Churches and Monasteries Tour

Today my wife and I cycled the Church and Monastery Tour near Rinteln. We started at the Bodega Bar in Rinteln, from where the tour first took us towards Möllenbeck Monastery. From there, we returned to our starting point in Rinteln, where we were guided through the city center. Leaving Rinteln behind us, we headed towards the Weser ferry in Großenwieden. After crossing the Weser, the route took us towards Hessisch Oldendorf, then on to Fischbeck Monastery, before immediately turning onto the Weser Cycle Route. From there, we continued along the Weser Cycle Route back to Rinteln. A large part of the tour was on cycle paths alongside main roads, with varying degrees of traffic. However, the first half of the tour also included several beautiful stretches along remote country roads. The return journey along the Weser Cycle Route was a wonderful ride. Conclusion: Quite a nice tour but the passages on the main road could be minimized a bit.

We are starting our bike tour in Rinteln today. On the route we pass through Exten and Hessisch Oldendorf. The highlight was the Weser ferry.😉 A great round trip, recommended to follow.

Cycle tourism routes with the designation "Churches & Monasteries" probably exist in Germany in various variations. In the district of Schaumburg alone, two such paths are advertised with detailed brochures. One leads from Haste to Schwarmstedt and could be connected to the starting point by using the train. The other is a circular route and begins at the Rinteln train station, which we left today. We downloaded the track from the Westliches Weserbergland tourist center and cycled the route in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, track and signage do not match in many passages. From Rinteln to Hohenrode not a single symbol sign is installed under the signposts. Twice we got into an off-grid track and had to turn back. The overall signage leaves a lot to be desired and is hardly reliable, so the track is a useful alternative. It is even better to have good maps on board!! From Rinteln to Fischbeck via Hessisch-Oldendorf, the route is almost identical to the Weser Cycle Path. In any case, the quality of the Weser Cycle Path, as in many other areas, can hardly be surpassed. The path leads back from Fischbeck to Hessisch-Oldendorf on a busy road, partly without a cycle path. In Grossenwieden, the Weser is crossed by the ferry, and past the nature reserve and the floodplain landscape of Hohenrode you return to Rinteln, from where a detour to Möllenbeck is included. Conclusion: The special sights on this tour are first of all the monasteries in Fischbeck and Möllenbeck, as well as some medieval churches, which are mostly closed. The brochure, which can be obtained from the tourist offices in the respective towns, is therefore useful for preparing the tour well. Anyone interested in nature conservation projects should definitely take a break in the floodplain landscape of Hohenrode. The landscape along the Weser is of course uniquely beautiful. However, in comparison, we would prefer the other "Churches & Monasteries" trail starting in Haste, because it has much more to offer in terms of the topic. A small sample can be seen here: https://www.komoot.de/tour/266874833 or https://www.komoot.de/tour/672092983

We start this beautiful circular tour in Rinteln. A beautiful little town with many old half-timbered houses. The monastery in Möllenbeck is also on the route. A special highlight is the Weser ferry near Großenwieden. The tour takes us via Hessisch Oldendorf and Fischbeck back to the starting point in Rinteln. Conclusion: A really great cycle path with no incline and many beautiful views.

Tour no. 5 took us to picturesque Rinteln, a city that you have to visit! The route is based on the recommendation "Faith Paths in the Weserbergland" of the WeserberLand Tourismus e.V. ("Cycling"). We parked north of Hameln at a nursery near the B83 and drove a counter-clockwise circuit from Fischbeck, halfway through Rinteln. Of course, Fischbeck Abbey had to be visited. We were also enthusiastic about the "Gut Stau" located on the route near Weibeck. Unfortunately we had neglected to photograph it. The highlight of our trip was of course Rinteln with its historic, picturesque old town (a colorful mixture of half-timbered and Weser renaissance), which invites you to linger. The Weser has thrilled us for five days with ideal cycling weather up to now. Pure relaxation!

Today the destination of the bike tour was Möllenbeck Monastery. A very well-preserved and well-kept complex. The monastery cafe also made a good impression. Due to the good weather, the café was very busy. We avoided waiting and went to the bodega in Rinteln.