Elfinger Pond belongs to the same Cistercian water system as the others around Maulbronn, but its label travels with a surprising companion: a Roman watchtower, number twelve of thirty-nine on a ride devoted to the frontier of the empire. The Roman limes ran well to the east of here, so there is no Roman connection on the ground, only the odd fact that this hill country has been a place of lines and boundaries, in one form or another, for two thousand years. The ponds belong to a gentler kind of border, the one between wilderness and a well-run estate.
For the monks, the pond was a working thing. A dam of earth and stone held back the water of a small stream, and sluices controlled the level. Fish were raised in the ponds for the monastery's table, particularly carp, which were fed, harvested in autumn and kept alive in tanks until needed. The Cistercian rule demanded abstinence from meat on many days, so fish was a necessity rather than a luxury. The water also drove mills and, in times of fire, supplied a reserve. Today the pond is a quiet corner of the forest, with reeds along the edge and the occasional angler.
The ride in this part of the Stromberg and Kraichgau is a pleasure for those who like quiet. Roads wind between woods and fields, past orchards and vineyards, with a succession of small villages where the church tower and the village pump mark the centre. Surfaces are generally good, with a few rough patches near forest tracks. Weekends bring cyclists and walkers, but the weekdays are almost empty. Watch out for tractors at harvest time and for wet leaves in autumn.
Maulbronn is two kilometres away and has fuel, bakeries and a couple of inns, with Swabian cooking such as lentils with Spätzle and sausages, a hearty meal for a cool day. The larger towns of Bretten and Mühlacker lie a short ride off. Spring brings blossom and birdsong, summer is warm and green, and early autumn is the best of all, when the vines turn red and the mist lies in the valleys. Take a layer, because the woods are cooler than you expect.