This morning we had a nice early 7.30am start while it was still nice and cool (though a thermometer outside a pharmacy advised it was already 22 degrees!). We found the river path quickly and rode amongst hundreds of Saturday morning dog walkers, joggers and cyclists.
Cycleway signs informed us that there is a cycle route called the Regnitz Radweg that goes from Nurnberg to Bamberg and we stayed on this for the rest of the ride.

We spotted a cute squirrel along the way. We have seen quite a bit of wildlife on the bike paths so far – foxes, huge hares, smaller rabbits and deer.

Most of the route was alongside a huge modern canal – the Main-Donau-Kanal  (1960-1992) – still very much in use with barges transporting coal and other loads to Nurnberg.

Canal barge

A huge lock on the canal

Other side of the lock, the road goes right over the lock

Statue on a bridge

We arrived in Bamberg at about midday, after riding for 73km, and just as the heat was really starting to build up. We had booked for two nights at our most expensive hotel yet, though it is pretty basic and about 5km from the center – we couldn’t get anything reasonably priced in town.

When we went out again at about 4pm it was still cooking. We found a supermarket to buy some food and then headed into the town center. We stopped our exploration when we came across a wine festival happening in a town square. There was a band wearing Lederhosen and playing Schlagermusik on a stage. There were stalls selling food and wine and beer, and many long tables at which to sit.

We enjoyed drinking some Weizenbier here – the beer we now seek out in Germany – it is very refreshing after a long hot bicycle ride.

All the men in the Lederhosen gathered around the beer stall (ignoring the wine)

Just as the first band was finishing up, it clouded over, there was some thunder and it started to rain. Everyone moved under the sun shades. We waited around for the second band to start and the rain to clear. After about another hour we couldn’t wait any more (or drink more beer), so we took off, it was not too wet getting home.