Tall green walls of hops line the roads around Au in der Hallertau in late summer. The Hallertau is the largest continuous hop-growing region in the world, and its vines climb wires strung between poles about seven metres high, giving the landscape a strange, almost theatrical look. Au, a small market town with a castle and a church, is one of its centres, and the smell of hops at harvest time, from late August into September, is unforgettable.
The hops grown here go into beers all over the world, and many local breweries make the most of their proximity. The landscape is gently hilly, with fields, woods and villages, and the hop gardens add a vertical dimension to the countryside. In winter, the bare poles and wires stand like a grid across the fields, waiting for the next season.
Riding through the Hallertau is a pleasure. The roads roll over hills and through valleys, with good surfaces and moderate traffic. The curves are gentle but frequent, and the landscape changes constantly, from open fields to hop gardens and forests. Be careful of farm vehicles, especially during harvest, when tractors and trailers transport the hops to drying kilns.
Au in der Hallertau has fuel, shops and inns, making it a good place for a break. Mainburg, a few kilometres north, is the other main centre of the region, and the hop museum in Wolnzach to the west explains the history and culture of hop growing. From here, the route continues south towards Munich and the Alps, on the way to the Grossglockner, Austria's highest mountain road.