching the, above, historic building.

The gorge narrowed and for a few km the bike track was the only route along the river although, mostly we were accompanied by a train track.

Morning coffee was at a remote hunting lodge and later a (wurst) lunch st a hotel by the bike path. About 7km from Sigmaringen a great thunderstorm caught up with us and after sheltering in a convenient barn for half an hour we put on our wet weather gear and rode on.

A hot shower at our hotel was welcome and after a while the sun came out and we wandered into the ridiculously attractive town of Sigmaringen. After a wander we settled for a well deserved beer under umbrellas in an outdoor cafe where I made another sketch  before an excellent chicken salad dinner.

On our way back to the hotel we stopped and watched the sun set on the castle.