The signposted Erftal Mills Cycling Route offers a thread to follow when exploring the Erftal by bike: covering around 39 kilometres, it runs from Buch in the Bauland region to Bürgstadt on the Main, passing through the Erftal and by numerous mills. The route combines a clear direction with a recurring theme along the way. The surface is also important for planning: paved sections are followed by gravel sections. Trekking bikes are recommended for this route rather than road bikes. Check the signposting and conditions before setting out.
The Mills Cycling Route as a Travel Idea
The approximate distance, the two endpoints and the surfaces provide useful guidance for planning your own ride, without implying a journey time. If you choose this route, take the recommendation to use a trekking bike into account and check the signposting in advance. The route passes through the Erftal to Bürgstadt on the Main; the mills along the way shape the theme of the ride. The journey is therefore not just about following a route, but also about exploring a landscape dotted with numerous mills.
Bürgstadt: Culture and Museum
Bürgstadt’s attractions include the parish church of St Margaret, an unfinished chapel on the Wannenberg and the historic ensemble on Freudenberger Straße. The streetscape features half-timbered houses and sandstone arches, as well as former vintners’ and farmhouses. These varied buildings bring together religious architecture and a historically distinctive street, without making them a single attraction.
The Bürgstadt Museum is housed in the historic Mittelmühle and focuses on local history. If the museum is part of your visit, check its current opening hours in advance. It complements the town’s architectural and local history with a distinct insight into the area’s past.
Comparing Hiking Routes in Bürgstadt
The stated distances and approximate times make it easy to compare hiking routes in Bürgstadt. A 6.8-kilometre section or loop of the Franconian Red Wine Hiking Trail takes about two hours. It starts in the town centre or at the Tabakhalle. Longer options include the 10.7-kilometre European Cultural Trail “Mainhölle und Bildermeer,” which takes around four hours, and the Youth Hiking Trail: it is ten kilometres long, takes about four hours and leads to the legendary world of the Nibelungs. The cultural trail starts at the “Stutz” hiking car park or in the town centre; the youth trail starts at the “Stutz” car park.
A shorter loop is the Forest Learning and Adventure Trail: it is two kilometres long, takes about an hour and a half, starts at the “Stutz” hiking car park and is suitable for pushchairs. The forest nature trail in Bürgstadt’s municipal forest covers tree species and forest ecology at around 20 stations. Topics include the importance of ants in the forest and of trees with woodpecker holes in nature.
Cultural Trail, Mountain Bike Loop and Wine
The “Mainhölle und Bildermeer” cultural trail leads to the Mainhölle quarries, where long sandstone columns known as Heunesteine were quarried. The trail also includes a reconstructed archaeological gate from a circular rampart dating from the Urnfield period, between 1200 and 700 BC, and the Centgrafen Chapel, which remained unfinished as a result of the Thirty Years’ War. The trail’s name thus brings together quarrying history and archaeological heritage with a building whose unfinished state also has a historical cause.
The Bürgstadt Bü1 mountain bike loop starts and ends at the historic town hall. It passes old half-timbered houses and numerous vintners’ farmsteads; during Häckerzeit, the farmsteads invite visitors to sample wine and enjoy a snack. The loop also passes Heunesäulen, millstones and other evidence of traditional stone masonry, before descending to the Centgrafen Chapel. The seasonal reference to Häckerzeit is relevant for planning: wine tasting and snacks are available during this period. In Churfranken, Bürgstadt wine is affectionately known as “Börscheder.”
Discover more destinations: Kleinheubach, Wörth am Main, Erlenbach am Main, Großheubach, Weilbach, Kleinwallstadt, Kirchzell, Laudenbach
For the overview of the wider area: Miltenberg.
