The Kocher-Jagst Cycle Route in Baden-Württemberg

It all came about rather spontaneously: I was given the chance to cycle three stages of the Kocher-Jagst Cycle Route. This circular route in the heart of Baden-Württemberg takes its name from the Kocher River and the Jagst River. The official route follows the Jagst upstream and the Kocher downstream.

In between, there is plenty of variety: lush green valleys, panoramic plateaus, forests, orchards and vineyards. And picture-perfect half-timbered buildings in almost every town and village along the route.

I do not see much of any of this on the first stage, as a curtain of rain and mist hangs over the landscape. But I already know that this circular tour is exactly what I was looking for. I want to explore a part of Germany I have never visited before – and give the cycling season a fitting send-off there. I want to feel as though I am setting off on a proper journey: boarding the train in Rosenheim and stepping off in another world, after a journey of no more than half a day.

That last part may sound like a tall order, I know. And yet it did not take much research to find the very cycle route that ticked all the boxes.

The path along the riverbank feels mystical, almost tropical – if only it were warmer. The water gurgles softly, while dense vegetation shuts out the world beyond. Mist hangs among the treetops, the air is damp, a green woodpecker calls and cranes stroll across the meadows. As I wonder when I last saw so many different birds in one place, an information board beside the path catches my eye: the Jagst Valley is home to a remarkable variety of rare species. Animals that have long since disappeared elsewhere still thrive here – including colourful kingfishers, water frogs, storks, fire salamanders and beavers, as well as several butterfly species rarely seen in Germany. They all share this habitat along the Jagst. As I take a break, I almost feel as though I am on safari.

I stop often – not because the stages are particularly strenuous, but because another tempting opportunity always presents itself, or the view is simply too beautiful to cycle past. I spread my jacket out in a field and, as my eyes begin to close in the warmth, a broad smile spreads across my face. This is what freedom feels like. Who knows how much longer the conditions for cycling will remain this perfect? On some of the descents, I cannot help quietly letting out a whoop of joy. My three days here feel like weeks, thanks to the sheer variety, the sense of wonder around every bend, the narrow lanes lined with half-timbered buildings and the colourful forests. The rain, the sunshine and the wind. I cannot get enough of any of it – and at that moment, I promise myself I will return.