Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell and Straubing - Kastell St. Peter

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell

   The Danube does something unexpected just upstream of Kelheim. Instead of wandering across flat Bavarian farmland, it cuts straight through a band of white Jurassic limestone, squeezed between cliffs that rise steeply from the water. This is the Weltenburg Narrows, and on the hill above the abbey at Weltenburg, at the spot called Am Galget, the Romans put a small fort to watch the river and the frontier.

   Read the complete Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell is where the day begins. Next is Regensburg - Östliche Canabae.

2. 2. Regensburg - Östliche Canabae

   Marcus Aurelius had the legionary fortress of Castra Regina built here, on the northernmost bend of the Danube, and its north gate, the Porta Praetoria, still stands in Regensburg's old town, built into later buildings, with a foundation inscription dated to AD 179. Outside the fortress walls, the canabae, the civilian settlements where traders, craftsmen and soldiers' families lived, spread along the river, and the eastern canabae are a piece of the World Heritage property for the Danube Limes. Regensburg's medieval old town, built on top of the Roman city, has its own UNESCO listing.

   Read the complete Regensburg - Östliche Canabae write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Regensburg - Östliche Canabae comes up about 36 km into the recorded legs. Next is Straubing - Kastell St. Peter, 43 km on.

3. 3. Straubing - Kastell St. Peter

   In 1950, workmen digging in a Straubing suburb found a hoard that stunned archaeologists: a collection of Roman parade armour, helmets with face masks and decorated metal pieces, buried in the third century, probably to hide them from invaders. The Straubing Roman treasure is now one of the most important finds of its kind north of the Alps, and it is displayed in the Gäubodenmuseum in the city. The fort at St Peter, on the eastern edge of town, was part of the same Roman presence. Straubing was Sorviodurum, a Roman town with several forts on the Danube frontier, and this was one of several forts there.

   Read the complete Straubing - Kastell St. Peter write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 82 km into the recorded legs you reach Straubing - Kastell St. Peter. Next is back through Regensburg - Östliche Canabae.

4. 4. back through Regensburg - Östliche Canabae

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Regensburg - Östliche Canabae write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Regensburg - Östliche Canabae, late in the day. Next is Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell.

5. 5. Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Weltenburg‐Am Galget - Kleinkastell. That is the ride.