Hessian long-distance cycle route R3

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hessian long-distance cycle route R3
R3 logo hessen.jpg
overall length 258 km
location Hesse / Rheingau Rhine-Main area , Rhön
map
Link to map and elevation profile
Starting point Rudesheim am Rhein
Target point Tann (Rhön)
Places along the way Rüdesheim am Rhein ( Bf ), Geisenheim  ( Bf ), Eltville am Rhein  ( Bf ), Wiesbaden  ( Bf ), Hochheim  ( Bf ), Flörsheim  ( Bf ), Frankfurt  ( Bf ), Offenbach  ( Bf ), Hanau  ( Bf ), Langenselbold  ( Bf ), Gelnhausen  ( Bf ), Wächtersbach  ( Bf ), Bad Soden-Salmünster  ( Bf ), Steinau an der Straße  ( Bf ), Schlüchtern  ( Bf ), Flieden  ( Bf ), Neuhof  ( Bf ), Fulda  ( Bf ), Hofbieber , Tann
Flooring approx. 83% asphalt or concrete,
approx. 7% water-bound surface , the rest natural paths
difficulty Flat to Schlüchtern. After that, seldom more than 3% incline.
Traffic volume Low, in the cities partly over streets
Connection to Rhein-Radweg , Main-Radweg , Vogelsberger Südbahnradweg , Hessischer Radfernweg R1 , Hessischer Radfernweg R2 , D-Route 9, Rhönradweg , Ulstertalradweg , further see section Connecting Cycle Paths
ADFC certification Description at ADFC
ADFC classifications
Website URL radroutenplaner.hessen

The Hessian long-distance cycle route R3 is one of nine long-distance cycle routes in Hessen . It bears the name Rhein-Main-Kinzig-Radweg and has the motto In the footsteps of the late harvest rider . The long- distance cycle path begins in Rüdesheim am Rhein and runs mainly on paved paths along the Rhine , Main and Kinzig via Fulda to Tann in the Rhön. The total length is 258 kilometers.

Characteristic

The R3 cycle path leads through the Rheingau-Taunus , Main-Taunus , Offenbach , Main-Kinzig and Fulda districts . Between Fulda and Hilders , the R3 is identical to the Milseburgradweg . On this section the bike path leads through the Milseburg tunnel . This is officially closed from November to March to protect bats . In practice, the closure depends on the bats' need for rest and can last until mid-April. For example, in 2009 the tunnel was not reopened until April 19. The route along the Rhine, Main and Kinzig is flat; Significant gradients can only be expected after Schlüchtern. The ascent into the Rhön is made much easier by the route along the former route of the Rhön Railway. Slopes of more than 3% are rare. The ADFC only qualifies about 50% of the route as suitable for road cycling. The traffic load is low, as the route is almost exclusively led by bike paths. In Hanau and Fulda, however, roads are sometimes used. The route leads almost exclusively through open terrain with a few shady sections.

Route description

The entire route was divided into sections of around 50 kilometers. In the case of possible alternative routes, shorter stages may have been chosen. The information on distances and elevation profiles were taken from the Hesse cycle route planner.

Rudesheim - Eltville

  • Rudesheim with the Boosenburg tower

  • Rheingau Cathedral

  • Johannisberg Castle

  • Oestrich crane

  • Eberbach Monastery

  • Electoral castle

Two variants are possible on this section: the more demanding route via the Eberbach Monastery or the flat route on the banks of the Rhine.

Rüdesheim - Eltville (R3a via Eberbach Monastery)

Length 22.5 km; Gradients 288 meters in altitude.

