62km Bach by Bike
Arnstadt
Bratwurst, beer and Bach
Ride overview
Bach, the musician is an unfathomable genius. As a man he was impetuous, flawed and marked by tragedy. Orphaned at nine years old, brought up by an elder brother and having to sing in a choir to earn his keep, Bach became a brilliant local organist and musician. He married twice, had twenty children, seven of whom died. he fought with choir masters, duelled, and irritated the local congregations with his variations on the Sunday hymns. This wonderful ride through the forests and woods of his homeland, across the fields over which he walked, is ridden on perfectly formed cycle paths. It’s a ride through a gentle landscape, through half-timbered towns and any number of places on route associated with JS Bach.
Ride notes
This is not a difficult ride. There are plenty of coffee and beer stops along the route, plenty of information to satisfy your curiosity about JS Bach and his world. Come in mid April and there’s a Bach festival where many of the churches host concerts. The is well signed throughout, and you ride on well maintained cycle paths which are wide and smooth. There are short sections where the path is not metalled and is formed of a hard packed surface which is easy and comfortable to ride.
Leaving Arnstadt - having seen Bach himself who looks as if he is a cyclist with his thin top and figure hugging breeches - you ride out of the small town on a well signed bike path. (BER - Bach Experience route). Out of town, the way rises through woods and over fields, sometimes becoming a gravelled path. It is a journey which mixes cultural interest, countryside and gentle cycling all in one superb package.
Why not read the article on this route before you ride?
The granite sets on the hill near Crawinkel
Near Crawinkel, granite sets which helped the horses up the rise are still in place and there’s a definite Flandrian feel to the short, sharp hill. Bach walked everywhere, even to the north German coast 400 miles away, and he’d have been familiar with the woods where the light spring rain lisps against the trees. Birds sing, trees burst into leaf. It is a classic and very lovely introduction to riding through a typical German forest.
Ride through the legendary German forest!
Ohrdruf was where Bach was sent after his parent’s died, to be raised by his elder brother, Christoph. He sang in the Kurrende (boy’s choir) as a means of earning some of his keep. Johann Christoph worked as an organist in the main chruch, St Michaelis, whose church tower is still standing. Where once there was a nave, there is now a foot organ where you can ‘play’ the famous Toccata and Fugue, before going across the square for a coffee and German cake.
Riding beside a Thuringian forest
Riding on, through a gentle countryside of fields and small woods, you arrive at Wechmar, where the Bach’s family originated. They dominated the local music scene providing choirs and bands for parties, dances and services. There is a museum which explains all this and much more in town.
Orhdruf
The route continues through colourful meadows and rides alongside a small river. There are glimpses of castles, half-timbered houses, and colourful small towns with homes painted yellow and green and whose roofs are bright red. As you approach Arnstadt, you may feel energetic enough to ride onto Dornheim, where Bach married, taking his bridal party across the very fields over which you ride.
Along the route are signs and noticeboards with plenty of Bach information, and the tourist offices in the towns will help further. To enhance the Bach experience why not download some of his music and play it as you ride. Back in Arnstadt, there are cafe/restuarant’s aplenty who serve the famous Thuringian sausage - cooked over coals and sprinkled with beer - along with a refreshing beer or two.
The woods have barely changed since Bach walked through them 300 years ago.
Ride practicalities
START/FINISH: Arnstadst (although being a loop, anywhere along the way is feasible) DISTANCE 62km TOTAL ASCENT: 550m TERRAIN AND SURFACES: Beautifully maintained cycle paths - both metalled and un-metalled FOOD: We rode this on a bank holiday when most places were shut, but outside of this time, there are plenty of options along the entire route PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Arnstadt is on the main line to Erfurt. (The route makes for a good day out if you are based in Erfurt or Weimar) LINKS TO OTHER RIDES: Leipzig Lakes Loop
Have you ridden this route?
Feel free to add your thoughts and comments about this ride and to suggest any good stopping places along the way
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