Weidling Boat, Straw and Hopfentropfen (3-Day Tour)

Day 1: From Winterthur - via Andelfingen - to Marthalen (32 km)
The first leg takes you along the » Industrial Cycle Trail to Wülflingen and from there to Riedt. On the cycle trail we move on to Aesch-Leberen. Halfway to Hünikon the cycle trail branches off and runs along the Brüelbach. We pass Hünikon and cycle to the » Goldenberg Golf Course. From Kleinandelfingen the river Thur accompanies our route to Weri. We cross the river and pant our way up to Alten. Gently downhill we roll towards Marthalen. With its half-timbered buildings Marthalen is considered one of the most beautiful villages in North-Eastern Switzerland. The Ochsner family in Hauenbüel awaits the hungry stomachs with a traditional "Buureznacht" and then the tired bones can rest on fragrant straw.

Day 2: Round trip of the Weinland - via hops trails - to the Thur wetlands (42 km)
Even though sitting may give us a little trouble, after breakfast it is back to pedalling. The route takes us from Marthalen via Rudolfingen to Wildensbuch. The steep ascent to the Hamenberg is rewarded with glorious views over the hillside vineyards. In Wildensbuch the route branches off to the road to Mett-Oberschlatt. A secluded forest lane leads to Guntalingen. Here it is time for an informative break: the Reutimann family shows us around their » hops plantations. On the guided tour you learn exciting facts about this fairly unfamiliar crop. Of course, the subsequent sampling of the "Hopfentropfen" must not be missed. On the cross-country road we continue our cycle tour to the Husemer Lake. There we stop for lunch, including a dip in the lake and a barbecue.

Refreshed, mainly on dirt lanes we follow the route to Alten and down to the Thur wetlands. This is one of the last places in Switzerland where you can watch beavers in the wild, busily gnawing trees. Up alongside the river Rhine we start our journey home via Ellikon, back to the farm of the Ochsner family in Marthalen.

Day 3: From Marthalen up the river Rhine - to the Rhine Falls - on to Schaffhausen (13 km)
In the morning, at the top of his voice farm cockerel Anton ensures that no one oversleeps. After breakfast we pedal through glorious beech and oak forests to the so-called Rhine knee at » Rheinau. If you prick up your ears, here you can listen to the endangered middle spotted woodpecker having his breakfast. At the shipping pier in Rheinau the word is: welcome on bord. By » Weidling boat we travel to the Rhine Falls basin, where Europe's mightiest waterfalls spit in your face. From the » Rhine Falls the last stretch takes us alongside the water to Schaffhausen. The old town and, of course, the Munot fortress cap the impressions of the past three days.