This route largely follows the Rheingau-Riesling-Route via Geisenheim , Johannesberg, Oestrich-Winkel and Hallgarten to the Eberbach Monastery . This alternative is signposted as R3a, on older maps as R3. The former Cistercian monastery, with its Romanesque and early Gothic buildings, is one of the most important art monuments in Germany. Johannisberg is probably the most famous district of Geisenheim, as it is the birthplace of the late harvest (more precisely: the systematic production of Auslese ) and world-famous for its vineyards. In Schloss Johannisberg a statue to the unknown Spätlesereiter recalls. The distance between Rüdesheim and Johannesberg is approx. 5.5 km. From here to the wine village of Oestrich-Winkel it is two kilometers. Vollrads Castle is located above the village . It claims to be the oldest winery in Germany. The next wine village Hallgarten is approx. 5 km. On the route between Hallgarten and Eberbach Monastery, about 80 meters in altitude must be mastered over a distance of approx. 2.5 km.

After another 7 km descent , Eltville, which is 150 meters lower, is reached via Kiedrich .

Rüdesheim - Eltville (banks of the Rhine)

Length 16.5 km; Inclines 39 meters in altitude.

The newly paved main path leads along the Rhine cycle path along the banks of the Rhine and touches the Rheingau wine towns of Geisenheim , Oestrich-Winkel , Hattenheim and Erbach before reaching Eltville . Between Geisenheim and the Winkel district, the riverside path was closed and instead the cycle and pedestrian path was rebuilt close to the noisy main road, because the zone to the bank was declared a nature reserve as a compensation area due to the expansion of Frankfurt Airport.

The sights of Brömserburg and Adlerturm in Rüdesheim, the Rheingau Cathedral and Schönborn Palace in Geisenheim, and in Oestrich-Winkel the city's landmark, the Oestricher Kran , the Graue Haus and the St. Aegidius basilica are close to the cycle path . In Eltville, the Sebastiansturm as the cornerstone of the city fortifications and the Electoral Castle and Castle Crass follow .

Eltville - Frankfurt

  • Biebrich Castle from the park side

  • St. Peter and Paul surrounded by vines

  • Römerberg in Frankfurt

  • Frankfurt skyline

Length 52 km; Gradients 144 meters in altitude.

After Eltville, route R3 follows the Rhine cycle path and after approx. 3 km reaches the wine town of Walluf . The route then crosses the former water catchment area of ​​the Schierstein waterworks, where a large number of storks have settled, before reaching the Schierstein harbor after 3.5 km . Today the harbor is a recreational area for Wiesbaden and the surrounding area and houses a water sports center. After another 2.8 km, the route reaches Wiesbaden-Biebrich with its castle , in whose spacious park the famous Wiesbaden International Whitsun tournament is held every year . The three-wing baroque building, built directly on the banks of the Rhine, was the residence of the princes and dukes of the Nassau family . Parts of the palace are now used as representative rooms for the Hessian Prime Minister. The R3 continues to follow the Rhine Cycle Route, before changing to the Main Cycle Route after about 7 km across from the Mainspitze . After 4.5 km, the route reaches Hochheim train station , which still belongs to the Rheingau wine-growing region . It is 0.8 km and 30 meters in altitude to the Hochheimer church Sankt Peter und Paul, which can be seen from afar . Only after 7 km between the Main and vineyards and later through industrial areas does the route reach the banks of the Main in the city of Flörsheim . The path then runs along the banks of the Main or on the flood dam , crosses under the A3 motorway and after 9 km reaches the Eddersheim lock . The R3 route is signposted here on both the southern and northern banks of the Main, until the two alternatives come together again at Industriepark Höchst . The south bank variant crosses the Main with the barrage and runs in the bank area past Kelsterbach , before it joins the north bank variant after 7 km and passing under the B40 . The north bank variant has a length of 7.6 km, leads through the town of Okriftel , crosses under the B40 and crosses the Main with the help of the west bridge , before it reunites with the south bank variant. After about 4 km past the industrial park, the route leads back to the banks of the Main, where shortly afterwards the Frankfurt district of Schwanheim is reached. Besides Sachsenhausen, it is known for its apple wine bars . The Griesheim barrage and the Frankfurt-Niederrad district are then passed along the banks of the Main , before the Museum Bank in Frankfurt is reached after approx. 7 km . This collection of 15 museums on both banks of the Main or in the immediate vicinity form one of the most important museum locations in Germany and Europe. On the southern shore, the area is Sachsenhausen , which over the footbridge Iron Bridge with Frankfurt's Old Town is connected. The center of the old town is the Römerberg with the Römer as the town hall. From the bike path you can see the famous skyline on the north bank of the Main. This skyline has earned the city the nickname Mainhattan .

