DETAILED ITINERARY
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President, Canal Society of NYS & Vice-President Inland Waterways International
A Study Tour of the King Ludwig Kanal (built 1836 to 1846) and the Main-Donau- Kanal (built 1960 to 1992)
Receptive Tour Operator for Germany bookings (bus, hotels, restaurants, museums, boat trips) by: Stefan Hoffmann and Suzanne Helmer, Nürnberg Incoming
Day 1--- Friday- 01 October
Departure from Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany through Newark for Frankfurt am Main
Day 2--- Saturday – 02 October
Arrive Frankfurt am Main Airport - Continental Airlines Fl. ??? – 08:30 hours (approximate)
Transfer by motor coach to Würzburg—
Site 01---Old River Main Bridge— the action begins immediately -- we meet Dr. Guido Fackler (Würzburg University)- our guide to sites on 1680 Bypass Canal around dam at Würzburg, 1891 Lock and more including view of 1950 Würzburg Lock, Fortress Marienberg on south side and old crane on north side of bridge - east bank
Lunch - historic Rathauskeller on east side of bridge (INCLUDED)
Site 02 -- Old Crane (water powered)—on the Main old Würzburg Harbor---brief photo stop only
Site 03---Würzburg Baroque Palace (Residence) 1720-1722 by Balthasar Neuman (brief guided tour-
1 hour)
Continue to Nürnberg and Hotel Victoria
03:00 PM Check-in at hotel FREE TIME TO EXPLORE OR RECOVER FROM JET LAG
Evening Reception at hotel
Dinner at
hotel or near to hotel
Overnight - Hotel Victoria, Nürnberg
Day 3--- Sunday - 03 October
Northern Section King Ludwig Kanal (KLK) and Main-Donau-Kanal (MDK) and Bamberg
Proceed north on A-73 to Erlangen, much of the highway built on King Ludwig’s Kanal alignment
Site 04 Erlangen—splendid monument (Denkmal) celebrating King Ludwig’s Kanal – east side of
Bayreuther Strasse
Return to A-73 and north to Forchheim – Nord Interchange—continue short distance north on Bamberger Strasse to:
Site 05 Lock 94 Eggolsheim (KLK) – west side of road south of Forchheimer Strasse- one of the few well preserved locks north of Nürnberg—has parallels with our (CSNYS) Port Byron project
Return to A-73 and proceed north to:
Site 06 Bamberg King Ludwig’s Kanal Lock 100 and view of Concordia Palace on opposite bank- Final lock of King Ludwig’s Kanal—1846 outlet to the Regnitz River-- flows north to the Main River
Site 07 Bamberg Boat Trip- Personenschiffahrt Kroph Bamberg—80 minute trip from old KLK
Harbor, past “Little Venice”, through Lock 101 (built 1960’s?), into Main-Donau Kanal Bamberg Harbor, and junction with the River Main
LUNCH ON YOUR OWN—Recommended: “Schlenkerla”- traditional food & “Rauchbier” (Smoked Beer) or Restaurant Hofbräu
Site 08 Bamberg Free Time to stroll and visit old town center, Mühlwürth, Little Venice, old Rathaus (town hall) built on a bridge over the Regnitz, Dom and Fürstenportal, (Bamberger Reiter) plus other sites
Dinner……………… Nürnberg
Overnight – Hotel Victoria, Nürnberg
Day 4--- Monday - 04 October
Baroque Germany and “Fairy Tale” Towns
Proceed west on A-6 direction Ansbach then north on A-7 to:
Site 09 Rothenburg o.d. Tauber— walled medieval town -free time to explore – LUNCH (on your own)
Proceed south on A-7, then east to:
Site 10 Dinkelsbühl—another walled Medieval town a short distance south of Rothenburg—compare
with Rothenburg—the more tourist oriented town
………………………………………Dinner…………………………………… Nürnberg
