In Hamelin, the rats are on the pavement. A trail of little brass rats leads through the old town to the Rattenfängerhaus, the house of the Pied Piper, and the town has built its identity around the legend. According to the story, in 1284 a stranger in colourful clothes came to Hameln, as the Germans spell it, and offered to rid the town of its rats. He led them into the Weser with his pipe, the citizens refused to pay him, and he returned and led away their children. The earliest records speak of a loss of a hundred and thirty children, and historians still argue over what actually happened.
Hameln is a handsome town of nearly sixty thousand people on the Weser, with half-timbered houses and fine examples of the Weser Renaissance style, a regional style of carved stone gables and ornate bay windows from around 1600. The Hochzeitshaus, the old wedding house, is a good example, and in summer actors perform the legend on Sundays in front of it. There are plenty of cafes and restaurants, and bakers sell little pastries in the shape of rats.
The ride to Hameln from the north and west follows the Weser valley, with gentle curves, fields, hills and woodland, and a string of small towns. The roads are mostly smooth and well kept, with long views from the ridges. In summer, the river is busy with cyclists, and in autumn mist lies on the water in the morning.
The town has fuel stations on the edge, and bike dealers, supermarkets and hotels. Come early if you want to see the old town without the crowds, and walk down the Osterstraße, the main pedestrian street, to the Pied Piper's house. The story was collected by the Brothers Grimm, and the Fairy Tale Route, which links towns associated with them and their tales, passes through here. It is a quiet and charming finish to a long ride.