Freewheeling in the birthplace of the bicycle
IN THE town of Schwetzingen I admired a tower of bicycles, part of a sculpture trail marking one of Germany’s big anniversaries – 200 years since the invention of the bike. In June 1817, Karl Drais took his ‘Draisine’, a two-wheeled foot-propelled contraption, for a spin along the banks of the Rhine from Manheim to Rheinau. The roads were rutted and the five-mile trip took more than an hour, but it heralded the advent of the modern-day bike.
Today, the area around the Rhine, where Drais lived and worked, is a cycling paradise. Miles of dedicated paths take you to historic towns and cities, past majestic castles, and through Germany’s biggest wine-producing area.
As I cycled along the banks of the Rhine, the red sandstone spires of Speyer’s vast Romanesque cathedral came into view. And after a further 22 miles meandering through the valley, I reached the city of Worms, where, at the Diet of Worms, Luther famously defied the Holy Roman Emperor in 1521, the tipping point of the Reformation.
A monument dedicated to Luther dominates a central square, while a museum exhibition charts his role in the Reformation, and Luther wine is readily available.
Together, Speyer, Worms and Mainz, the Rhineland’s capital, form the Schum cities – an acronym of their Hebrew spelled names, and the cradle of Judaism in Europe.
Take a stroll through the 11th Century Jewish cemetery on the outskirts of Worms or up Judengasse to the oldest synagogue in Germany.
And don’t miss the remains of the 12th Century ritual baths in Speyer.
The area is as rich in wine as it is in history, and the route between Worms and Mainz takes cyclists up into its terraced heartland, with plenty of opportunities for tasting.
However, I was mindful of the drinking advice, sculpted in relief on a bronze fountain, showing four wine glasses, each with a face, their expressions ranging from sober to hugely inebriated.
The more established Weinstrasse (wine route) took me to Deidesham, a favourite haunt of former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl. He brought Margaret Thatcher here, although she missed the annual billy-goat ceremony.
After freewheeling down an avenue of almond trees, I passed through Gimmeldingen, home to the annual almond blossom festival, before heading into the timberframed centre of Neustadt and a dinner in the cosy surrounds of a traditional weinstube. Dishes included saumagen (think a German version of haggis) and an apple flan doused in calvados.
The next morning, I reached the imposing Hambach castle. Hambach is the home of German democracy and a fitting place to end my homage to Drais, whose invention did away with expensive horses and helped democratise travel.
As I tucked into a well-earned plate of dumplings, I raised a glass of local riesling to Drais and all those who sail in his latter-day Draiseins.