………………………………………………….Overnight – ……………Hotel Victoria, Nürnberg
Day 5---Tuesday - 05 October
“Over the Hump”--Zenn and the Art of Crossing the Great Divide on the Main-Donau-Kanal
Proceed north on the A-73 to Fürth-Ronhof Interchange then north on Erlanger Strasse to Stadeln – then short distance west to:
Site 11 Kanalbrücke Zenn (Zenn Aqueduct)—walk up hill on paved path to get spectacular overlook
view of the splendid aqueduct over the River Zenn and the harbor at Fürth (led by WSA Nürnberg staff- Director (Amtsleiter) Guido Zander Dipl.-Ing.; Stephanie Tepke, Harald Windl; and Eva Wisniewski)
Return to the A-73 southeast to A-9 and south on A-9 to Interchange 56 and east to:
Site 12 Bachhausen Lock --Boat trip across the Main-Donau-Kanal summit – lock up through Bachhausen Lock then north on the summit (at 406meters or 1,340 feet above mean sea level) past the European Continental Divide Monument [Kanaldenkmal European Wasserscheide] between the North Sea and the Black Sea and down through the Hilpoltstein Lock- Europe’s deepest lock (24.67 meters or 81.4 feet) aboard the traveling vessel of the Federal Republic of Germany MS BAYERN courtesy Director Herr Guido Zander Dipl.-Ing.-WSA Nürnberg
Site 13 Hilpoltstein Lock-Remote Control Center -tour of control center where 4 MDK locks are operated—Leerstetten, Eckersmühlen, Hilpolstein, (the three locks on the north side of the summit) and Bachhausen (the lock on the south end of the summit)
Proceed north on the A-9 and A-73 to:
LUNCH-- Nürnberg Harbor Canteen —on your own
Site 14 Nürnberg Harbor— lecture presentation and tour of harbor and cargo handling facilities- by Mananging Director Harald Leupold and Marketing / PR MS. Elke Wechsler
Return to A-73 proceed east one exit then south short distance on Schwanstetter Strasse to:
Site 15 Worzeldorf Harbor- King Ludwig’s Kanal- attractive setting of old harbor and crane (time
permitting)
Dinner…………………………………………………………………Nürnberg
…………………………………………………………Overnight – Hotel Victoria, Nürnberg
Day 6--- Wednesday - 06 October
Climbing the Staircase - Europe’s Highest Summit Level Canal-
King Ludwig’s Kanal –Nürnberg (Gartenstadt) to Neumarkt
Journey south on A-73 to Nürnberg-Hafen Interchange – proceed east on Finkenbrunn Strasse a very short distance—bus pauses and we get a view of King Ludwig’s Lock 73. This point marks the beginning of a remarkably long ( approximately 65km or 40 mile) section of well preserved and nearly completely intact KLK that extends continuously from here southeast to a point just beyond Worzeldorf where it then turns east to Unterölsbach then due south through Neumarkt to a point just northeast of Beilngries. Over 95% of the locks are still intact along with aqueducts, waste weirs, and culverts. About 98% of this stretch is in water and hiking/ biking trails are on each side. A short distance south of Lock 73 is:
Site 16 Steinerne Brücke on Kindermannstrasse—beautiful red sandstone bridge in attractive urban
setting—modeled after Canal du Midi bridges
Return to A-73 and proceed east to Feucht Interchange and Route B-8 direction Feucht- then south short distance to:
Site 17 Kanalbrücke (Aqueduct) Schwarzach, Waste Weir, and Lock 59—Trumpet concert- in a gallery within the stone walls of the aqueduct over the Schwarzach River
After the concert bicycles arrive from Nextbike Nürnberg
Some people bicycle to the summit level Lock 33. Others remain on bus and go by road.
