Das Tor zur Fränkischen Schweiz

On this half-day tour in the east of Nuremberg it gets a little more wooded, mountainous and rocky. If you have a mountain bike, you can now get it out of the garage - you'll have fun with it. But even with a normal touring bike, this round in the most beautiful nature is not a major problem.

You start right at the edge of the forest in front of the gates of the Nuremberg zoo. From here it is only a few meters and you will already find yourself on the wonderful forest paths of the Lorenzer Reichswald. The route leads here on slightly uphill, but easily passable gravel paths through idyllic pine forests with impressive natural monuments and sparse wetlands. At best, you have to be careful in the corners so as not to lose grip under the wheels. If you are traveling with a mountain bike, you have the opportunity to vary the route a bit in places, because the tour leads past many fun flow trails that you really cannot miss on a mountain bike.

At the Röthenbachklamm you can make a small detour along the idyllic brook. This is manageable even with a touring bike. Although the subsoil is sometimes a bit rooty, if the route becomes too demanding for you, you can simply dismount and cover the few meters over the root passages on foot - this way you can enjoy this little pearl of nature much better anyway. If you decide to go to the gorge, simply turn left onto the country road and follow it in the direction of Fuchsmühle until you get back to the tour.

We continue to the Moritzberg, a highlight in the truest sense of the word. A decent climb awaits you, which tweaks your calves quite a bit towards the end. As a reward, there is a really pretty beer garden on the summit, where you can refresh and strengthen yourself. The observation tower is also worth a visit, because nothing blocks your view to the west and you can try to find your starting point.

If you prefer to do without the somewhat more demanding mountain stage, you can also turn off directly to the two Birkensee lakes at the Röthenbachklamm gorge and do a small lap in the lake instead of the sweaty climb.

From the Moritzberg, which is also considered the gateway to Franconian Switzerland, the route first leads downhill on shady forest paths and later on sunny roads to the Birkensees - a fun descent that is at least as refreshing as a swim in the lake. For the last ten kilometers you then dive back into the Lorenzer Reichswald - this time on somewhat lighter paths and past a sandstone quarry - before your tour ends at the Nuremberg Zoo.