Öhringen had not one but two Roman forts, known today as the Bürgkastell and the Rendelkastell, both on the Upper Germanic Limes, which ran past the town on its way south. The watchtowers numbered here were part of that frontier, and the town grew partly on the remains of the Roman settlement that clustered around the forts. Little is visible above ground, but finds are displayed in the local museum, and the line of the Limes can be followed on foot or by bike through the surrounding countryside.
Öhringen is the main town of the Hohenlohe region, a rolling plateau of fields, orchards and woods, with river valleys cut into it, such as the Kocher and the Jagst. The princes of Hohenlohe ruled here for centuries, and their palace in Öhringen, a large Renaissance building, now houses the town hall. Neuenstein, a few kilometres east, has a fairy-tale moated castle, and the collegiate church of Öhringen contains the tombs of the Hohenlohe family. The region is known for its pigs, the Schwäbisch-Hällisches Landschwein, a traditional breed, and for good food in general.
The riding is pleasant. The plateau roads are open and gently rolling, with long views, and the valleys of the Kocher and Jagst offer more curves, with castles, villages and vineyards. Grip is usually reliable, and traffic is light outside the towns. Watch for tractors and cyclists, and for mud on the roads at harvest time. The region can be foggy in autumn and winter, and summer brings thunderstorms. Some valley roads have speed limits for motorcycles at weekends.
Öhringen has fuel, beds and plenty of places to eat. Hohenlohe food is substantial: roast pork, sausages, dumplings, and local wines from the slopes along the valleys. The town has a pleasant old centre with cafés. Combine a visit to the Limes sites with a ride through the Hohenlohe valleys; the landscape is gentle and unhurried, and the contrast between the Roman frontier and the castles of the princes gives the day a sense of history layered upon history.