Proceed east on B-8 to Pfeifferhütte---bus slowly drives through town along Kanalstrasse – Locks 41 to 38 are located in and near the town-- bicyclists pass through
Continue a very short distance northeast to:
Site 18 Burgthann/Rübleinshof—The Top of the Staircase--Bicyclists and those on bus meet at Lock 35 adjacent to the Schleuse 35 Restaurant and Beer Garden. Walk to Locks 34 and 33 ( Lock 33 restored with manually operating lock gates)—continue walking in beautiful setting east on the summit level (at 417 meters or 1,376 feet above mean sea level) to the Burgthann High Embankment (“Distellochdamm”) -King Ludwig Kanal’s version of the Erie Canal’s Great Embankment-approximately 20 minute walk
LUNCH Schleuse 35 Restaurant and Beer Garden –(INCLUDED)
Site 19 Burgthan Schloss—Kanal Museum
Proceed east on Schwarzachstrasse and Altdorfer Strasse to:
Site 20 Schwarzenbach— road goes beneath King Ludwig’s Kanal - historic vessel Elfriede in canal
adjacent to Gasthaus Ludwigskanal Beer Garden
Continue east on Staatsstrasse to:
Site 21 Dörlbach Einschnitt (Deep Cut)—famous cutting—“Deep Cut” or “Canyon” -presently (May 2008) trail in the Deep Cut is closed because of land slippage—view from bridge above only
Proceed to Neumarkt via A-3 or B-8
Site 22 Neumarkt Harbor and Feeder—splendid harbor with main feeder (Leitgraben) coming in at
northeast corner
Dinner...............................................Nürnberg
……………………………………………………….. Overnight – Hotel Victoria, Nürnberg
Day 7--- Thursday – 07 October
Karl der Grosse and the Fossa Carolina -“Where it all Began” and Southern Section Main- Donau and King Ludwig’s Kanals
Transfer to Regensburg
From Nürnberg proceed south on B-2 past Roth and Weissenburg to:
Site 23 Village of Graben (near Treuchtlingen)—FOSSA CAROLINA 793 AD and Museum - First attempt to unite the Rhine and Donau drainage basins across the European watershed by Charlemagne
Proceed east down the Altmühl Valley direction Pappenheim, Dollnstein and Eichstätt
Site 24 Village of Solnhofen Monument (Denkmal) –photo stop at monument celebrating the first discovery, in 1860 and 1861, of the fossil that “changed the world”—the world’s first bird (Archaeopteryx) -a dinosaur with feathers
Continue to Eichstätt—then Beilngries where the Altmühl turns south to the Donau
LUNCH - Beilngries –on your own
Proceed east along the north side of the Altmühl – direction Töging and Dietfurt then southeast direction Mühlbach, Reidenburg, Kelheim along the Main-Donau-Kanal - the canalized Altmühl – pass KLK Lock 14 on left (west) with MDK Dietfurt Lock beyond immediately before (south) of bridge over the MDK into Dietfurt
Site 25 King Ludwig’s Kanal Lock 12 and Dam -just south of Mühlbach—
Lock 12 and dam on the Altmühl—arguably the best example of how KLK builders canalized the river- it is also located in an attractive setting with lock tender’s house that is privately owned and occupied.
Proceed southeast past Riedenburg and Essing to Kelheim -cross MDK over bridge at Kelheim Lock (the first lock northbound on the MDK)
Site 26 Kelheim Lock and Dam—brief stop for photos of lock and dam—compare with Site 25
Proceed south and steep uphill drive to:
Site 27 Befreiungshalle (German Liberation Hall)—beautiful monument/building built by King Ludwig I to celebrate victories over Napoleon—splendid views of Kelheim and the Donau
Proceed to Regensburg
Dinner……………………………………….Haus Heuport…Regensburg
Overnight……………………Hotel Goliath, Regensburg
Day 8 – Friday – 08 October
Southern Section – Main-Donau-Kanal and King Ludwig’s Kanal and Kelheim
Travel southwest to Kelheim on B-16 then northwest along the MDK to Riedenburg:
Site 28 Riedenburg—brief stop for coffee and photos
Proceed southeast to Prunn
Site 29 Schloss Prunn—brief guided tour of castle and splendid views of the Altmühl Valley
Proceed southeast to Kelheim—possible brief stop at unusual pedestrian bridge at Essing
Site 30 King Ludwig’s Kanal old Harbor, Lock 1, and junction with the Donau- Kelheim
Lunch Kelheim –on your own
Site 31 Tour of Kelheim
