Matilda on Tour - From Lakes to Medieval Towns — Bavaria in Spring 🇩🇪

Tuesday 12 May -Chiemsee

Day 73 - Wind, waves and a change of country Bavaria, Germany

Decision time again this morning — weather maps open, coffees in hand, and the usual chats with George 😄 Somehow we’d ended up beside Chiemsee in southern Germany, not far from the Austrian border.

Chiemsee is often called the Bavarian Sea, and today we could see exactly why. The wind was wild and the lake looked more like the coast, with proper waves rolling across it.

Too chilly and blustery for the bikes today, so instead we wrapped up and headed out for a wander by the lake.

Watching storm clouds sweeping through the Alps was incredible — black skies, streaks of rain hanging beneath them, and fresh snow visible on the mountains after the last 24 hours of wild weather.

We stood for a while watching kite surfers battling against the wind while a lone fisherman stayed out at the end of the pier, completely exposed to the waves and gusts.

Then, almost suddenly, the gloom lifted and patches of blue sky appeared. Everything burst back into colour — horse chestnut trees covered in white blossom and lilac bushes glowing purple in the late afternoon light.

Back at the van tonight, it definitely feels like today’s move was the right decision. The winds are meant to ease overnight and tomorrow looks much more promising for the bikes 🚴

Wednesday 13 May - Chiemsee

Day 74 - Gravel paths and punctures Bavaria, Germany 🇩🇪

Thankfully the wind had dropped by this morning, although there was still a real northerly chill in the air, so the winter cycling gear came back out again.

Today’s plan was to cycle around the lake — around 33 miles and probably as flat as cycling gets.

The first half felt a bit of a slog, with miles of cycle path running alongside the autobahn, but eventually the route broke away from the traffic and things improved.

Lunch was a bit of a wake-up call to Bavarian prices 😄 Proper-sized coffees though, which went very well with a shared pizza funghi.

The second half of the ride was much more enjoyable — rolling gravel paths, better scenery and more variety all round.

A couple of punctures added some extra excitement to the ride, and I ended up limping the last few miles back to the campsite 😄

Thursday 14 May - Dinkelsbuhl

Day 75 — First stop on Germany’s Romantic Road Bavaria, Germany 🇩🇪

Germany was clearly in full bank holiday mode today — no lorries on the autobahns and every motorway service area packed with parked-up trucks.

Apart from that though, the drive north was easy. No hold-ups, a quick McDonald’s stop for lunch, and despite our first Stellplatz option being unavailable, Plan B worked perfectly.

By early afternoon we were settled into Dinkelsbühl, our first stop on Germany’s Romantic Road.

A heavy shower passed through just after we arrived, but once the sun returned it turned into a lovely afternoon, although still surprisingly chilly for May.

While Richard enjoyed a quiet hour back at the van, I headed into town for a wander and instantly liked the place. An old walled town with brightly painted buildings, wide streets, a huge square and an enormous cathedral dominating the skyline.

One thing I noticed straight away was the number of storks perched high on rooftops and church towers. I’m pretty sure some already had chicks too, with lots of movement visible up in the nests.

Later we both headed back into town for a couple of beers. Sitting beside the cathedral with the bells ringing across the square felt wonderfully atmospheric.

Another little gem of a place — and a lovely first taste of Germany’s Romantic Road 🍻

Friday 15 May — Dinkelsbühl - The Romantic Road

Day 76 — Storks, showers and sunshine between Bavaria, Germany 🇩🇪

We woke to the sound of rain hammering on the van roof, but somehow managed a really good day without getting properly wet despite showers drifting through on and off all day.

My first outing was to the bike shop conveniently located about 700 metres from the van. I came back a very happy person — two brand new tyres and four inner tubes for less than they would have cost back home in the UK 😄

The sun even appeared while we changed them over… just in time for the next downpour to arrive.

Eventually the weather settled enough for us to head out on the bikes. Good cycle routes, not too hilly, and enough gravel sections to keep things interesting.

Later we wandered back into town and found a lovely sunny spot for a couple of beers and a bite to eat while watching the storks. The parents were constantly flying back to the nests carrying food for the chicks high above the rooftops.

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And tonight’s meal? Absolutely delicious — an açai bowl with wasabi dressing.

This really has turned out to be a brilliant little stopover. At €8 a night you honestly wouldn’t park a car for 24 hours at that price back home. It's even got a supermarket practically next door.

Saturday 16 May — Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Day 77 — A town that completely surprised us Bavaria, Germany 🇩🇪

The short drive today turned out to be well worth the effort.

Torrential rain greeted us as we arrived at the campsite, but before long the boots were on and we headed out for a walk into Rothenburg.

What a walk too — woodland paths beside the river before a very steep climb up into the town itself.

As we passed through the town gates it felt like stepping into a completely different world. Quiet countryside one minute, then suddenly streets full of people, cafés and beautiful old buildings everywhere you looked.

It’s probably the busiest place we’ve visited on this trip so far, although once you see it properly that really isn’t surprising — the place is just magnificent.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the largest medieval towns in Germany, surrounded by impressive old walls, towers and endless cobbled streets. Everywhere we looked there seemed to be another colourful building, hidden archway or viewpoint waiting to be discovered.

We climbed the tower in the Rathaus, with staircases becoming narrower and steeper the higher we went. The final section felt more like scrambling than climbing 😄

The views from the top were absolutely incredible across the rooftops and surrounding countryside.

Just when we think we’ve seen it all on this trip, somewhere else appears and proves us wrong.

Tonight we’re tucked down in the valley beside the river, with a cycle route running right past the campsite 🚴

Sunday 17 May — Tauber Valley

Day 78 — Cycling through the Tauber Valley Bavaria, Germany 🇩🇪

Today was one of those rides where everything just seemed to come together.

We followed the Tauber Valley cycle route for around 15 miles, stopping for coffee on the way out and lunch on the return.

Our coffee stop today was at Holder Mühle — an old mill converted into a countryside restaurant tucked away in the valley.

White wurst, pretzel and sweet mustard pickle for lunch — absolutely delicious 😄

The route wound gently through the valley beside the River Tauber, with birdsong almost constant all day.

We spotted two grey herons searching a field for food, several buzzards, and then a red kite circling overhead for ages before finally disappearing back towards the trees.

The valley is full of wildflower meadows. Poppies, buttercups, daisies, cow parsley, purple vetch and tall spikes of salvia seemed to be everywhere, filling the fields with colour.

One sign we spotted along the route made us smile - “Who does not love wine, women and song remains a fool his whole life long.”

Very much the spirit of the Tauber Valley 😄

One thing Germany does brilliantly is cycle routes. Every village seems linked by quiet lanes and beautifully signposted paths, making it so easy just to keep riding and see where you end up.

An early evening beer at the local pub felt like the perfect way to end a fabulous couple of days 😊

From stormy lakeside weather at Chiemsee to medieval towns, riverside cycling and evenings beside cathedral squares, Bavaria gave us some wonderfully varied days on the road 🇩🇪