Northern Mindelheim

Our start is in Mindelheim at Marienplatz. At the ice cream café, we turn into Kornstraße. We follow it to Teckstraße, cross it slightly left, and immediately cycle on into Westernacherstraße, then turn right into Birkenweg. We now always go straight ahead, past the sewage treatment plant, and leave Mindelheim on the bike path. The B16 runs to our right. Behind the federal road – about 500 meters away – are the bathing lakes of the recreation area “Nordsee”.
After cycling left past Lohhof, we reach a natural pond that invites you to rest and dream. The Mindel valley stretches far before us. We turn left and immediately before the Mindel turn right again. The Eastern Mindel shows us the way to the next fork, where we keep left. We follow the road and cross the railway line (caution, do not exceed 20 km/h!). Before Hausen and before the Mindel, we turn left, cycle along the edge of town on the bike path into the market town of Pfaffenhausen and turn left at the main street.
Pfaffenhausen was probably founded in the 8th century, first documented in 1167, and has held market rights since 1360. These market rights had supra-local significance for many centuries. Over time, Pfaffenhausen was owned by Alemannic tribal princes, Welfs, Staufers, the margraves of Burgau, the bishop of Augsburg, and finally – until secularization – for centuries by the Hochstift Augsburg.
We continue cycling south over the railway line; behind it begins Memminger Straße. We follow this gently ascending road out of town to the Brotherlohe wood on the Kammel cycling route and reach the Kammel valley and the village of Unterrieden after about 1 km. In Unterrieden, we cross the now somewhat wider Kammel. Our gaze falls on the Neo-Romanesque church “Holy Seven Brothers”. Here we can take some rest before continuing left on the village street. We turn right into Hohenschlauer Weg and leave Unterrieden on Kunzacher Weg. We cycle over the Weilbach. The route goes slightly uphill. Part of the route here is on gravel ground, lined with trees. After a short woodland section just before Kunzach, we cycle right towards Bedernau.
Another left turn follows. At the entrance to Bedernau is the Bedernau natural thermal spa. A visit is always worthwhile! We can swim outdoors in the natural swimming pond or, sheltered under a roof, enjoy the thermal water with its very special healing quality. In front of the spa, we should give our feet a little cooling in the Kneipp pool. A horse-head pump in front of the natural spa recalls the oil extraction in the 1970s in and around Bedernau. Sebastian Kneipp's Latin teacher was also born in Bedernau. A footpath points the way to the grotto.
It goes slightly downhill. At the fork, we keep left along the forest edge. The upcoming ascent remains hidden at first; it lies in the woods. In the forest, we keep right and finally cycle down through Brandstetten to Maria Baumgärtle. This pilgrimage site of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood is well known far beyond the district. Thoughts truly gain space here and become a journey through the centuries.
After visiting the monastery church, we continue cycling to Arlesried, 2 km away. Here we first follow Maria Baumgärtle Straße to Schulstraße, then leave Arlesried again via Erkheimer Straße. The approximately 8 km route to Unterkammlach is very varied – through meadows and forests, uphill and downhill. At the fork, we first keep left towards Untererlenberg, cycle on through St. Johann, and turn right after another 200 m. It goes again through woods and fields. Finally, we reach Unterkammlach on St. Johann Straße.
In Unterkammlach, we cycle to the main street, with a slight ascent again. But now we can comfortably ride right toward Oberkammlach until the state road 2518. We turn left here. This is where the bike path begins, which we follow parallel to the state road to Oberauerbach. Here, we must turn left. The route leads us on agricultural paths, then left uphill through forest into Mindelheim. On Memminger Straße, it goes downhill again immediately, past St. Katharina Chapel, and half left on the state road to the Unteres Tor, first mentioned in 1263 AD. Via Maximilianstraße, we reach Marienplatz again.