St. Märgen, Feldberg & Hotzenwald, 8 Days

The week begins in St. Märgen with individual arrival, introductions to the group and a thorough briefing. If needed, you collect your rental machine here and receive all the key information for the coming stages through the Black Forest.

It starts at the Brigach spring and continues to the Martinskapelle, where the Breg — the second source river of the Danube — rises. Via Donaueschingen, the Danube sinkhole and the Danube gorge the route reaches the Aachtopf, Germany's largest spring — around 300 winding kilometres.

After the volcanic landscape of the Hegau the way crosses by ferry from Meersburg to Konstanz, past the Gnadensee and Untersee to the Swiss town of Stein am Rhein. The imposing Rhine Falls invites a stop before the return to the base hotel — about 300 kilometres.

Via Löcherberg, Strittberg and Gscheid the way runs to Waldkirch, from where the Kandel is climbed from the north. Via St. Peter and St. Märgen, with fine views throughout, it drops into the Hexenloch at Dreistegen, then continues through Furtwangen, Prechtal and Wolftal to Kappelrodeck — around 280 kilometres.

A quieter day through the wine villages of Durbach and Zell-Weierbach to medieval Gengenbach and the Vogtsbauernhof open-air museum. After the world's largest cuckoo clock, the Triberg waterfalls and the clock museum in Furtwangen, the B500 brings you past Titisee and Schluchsee to the second base hotel — about 190 kilometres.

Eight notable peaks shape this day: Belchen, Blauen, Feldberg, Herzogenhorn, Schauinsland, Silberberg, Stübenwasen and Toter Mann. The hairpins line up one after another here — curve-packed, view-rich and full of riding enjoyment, around 275 kilometres.

Wildly scenic, deeply carved forest valleys define this day: narrow lanes wind between stream and cliff. In clear weather the view from the bare ridgelines stretches over the High Rhine to the Swiss Alps — around 250 winding kilometres.

After around 1,500 kilometres of new experience the week ends with individual journeys home from St. Märgen. Riders with rental machines return them together to the hire company before everyone heads their own way.