The Raetian Limes, the eastern part of the Roman frontier in Germany, is different from the Upper Germanic section, because here the Romans built a wall. The remains of the stone wall, which stretches across Bavaria for about a hundred and sixty kilometres, are known locally as the Devil's Wall, the Teufelsmauer, because people long believed that no human could have made it. Watchtower WP 13/40, near the village of Arberg in Middle Franconia, stands along this section, and its foundations can be traced in a field or at the edge of a wood.
Stone towers like this one stood every few hundred metres along the frontier, each housing a handful of soldiers who could signal to their neighbours with fire or flags. The Raetian Limes was built in the later second century, to protect the province of Raetia from the tribes to the north, and was abandoned around 260 AD when Germanic raids overwhelmed the border. Within a few years, the frontier had moved back to the Rhine and the Danube. UNESCO listed the Upper Germanic-Raetian Limes in 2005.
The countryside is gentle farmland and low forest, with villages of white and red-roofed houses, church towers, and fields of grain and sugar beet. The region is Franconian, a land of beer, sausages and wine, with a dry humour and a distinct dialect. Arberg is a small place, and the larger town of Ansbach is not far to the north, with a baroque palace.
Riding here is straightforward and pleasant, on quiet country roads with wide views and few cars, a good place for a long day without fuss. The Hesselberg, the highest hill in the area, offers a view over the Franconian plain, and the Altmuhl valley to the south is a favourite for riders. Roads can be wet in spring, and farm traffic is common during harvest. Fuel is available in Arberg's neighbouring towns, and bakeries, butchers and inns provide good food, with Franconian specialities such as roast pork and dumplings. Spring and early autumn are the best seasons, and summer afternoons can be hot. Take a moment at the site to imagine the signal fires.