Long Distance Cycling Tour 2007, part 2b


 

Day by day description; part 2b: Imst - Hergensweiler.

 Day 12:
Imst - Warth
 Day 13:
Warth - Hard
 Day 14:
Hard - Meersburg
 Day 15:
Meersburg - Hergensweiler

Map

For days 1-7 (Hergensweiler - Königssee) see part 1 of detailed description.

For days 8-11 (Königssee - Imst): see part 2a of the detailed description.

 



 
Views from the road to Hahntennjoch.
 
Day 12.

Imst (800 m) - Hahntennjoch (1894 m) - Häselgehr - Bach - Steeg - Warth (1495).

61 km, 1721 hm.
Gästehaus Walch - were we stayed in Imst - is located at the road that leads to Hahntennjoch (1894 m), another highlight of the Königssee - Bodensee tour. Almost 1100 meter climbing over 14 km, through a truly magnificent forest and (sub)alpine landscape. Great ! At the top, no skilifts, no hotels, no bars, just silence and a staggering beauty. A rapid 1000 meter descents brought us to the bottom of the Lechtal, were we had to follow the river Lech upstream for 36 km. Also the Lechtal has, occasionally, green signs that points to low traffic roads. Possibly because of several reconstructions of bridges that cross the river it was not always easy to find the correct road. We certainly have done more climbing than strictly necessary.
Accommodation in Warth: Haus Guggis (above the church).
Map: Kompass Wander-, Bike- und Skitourenkarte 1:50.000, sheet 29 (Imst - Telfs - Kühtai), and sheet 33 (Arlberg, Verwallgruppe).

 


 
 
Left: Hard and Bodensee seen from the descent of the Losenpass; right: shephard and his daughter guiding cow(s) through the streets of Hard.
 

Day 13.

Warth (1495 m) ­ Hochtannbergpass (1679 m) ­ Schröcken ­ Au ­ Bersbuch ­ Bödele (Losenpass, 1148 m) ­ Dornbirn ­ Hard (400 m).
64 km, 735 hm.
From Warth to the Hochtannberpass (1679 m) is only 184 meter climbing. By now a piece of cake for us. We expected that it would be our last climb before reaching the Bodensee. Wait and see. The ascent was easy, but cold, given the relatively low temperatures that day. The descent, all the way to Bersbuch (32 km) was excellent, except for the numerous road works. In Bersbuch we decided to take a minor road to Dornbirn. Our less detailed map did not indicate that the next village, Bödele, is situated at a much higher elevation than Bersbuch (repectively 1148 and 560 m). The full-blown climb to Bödele is also known as Losenpass. The last 12 km, from Dornbirn to Hard (Bodensee) we had to cycle along busy roads.
Accommodation in Hard: Pension Köhlmeier (close to the Rathaus, in the centre of town).

 



 
 
Altenheim, Bodensee (Kanton Sankt Gallen, Switzerland): market hall designed by the Austrian architect Hundertwasser.

  

Day 14.

Hard (400m) - Romanshorn - Konstanz - Meersburg (400 m).
65 km, 105 hm.
The easiest way to close the circle would have been cycling from Hard, via Bregenz and Lindau to Hergensweiler; approximately 30 km. However, we have decided to add an trip around a part of the Bodensee. Today part one. Along the Swiss south coast to Konstanz (Germany again) and then by ferry to Meersburg. Finding your way around the Bodensee is easy. The Bodenseeradweg is abundantly signposted in both directions.
Accommodation in Meersburg: Gasthaus "Peter an der Steig".

 


 
 
Left: Lindau, harbour entry; right: appropriate advertisement for Gaudi Radler (a mix of beer and lemonade or mineral water).
 

Day 15.

Meersburg (400 m) - Friedrichshafen - Lindau - Hergensweiler (520 m).
55 km, 268 hm.
The Swiss side of the Bodensee is rather dominated by industrial enterprises and other economic activities; the German north side of the lake is on average more scenic. In Friedrichshafen the route leads along the Zeppelin museum, which is worth a visit. Lindau, officially the start of the Bodensee ­ Königssee Radweg is an attractive place, but rather overcrowded by tourists with(out) bikes. Hergensweiler, our starting point, was less than an hour cycling in the direction of Königssee. The remaining 120 hm was just nothing after 900 km and over 10,000 hm.

Bodensee - Königssee is a highly recommendable tour. The return route through Tirol and Vorarlberg offers spledid views and very fine (sub)alpine climbs !

 




Map.
 

 Day 12:
Imst - Warth
 Day 13:
Warth - Hard
 Day 14:
Hard - Meersburg
 Day 15:
Meersburg - Hergensweiler

Top

For days 1-7 (Hergensweiler - Königssee) see part 1 of detailed description.

For days 8-11 (Königssee - Innsbruck - Imst) see part 2a of the detailed description.