In the garden of God on the Obermain

From the railway station, it is just under a kilometre to the boat launching point under the Coburger Straße bridge over the Main. Walk along Zweigstraße to Badgasse. You will come to Coburger Straße, which you follow northwards under the railway tracks to the meadows by the river. The kayaks from the canoe hire company will be waiting for you here if the water level is high enough to allow paddling on the Main and if you have booked a boat in good time.

Recreational paddlers and families should bear in mind that they paddle around 4 to 5 kilometres per hour. For a day trip, plan a maximum of 20 kilometres, including breaks and short explorations. The boat hire shop also has tips for great tours depending on your mood and fitness level.

The canoe hire centre offers single and double kayaks as well as triple canoes for one-day or multi-day tours on the Upper Main. It is advisable to book the boats in good time, especially at weekends.

By prior arrangement, the boats can be used in Lichtenfels, in Hausen near Bad Staffelstein, in Michelau or even further upstream.
In addition to accessories such as life jackets, boxes and route maps, the service also includes passenger return transport on request (subject to a charge). Water hikers should note that the Main may only be travelled downstream from Hausen on the Obermain canoe trail (one-way tour).

A great family paddling tour, for example, takes you 18 kilometres down the Main to Ebensfeld, from where you can take the train back. As the route goes downstream and if the water level and current are in favour of the paddlers, very sporty paddlers can easily cover the distance to Bamberg in one day. But don't worry, the river is a so-called tame water, so it's just right for paddling trips with children. The route continues along the Main in beautiful bends towards Ebensfeld. This stretch of land is known as "God's Garden on the Obermain", which stretches out like a huge landscape park with picturesque villages, colourful orchards, rugged rock formations and lively rushing streams.

Just before you have to take the boat out of the water at the weir in Hausen, which is always a real experience for children, you are treated to a breathtaking view: the former Banz monastery rises majestically above the Main meadows.

Banz Monastery is a former Benedictine monastery. It was founded in 1070 and was an important religious and cultural centre in the region until secularisation in 1803.

The monastery building is an important example of southern German baroque architecture. The monumental complex with its two church towers on the hill can be seen from afar. Today it houses the modern education and meeting centre of the Hanns Seidel Foundation as well as a museum. The monastery church, which is decorated with magnificent stucco work and frescoes, is particularly worth seeing. The museum in the Consulentenbau building in front tells the history of the monastery and displays a collection of fossils and an oriental collection. Changing special exhibitions present contemporary art.

Today, Banz Monastery is also a popular excursion destination for tourists and pilgrims interested in history, art and culture.

A little tired from paddling? Then you've earned some refreshments! At Gasthof Zum Anker in Unnersdorf, a district of Bad Staffelstein, you can moor just before the bridge and enjoy a break.

The inn directly on the Main is a 6th generation family business. Seasonal and fresh dishes are served here with ingredients from producers and farmers in the region: Franconian cuisine with and without meat, fish and dishes for children. The grown-ups are sure to enjoy a beer from the regional brewery Trunk with their meal.

Or would you prefer something sweet? Café Zollhaus awaits you right next door.

Coffee, tea and chocolate specialities, homemade cakes and tarts are served with a wonderful view of the Main from the balcony. Delicious ice cream sundaes and a small snack from the soup kitchen round off the offer.

With renewed energy, you now set off on the final spurt along the Main, past the Bad Staffelstein lake district, under railway and motorway bridges. At the Veitsbergblick rest area, you can wave to cyclists who stop here. Then the last bend in the Main awaits you before this beautiful canoe tour ends at the entrance and exit in Ebensfeld. You can either have the boat hire company collect you and your kayak and take you back to Lichtenfels. Or you can walk the 900 metres or so to Ebensfeld station and take the train back from here. The tarmac path along the Main takes you directly to Bahnhofstraße.