Cycling tour through the pond landscape near Erlangen

There are 1275 bicycle parking spaces as well as 122 double-deck and 20 row-bar spaces in the immediate vicinity of the station.

With the DB app Rad+, kilometres cycled in the participating cities can be collected and then exchanged for discounts or rewards at exclusive partners.

The bicycle rental is only a 4-minute walk from the station.

At Freilauf, bikes can be rented from 10 euros and pedelecs from 35 euros per day. The shop also has a workshop.

From the station, you pass through a subway to the Wiesengrund, the eastern border of the Karpfenland Aischgrund.

You cross the Main-Danube Canal at Alterlangen and soon reach the ponds of Dechsendorf. Ponds that are strung together like pearls on a necklace. The Großer Bischofsweiher is now a bathing lake. There is a campsite, snack facilities and boat hire.

Swans and grey geese can be seen in the Kleiner Bischofsweiher. At Röttenbach you pass through a wooded area. The route continues to Höchstadt an der Aisch.

The town looks back on a history of over 1,000 years. Historical buildings such as the castle, St. George's Church and the old stone bridge that crosses the Aisch bear witness to this. Brewing has also left its mark on the town. A special attraction is the Kellerberg.

The old vaults of the Kellerberg are often referred to as the "beer belly of Höchstadt". This can be explored on a guided tour. The street on the Kellerberg is lined with a total of 26 entrances. Countless tunnels and passages lead off from these. The cellars were carved out of the stone in several levels, one above the other. The total length of all the passages is over 2 kilometres. Most of the cellars were created by Höchstadt home brewers, a smaller part by breweries. There are also 22 cellar houses on the Kellerberg, which were originally built as tool sheds. Today, most of them are owned by so-called cellar communities.

Guided tours of the vaults are conducted by members of the non-profit Kellerbergverein Höchstadt - by appointment only. The association takes care of the preservation of the centuries-old site and also runs a museum located on the historic hill. There, everything revolves around the production and storage of beer. Historical tools are also on display.

Kellerbergverein Höchstadt a.d. Aisch e.V. *1991*, Lucas-Cranach-Str. 9A, 91315 Höchstadt, Tel. 0176 80470988

As far as Voggendorf, the route leads along the winding Aisch and then bends off again into the lake landscape.

Near Biengarten you reach a larger connected pond area - the Mohrhof pond area. It comprises about 100 ponds and is a protected nature reserve. This idyllic spot is a good place to take a break or even make several stops.

Various species of orchids grow in the meadows between the ponds. Many migratory birds use the area for resting, including ospreys, black kites and black terns. Coots, black-necked grebes and purple herons breed in the reeds. And the reed warbler sings its song tirelessly.

The trail continues through fields and forests to Untermembach. Those in need of refreshment can take a detour to the neighbouring Obermembach to the Gumbrecht Inn (Obermembach 2, 91093 Heßdorf, Tel. 09135 3140) with its beautiful beer garden.

At the next stage destination in about 7 kilometres, however, there is another place to stop. It is the Oberle fishery. The tradition of carp farming is still maintained there today.

The Oberle family has been successfully running a fishery for 360 years. It is mainly stocked fish, including carp, pike, pikeperch and perch, which are sold live after successful rearing and released by customers into other waters. The company manages a total of 40 ponds, about half of which are located around Kosbach. More than 20 years ago, a restaurant was added to the breeding operation, which offers dishes with fish from the farm's own breeding in the family's listed farmhouse. Because of the closed season, carp are only available from September to April. But then in all variations: as blue carp, fried, smoked or baked. The beers served with it all come from the house brewery, the Oberle family's latest project. Fresh and smoked fish to take away is available in the farm shop next to the restaurant.

On the way to Erlangen you will pass some ponds of the Oberle fishery. One last look - then it's back to the starting point via Alterlangen.

TIP: If you still have some time and leisure, explore Erlangen's city centre. The baroque houses and squares are well preserved and well worth seeing as an ensemble.