Site 32 Boat Trip through Donau Canyon to Weltenburg Cloister (11th century)
St. Georg’s Chapel, Bavarian Baroque (famous Asam Brothers)
………………………Dinner…………. Weltenburg Klosterschenke –near the Cloister
………………………………………………….Overnight – Hotel Goliath, Regensburg
Day 9---Saturday–09 October
Southern Section -- Main – Donau and King Ludwig’s Kanals
Travel north on A-3 to Parsberg Interchange (94) then westerly-- direction Parsberg, Seubersdorf, Freihausen, Holnstein, Winterzhofen to Berching and B-299. Continue north on B-299 short distance to Mühlhausen:
Site 33 Mühlhausen—Horse drawn boat trip through Lock 25 on the ALMA VIKTORIA
Proceed south on B-299 to Beilngries
Site 34 Beilngries—village and harbor tour
Site 35 Boat Trip—Beilngries to Berching through Berching Lock (17 meters (56 ft.) lift)
Lunch – Berching (INCLUDED)
Site 36 Berching –medieval walled town and attractive village along Main-Donau and King
Ludwig’s Kanals—free time to explore village and tour
Return to Regensburg via B-299 to Wallnsdorf then B-8
Dinner………………Regensburg
………………Overnight – Hotel Goliath, Regensburg
Day 10---Sunday – 10 October
Site 37 UNESCO World Heritage City Regensburg— one day sight seeing – guided tour (led by Mr. Wieland Haupt Dipl.-Ing., Head of Center for Geoinformation South (FGS), Regensburg – an agency of Waterways and Shipping Directorate South will include:
· St. Peter’s Cathedral and (on your own if desired) the “Cathedral Sparrows” the boy’s choir at High Mass
· Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus)
· Shippingmuseum Regensburg;
· churches - “Alte Kapelle”(Old Chapel) in Kornmarkt and St. Emmeram-both Bavarian Baroque (Asam Brothers)
· Medieval stone bridge—Steinerne Brücke and Tower
· Roman Tower and Gate (Porta Praetoria); narrow streets and architecture; and much more.
· Optional sites on your own could be the Strudelfahrt -- (1 hour boat trip through rapids), or boat trip to Walhalla (Era of King Ludwig I)
Lunch ON YOUR OWN (somewhere along the way) – Traditional Restaurant or Beergarden- such as Historische Wurstküche near the stone bridge or across the stone bridge in Stadtamhof—with beer gardens offering excellent views of Regensburg (Alte Linde or Spital-Bräu)
Site 38 Fürstliches Schloss Thurn und Taxis (Prince of Turn and Taxis Palace), Regensburg
(Mr. Wieland Haupt) and:
Dinner……… Fürstliches Bräuhaus ………………. …………………….Regensburg
Overnight …………………… Hotel Goliath, Regensburg
Day 11---Monday – 11 October
A day in München (Munich) with Wieland Haupt Dipl.-Ing.— Proceed south on the A-93
Site 39 Munich
Return to hotel to change and clean up
Final Dinner………………………………….……………..Regensburg
(Mr. Wieland Haupt und Ms. Lilo Haupt join us as our guests)
Overnight –……………………… Hotel Goliath, Regensburg
Day 12— Tuesday 12 October— Transfer to Frankfurt
Then free time and LUNCH on your own----site options include
Museums in Frankfurt or across the Main River on south side
Strolling the Main
Shopping at “Hauptwache”
Strolling Römer Platz and nearby Cathedral (Dom)
Take a short boat trip if available
Organize and repack for departure next day
Dinner……………………………………………on your own
Overnight………………………………….Hotel _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _, Frankfurt
Day13 – Wednesday 13 October ---- Depart Frankfurt am Main Airport for Newark USA-
Continental Fl. ???
T. X. Grasso 13 March 2009
(with able assistance and recommendations from Horst Cramer, Hans Grüner, Manfred Kimmig, Christian Eyrich, Stefan Hoffmann and Susanne Helmer (Nürnberg Incoming) and Waterways and Shipping Directorate (WSD Süd) Directors/Managers: Guido Zander Dipl.-Ing. AmtsleiterWSA Nürnberg and his staff Ewa Wisniewski, Stephanie Tepke and Harald Windl; and Wieland Haupt, Fachstellenleiter Geoinformation Office, Regensburg)
PLEASE NOTE: THE TOUR ORGANIZORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO OMIT OR OTHERWISE ALTER SOME SITE VISITS OR the planned ROUTE AT ANY TIME, DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS, INCLEMENT WEATHER, OR UNEXPECTED PROBLEMS