Not every Roman fort on the frontier was a great stone fortress. Some were small, temporary or quickly abandoned, and the fort site of Oberhochstatt, on the high plateau above Weißenburg in Bavaria, seems to have been one of these, a modest garrison post on the Raetian Limes. There is little to see today beyond a field, perhaps an information board and the outline of the defences in the grass. But the landscape around is full of Roman history, and the town of Weißenburg, a short ride away, is one of the best places in Germany to experience it.
Weißenburg was the site of the Roman fort of Biriciana, and its reconstructed north gate stands in a park on the edge of town, giving a vivid sense of the scale of the defences. Nearby, the remains of the Roman baths are among the best preserved in southern Germany, protected under a modern roof. In 1979 a local gardener digging in his vegetable patch found a hoard of Roman treasure, including bronze statuettes of gods, silver vessels and votive plaques, now displayed in the town's Roman museum. Weißenburg itself is a lovely old town, with walls, towers and half-timbered houses, and a fortress, the Wülzburg, on a hill above.
The landscape around is a mix of the Franconian Jura, with limestone hills, juniper heaths and forests, and the Franconian Lake District, a group of artificial lakes created in recent decades to balance water supply in Bavaria. The Altmühlsee and the Brombachsee, to the west, are popular for swimming, sailing and cycling in summer.
The riding is pleasant and varied. The roads on the plateau are straight and open, with long views over fields and forests. The roads that descend into the valleys of the Altmühl and the Schwäbische Rezat are more winding, with good bends and views. Traffic is light, but watch for farm vehicles, cyclists and deer. Surfaces are generally good.
Weißenburg has fuel, shops and restaurants; the villages around have inns and small shops. Try a beer from a local brewery, and Franconian specialties such as Schäufele, roast pork shoulder with crackling, or Nürnberger sausages. The weather is continental, with warm summers and cold winters; spring and autumn are the best seasons for riding.