Rhön Motorcycle Tour: the Wasserkuppe, the Hochrhönstrasse and Kreuzberg

The Rhön is an old volcanic upland where Hesse, Bavaria and Thuringia meet. It is very different from the forested hills around it: the high Rhön is open grassland and moor, cleared centuries ago for grazing, so the roads run across bare, rolling tops with views in every direction. Much of it is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, called the "land of open distances". It is a relaxed, scenic ride rather than a technical one, and it sits right next to the Thuringian Forest, so the two make an easy pair.

Planning a Rhön trip

Fulda, with its baroque cathedral, is the gateway on the Hessian side and a good base with plenty of hotels. Gersfeld sits at the foot of the Wasserkuppe; Bischofsheim and Bad Kissingen suit the Bavarian side; Kaltennordheim and Meiningen the Thuringian side. One night covers the loop; two let you add the Thuringian Forest.

Fulda is on the A7, so Danish riders come straight down from Hamburg and Kassel, and Dutch riders reach it via the A44 and A7 or the A45 and A66. It is a good stop on the way south to Bavaria and the Alps.

The route

Fulda to the Wasserkuppe (about 35km). Leave Fulda east toward Gersfeld and climb onto the Wasserkuppe. At 950 metres it is the highest point in Hesse, and its open, windy summit is where German gliding began in the early 20th century. Gliders still launch from the top, and there is a gliding museum, cafés and a large car park that fills with bikes on sunny weekends. The climb from Gersfeld is the best riding of the morning: steady bends through forest that give way to open grassland near the top.

Wasserkuppe to Bischofsheim and the Kreuzberg (about 30km). Drop south-east into Bavaria toward Bischofsheim. Just south of town, a road climbs to the Kreuzberg (928m), the "holy mountain" of Franconia, where the Franciscan monastery has brewed beer for centuries. Its beer garden is a classic stop, though riders will want the alcohol-free option.

The Hochrhönstrasse (about 25km). From Bischofsheim ride north on the Hochrhönstrasse across the Lange Rhön toward Fladungen. This is the signature road of the Rhön: a quiet ridge road across open moor and grassland, with the Black Moor (Schwarzes Moor) nature reserve and its boardwalk along the way. There are no hedges and few trees, so the views run for miles. Ride it at an easy pace: it is a nature reserve, popular with walkers and cyclists, and the roadside parking areas fill up on fine weekends. Look out for any local restrictions signed at either end.

Into the Thuringian Rhön (about 40km). From Fladungen cross north into Thuringia toward Kaltennordheim and the Ellenbogen, a high, open ridge on the Thuringian side. The roads here are emptier than on the Hessian side, with long, open bends between small villages.

Point Alpha and Geisa (about 30km). Ride west to Geisa and Point Alpha on the old inner-German border. The former US Army observation post and the restored stretch of border fence make a sobering, well-presented stop, and a reminder that until 1989 this was the front line of the Cold War.

Back to Fulda via the Milseburg (about 50km). Return south-west past the Milseburg, a striking volcanic cone, through Hilders and back to Fulda on the quieter roads of the Hessian Rhön.

The roads

Surfaces are generally good, but the high roads are exposed: wind is often strong on the open tops and fog can come in quickly. Sheep and cattle graze close to the road in places, and walkers cross at the car parks. The roads around the Wasserkuppe are busy with bikes on sunny weekends, and speed checks are common on the climbs. Noise is a sensitive topic in the biosphere reserve; ride through the villages and the nature reserves quietly.

Bring warm and waterproof layers even in summer. The high Rhön has a climate of its own: the open tops catch the wind and the cloud, and the temperature on the Wasserkuppe can be well below that in Fulda. A clear evening on the Hochrhönstrasse, with the light low across the moor, is one of the best rides in central Germany, so it is worth timing the ridge for late in the day if the weather allows.

When to go

May to October. The high Rhön is a winter sports area and can be cold and snowy into April. Early summer brings wild flowers on the meadows; September and October bring clear autumn days and the best long views. Midweek is far quieter than the weekend.

Two days: the Rhön and the Thuringian Forest

The Rhön and the Thuringian Forest are easy to ride together. Day one is the loop above. On day two, ride east from the Thuringian Rhön through Meiningen, a small ducal town on the Werra, and climb onto the ridge of the Thuringian Forest at Oberhof or the Inselsberg. From there the Thuringian Forest west loop takes you over the Inselsberg and down to Eisenach.

To the south-west, the Spessart is another wooded upland with quiet roads between Fulda and Aschaffenburg, and the run down through it is a good way to continue toward the Odenwald or the Black Forest.

Food and stops

The Rhön is known for its sheep: the black-headed Rhön sheep graze the open tops, and Rhön lamb is on many menus. The Wasserkuppe summit has cafés and snack bars that are used to riders, and the Kreuzberg monastery beer garden is one of the classic stops in Franconia. Fulda's baroque old town, with its cathedral and palace gardens, is worth an evening walk.

Where to stay

Fulda and Gersfeld suit the Hessian side, Bischofsheim the Bavarian side and Kaltennordheim the Thuringian side. The Thuringian Forest is about half an hour east of the Thuringian Rhön, so it is easy to stay there and ride both: see our Thuringian Forest biker hotels and the Thuringian Forest loops. The Sauerland and the Harz are both within about two hours.