Large Isar-Hallertau loop

A delightful circular tour through the rolling countryside north of Freising: forests, fields, and sweeping views stretching all the way to the Alps await you on this varied route. The train journey from Munich to Freising, the starting and ending point of the loop, takes just 25 minutes. You'll cycle through the charming town center to the outskirts and from there northeast through typical Upper Bavarian countryside. You'll cross the Amper River and pass through several villages where you'll find traditional inns for a break – a particular highlight is the Au-Hallertau Castle Brewery. Afterward, you'll follow the Abens stream for a while until, roughly halfway through the route, you'll make a right turn. With gentle ups and downs, you'll then cycle south through Tegernbach, Nandlstadt, and Langenbach. There, you'll reach the Munich–Regensburg railway line, which you'll follow back to Freising. The last section takes you along the beautiful Isar river, and before you head home, a detour to the cathedral hill is worthwhile.

Luckily, I had double-checked the elevation gain, otherwise I would have actually ridden my regular bike and never arrived... I had also checked the weather forecast, but it felt much colder than predicted, and the sun didn't even manage to break through the cloud cover. The tour was beautiful, but unfortunately, the second half was very long on country roads, which is why I fear for my life and wouldn't do it again. The first half followed very scenic routes through forests and hop fields and would certainly be even more enjoyable in a more colorful season. In Rudfing, just before the junction with the Isar cycle path, I absolutely couldn't find the trail in the fallen leaves and ended up doing several laps because the supposed paths turned out to be driveways. It must have been quite a sight, seeing me repeatedly turning around in the middle of the road, still unable to find my way despite using various map apps. Back in Freising, it was already starting to get dark, and I cooled down unexpectedly quickly. The fortifying meal of pizza slices and a hot cappuccino came at just the right time before I took the S-Bahn home.

From Freising to Au in der Hallertau. Hops everywhere you look. Unfortunately, many roads, bike paths less often.