Altmühltal-Panoramaweg: Stage Riedenburg - Kelheim

On your hike from Riedenburg to Essing, you will experience the Altmühltal Panorama Trail from its most beautiful side. In Riedenburg, you start your tour at the town bridge and hike approx. four kilometers through fairytale forests, alternating between uphill and flat sections.

The steep ascent soon begins between gnarled trees and boulders through the gorge. Sturdy shoes and sure-footedness are essential here! Once you reach the top, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the Altmühtal valley and Prunn Castle, which is enthroned on a Jura rock opposite.

You then hike back down into the valley and cross the Main-Danube Canal shortly after Einthal. In the village of Nußhausen, the ascent up to Prunn Castle begins, from where you can once again enjoy the magnificent view of the Altmühltal valley. The very well-preserved castle or the castle taverns invite you to take a break. You should not miss out on a visit to Prunn Castle, where an original manuscript of the Song of the Nibelungs was discovered. Prunn Castle can be visited as part of a guided tour, which is offered every hour.

Your hike then takes you through the forest until you reach the idyllic village of Essing shortly after the Felsenhäusl Museum. Leave the Altmühltal Panorama Trail for a detour or a stop at one of the many inns and take a detour into the village. Otherwise, cross the wooden bridge "Tatzlwurm", which at 169 meters is one of the longest in Europe, and cross the canal again to reach Altessing.

After passing idyllic oxbow lakes and a climbing rock, you leave the Main-Danube Canal and turn right towards "Keltenwall". A final steep climb through the Weltenburger Enge nature reserve awaits you until you reach the Danube and enjoy the views of the impressive Danube gorge.

At this point you have to make a decision: You can either walk upstream along the Danube and cross the river on the cable ferry or the historic zillas before visiting the world-famous Weltenburg Monastery and the monastery tavern. You then reach your destination of Kelheim by boat through the unique Danube gorge.

Alternatively, you can continue along the left bank of the river downstream to the Befreiungshalle, which sits enthroned on Kelheim's Michelsberg. A short time later, you reach the old town of Kelheim via a serpentine footpath, where you can reflect on the impressions of the last stage of the Altmühltal Panorama Trail.