Well, day 11 was spent enjoying the historic town of Regensburg even though they bulldozed their mediavel walls in the 18th century so only their quaint higglepiggley cobbled streets and many churches exist still.The oldest bridge across the Danube is here aswell, the Stein bridge, terrible history at the 13th arch they used to execute people ie.throw them off with a bag over their head,mainly women I hasten to add.The history museum was absolutely incredible, from roman history to bronze age and celtic artifacts then huge mediavel tapestries and art works but not one other person in the museum. Great dinner at a Beer house down on the river, if it was 1845 we would have been eating underwater in the floods.First time we have seen the cruise boats was here in Regensburg 5 were anchored up, in fact boats in general first appeared from Kelheim onwards when the Danube -Mainz canal connects with the Danube.

It was with some reluctance hubby and I left our upgraded palatial suite, although climbing into the huge bed was already getting tiring and that was only after 2 nights, imagine being a princess. Mick was now getting a bit worried how he’d fare in smaller places if hubby needed a choice of at least 3 rooms, he’d lose his..

We set off from Regensburg into blue skies and sunshine, a glorious day but then the wind started getting stronger and stronger. Passau was having wind gusts of up to 70km an hour but we werent in Passau…It was all very rural and a cup of coffee was not looking very hopeful when on a farm gate I spotted koffee and Kuchen, in we peddled. I wasnt sure whether they were open but they opened up for us and put an umbrella up to shade us. A bargain stop aswell.

So relieved that we’d had a break from the relentless wind we didnt pay attention as we left the farm and peddled off, and suddenly we realised there were no Danube Radweg signs to be seen anymore ,oops. Looking at the map and looking around (there was a big motorway in the distance which helped) we worked out we could link up with the cycle path without going all the way back. Success back on track.

Despite the wind we reached Straubing in time for a late lunch. Market day was on yet again and it was another of the towns with a huge elongated market square with the town hall at one end.The guest house I’d quickly booked a few days before was rather unatmospheric but redeemed for hubby by being next to an electric bike shop, he decided not to try and trade his tough road bike in just yet.Straubing was a very pretty town to wander around with Donau and the Danube canal both bordering the town.

In view of the wind we decided to try starting earlier the next day, if we were out of the wind our speed went up to 19 to 20kms an hour but in the wind down to 14km.The wind didn’t seem to realise that it was meant to be pushing us along at this time of the year.For our first hour it was great no wind,sunshine,bliss we flew along and then the wind started again…exhausting.

The shorter day didn’t eventuate as their was a huge diversion of the Radweg as they were building more flood dykes.My concern that we were being diverted away from the village we’d booked a Pension in.Luckily we returned to the main route about 3kms from our next village Winzer, phew. The pension I’d booked was in Bergstrasse, yes right up a steep hill to get to it. A tiny elderly lady Frau Steinke offered to help with our bags ….did we look that nackered. A very Germanic pension absolutely spotless with views across the valley. The supermarket to get a picnic dinner was over 1km away but was good to stretch the legs.Frau Steinke went off to sing in the local choir and we could hear them in the Pension, beautiful. May 1st in Bavaria is St Marys day and apparently all of May songs are sung honouring the Virgin Mary.

A very peaceful night and an excellent breakfast, home made jams,fresh bread, freshly cooked scrambled eggs I hope Pension Steinke keeps on running although Frau Steinke did say she was finding it hard to manage.

Our final ride with Mick was into Passau that day. A short easy 46km ride.Hubby and I are on our own now off to Vienna..