Frankfurt - Gelnhausen

  • Büsing Palais

  • Old Town Hall, Hanau

  • Obermarkt, Gelnhausen

  • Marienkirche Gelnhausen

Length 52 km; Gradients 143 meters in altitude.

The R3 route runs along the south bank of the Main, past the monument to the artist Hans Traxler and the Gerbermühle , where Johann Wolfgang von Goethe used to travel, before the cycle path reaches Offenbach harbor after approx. 7 km. After leaving the port area, which has been being converted into a residential area since 2012, the path reaches the well-tended Offenbacher Mainufer. In the immediate vicinity of the route is the Büsing Park with the neo-baroque Büsing Palais and the Lili Temple . Behind the Offenbacher Mainbogen, the urban landscape merges into the natural landscape of the banks of the Main, and the route reaches approx. 7 km after the port of Rumpenheim with its castle built under the rule of the County of Hanau in the 16th century . The cycle path changes the banks of the Main by ferry, leads past Dörnigheim , a district of Maintal , to Philippsruhe Castle in Hanau-Kesselstadt , about 7 km away and directly on the Main . The historicist style complex with an English landscape garden was brought into its current form at the end of the 19th century. At the mouth of the Kinzig , the cycle path leaves the Main and runs through Hanau near the river. The path leads only a few meters past the Hanauer Goldschmiedehaus , the former town hall on the old town market . Then he follows the Kinzig before he leaves it together with the expressway heading south into a forest area, the natural Bulau . The route crosses the A 66 and continues on the street (now Leipziger Straße) to the outskirts of Erlensee , which is approx. 17 km behind Philippsruhe Castle. The R3 runs through the wide Kinzig valley, mostly between the river and the A 66 motorway . Forests, fields and meadows alternate. In Langenselbold you have the option of either following the route through the city or, following alternative signs, driving around the city to the south. After approx. 22 km the Kaiserpfalz in Gelnhausen and thus the stage destination is reached. It is worth paying a visit to the Barbarossa city with the lower and upper market, which is well worth seeing, as well as the Marienkirche with its eventful architectural history.

Gelnhausen - Fulda

  • Bad Soden Huttenschloss

  • Kinzigstalsperre in autumn

  • Steinau Castle

  • Cathedral of St. Salvator in Fulda

  • Bieberstein Castle from Langenbieber

  • Milseburg

  • View into the illuminated Milseburg tunnel

  • City gate in Tann

Length 67 km; Gradients 565 meters in altitude.

The R3 runs north of the A 66 through the Kinzig valley and follows the railway line between Gelnhausen and Wächtersbach through open terrain, which is reached after approx. 11 km. The route leads past Gelnhausen-Höchst and Biebergemünd-Wirtheim with its Renaissance castle from the 15th century. After a further 7 km through meadows and fields, the Salmünster district of the city of Bad Soden-Salmünster is reached. About 0.7 km off the bike path there is a former Franciscan monastery with the monastery church of St. Peter and Paul as well as the aristocratic seat Schleifrashof from the 16th century. The cycle route runs along the edge of the forest to the north, past Salmünster and after 1.6 km it reaches the Bad Soden district . This is where the city's spa area is located with the Spessart thermal baths, spa gardens and graduation tower. The Stolzenberg castle ruins and the Huttenschloss , the most important historical building in Bad Soden, are also located in the district. The route leaves Bad Soden, reaches the open area of ​​the Kinzig valley and crosses the A 66 again before reaching the Kinzig dam after 3.8 km . The R3 runs along the northern bank of the reservoir and after 5.6 km reaches the Brothers Grimm House in Steinau an der Strasse , which is officially allowed to be called Brothers Grimm City. Steinau Castle is also worth seeing . It is the earliest, largest and best-preserved early Renaissance palace complex in Hesse. After leaving the city, the path continues through the meadows and fields of the Kinzig Valley and after approx. 8 km reaches the center of Schlüchtern. The route through Schlüchtern leads past the former Benedictine monastery and the Bergwinkel Museum, where the past of Schlüchtern is kept alive with modern means of communication. In Schlüchtern the route leaves the Kinzig valley and follows the Riedbach northwards, alternating between forest, meadows and fields. The flat part of the R3 ends with Schlüchtern, and it is the first incline to be mastered, which is around 140 meters in altitude over four kilometers. Then the A 66 is crossed again, this time in a northbound direction, and after about 10 km the route reaches the municipality of Flieden over sloping, hilly terrain . Then it continues hilly through open terrain to the Neuhof train station approx. 5 km away . The R3 is now based on the railway line to Fulda and leads through open terrain and at times along the edge of the forest, slightly hilly and with a downward tendency towards Fulda. First you reach the Johannesberg district and shortly afterwards after a total of 15 km the city center. The baroque and episcopal city of Fulda offers a whole range of sights, including the cathedral , the city ​​palace with park and orangery, the Paulustor as well as the baroque quarter and many churches. The tourist office offers an audio guide for an hour-long tour .

Fulda - Tann

Length 43.5 km; Inclines 523 meters in altitude.

Together with the Hesse railway cycle route, the route leaves the city of Fulda in a stream valley and crosses the A7 after 5 km . A gradient of 55 meters in altitude has to be overcome over a length of one kilometer. The Milseburgradweg begins there in Götzenhof , on which the route follows the former route of the Rhönbahn . The former stops on the railway line are now equipped with shelters. The route is flat at first and then with a slight incline (approx. 2%) and after 17 km it reaches the Milseburg tunnel . The path through meadows and fields follows the course of the Bieber and passes the towns of Almendorf , Melzdorf , Wiesen , Niederbieber and Langenbieber . The baroque castle Bieberstein and the Milseburg on the highest elevation of the southern Rhön can be seen from the bike path. After Niederbieber, the path continues to gain altitude in a long S-loop through a forest area before it reaches the tunnel entrance. The illuminated tunnel is 1173 m long and is only open from April 1st to October 31st. Therefore, there is a bypass route, on which, however, 150 meters in altitude must be overcome over a distance of around 4 km. The tunnel ends in front of the village of Oberbernhards at the former Milseburg station. The R3 together with the Milseburgradweg and the Hesse railway cycle path run for 7 km, descending around 150 meters in altitude, through an open brook valley through the towns of Rupsroth and Eckweisbach to the hamlet of Aura, which belongs to the town of Tann . Here the Milseburgradweg turns south towards Hilders, where it ends after 2 km. Instead, the Rhönradweg and the Ulstertalradweg join the R3. The cycle routes lead through the Ulstertal with open meadows and fields to the north. The path leads over sloping terrain and after approx. 9 km reaches the town of Tann, which is 43 meters lower, with its renovated town gate and Tann Castle . The R3 then continues along with the cycle paths Bahnradweg Hessen, Ulstertalradweg and Rhönradweg about 5 km to the Hessian border. The other cycle paths continue to follow Ulster towards Geisa in Thuringia .

Connecting cycle paths

Train and bus connections

There are rail connections on the entire route between Rüdesheim and Fulda (see also info box ). The Rheingau line runs every hour between Rüdesheim station and Frankfurt main station . It stops at all stations on this route marked in the info box. S-Bahn lines S8 and S9 as well as regional trains with stops in Offenbach run between Frankfurt and Hanau. The RE 50 regional line runs every hour between Frankfurt Central Station and Fulda. It thus covers the Offenbach and Fulda area with all of the locations mentioned in the info box. Behind Fulda there is no longer any connection to an active railway line. From May 1st to October 3rd, you can use the RhönRadbus on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. It runs every two hours between Fulda and Gersfeld and has stops in Langenbieber and Hilders. After Hilders there are no more stops.

Landscape, culture and sights

The route leads from the vineyards of the Rheingau along the Rhine and Main to the mouth of the Kinzig. The route owes the nickname Spätlesereiter to the fact that the Johannisberg Castle was owned by the Diocese of Fulda and from there the order for the start of the grape harvest had to come. Since the messenger on horseback was late, the grapes stayed longer on the vines than usual and were attacked by gray mold rot. Although the grapes were thought to have been spoiled, they were pressed and, when tasted the following year, the wine surprised with its exceptional quality. The term late harvest then became common for particularly high-quality wines, and the positive effects of noble rot , the infestation by the mold Botrytis cinerea , were discovered. The Rheingau extends to Hochheim am Main, where the British Queen Victoria also got her wine from. The Queen Victoria Monument in the middle of the vineyards is still a reminder today. On the way there, many well-known wine towns such as Oestrich-Winkel and Eltville are crossed, and on the alternative route through the vineyards, the famous Eberbach Monastery is passed. The route then leads along the Main through the metropolitan area of ​​the Rhine-Main area . This is particularly evident on the Museumsufer in Frankfurt, where the city skyline appears. The confluence of the Kinzig and the Main is reached near Hanau through urban, natural and industrial landscapes. In the wide Kinzig valley, nature again predominates with extensive meadows. However, the nearby motorway still gives an idea of ​​the nearby urban region. In the Barbarossa town of Gelnhausen, the imperial palace, the two marketplaces and the lovely St. Mary's Church can be visited. Still close to the A 66 motorway , the cycle path leads through the upper Kinzig valley, past Wächtersbach, the spa town of Bad Soden-Salmünster and the Kinzig dam to Schlüchtern. Through the foothills of the southern Vogelsberg, the cycle path gains height and leads through rural areas, mostly through open fields and meadows to the city of Fulda. The baroque and episcopal city of Fulda is certainly a cultural highlight on the R3. Of the many churches, the St. Salvator Cathedral in Fulda is certainly the best known. The city palace and many baroque buildings can also be visited. After leaving Fulda, the R3 crosses the rural area of ​​the Rhön and climbs its heights via the Milseburgradweg on a disused railway line. After Hilders the Ulstertal is reached, which the path follows. After Tann, the R3 ends at the Hessian-Thuringian border. The continuation towards Geisa in the Thuringian part of the Rhön is taken over by the Rhön Cycle Path and the Ulstertal Cycle Path .

Sights between Rüdesheim and Frankfurt

  • Niederwald Monument

  • Ehrenfels castle ruins

  • Rudesheim Drosselgasse

  • Basilica of Johannisberg Castle

  • Schönborn Castle in Geisenheim

  • Palais Ostein in Geisenheim

  • Vollrads Castle in the vineyards

  • Crass Castle in Eltville

  • The village of Eltville-Erbach

  • Basilica of the Eberbach Monastery

Sights between Frankfurt and Tann

  • Lili Temple in Offenbach

  • Rosenheim Museum Offenbach

  • Rumpenheim Castle

  • Marienkirche Hanau

  • Brothers Grimm monument in Hanau

  • Garden facade of Philippsruhe Palace

  • Kaiserpfalz Gelnhausen

  • Hexenturm in Gelnhausen

  • The castle tower over Steinau

  • Noble palace in the baroque district of Fulda

  • Old town hall in Fulda

  • Paulustor in Fulda

literature

  • Rhein-Main-Kinzig cycle path: on the trail of the late rider. VUD Verlag und Druck, Freudenstadt 2005, ISBN 3-923719-75-2 .

Web links

Wikivoyage: Hessischer Radfernweg R3  - travel guide
Wikivoyage: Section: Main Cycle Route  - Travel Guide
Wikivoyage: Section: Milseburgradweg  - travel guide

swell

  • Wikipedia pages and websites of the villages along the route. Accessed June 2012.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ 2009 cycling map of the Hessian Ministry of Economics, Transport and Rural Development, Press and Public Relations Department, Wiesbaden
  2. ↑ Radroutenplaner.hessen.de . Accessed June 2012.

Coordinates: 49 ° 58 ′ 44 ″  N , 7 ° 56 ′ 31 ″  E