A red squirrel darts across the path and I apply the brakes.
Unperturbed the animal pauses, perhaps to assess whether I
come bearing anything edible, before it turns and scampers up the trunk of an
ancient oak tree.
I move off again, slowly gathering speed past more elderly
oak trees and a shady lake where three swans swim regally across still waters.
This little vignette does not take place in some rural
idyll, however.
A few minutes before my close encounter with the squirrel I
was cycling through the centre of Munich, capital city of the German state of
Bavaria and home to around 1.3 million people.
Indeed, from amid the greenery of the Englischer Garten,
where all this wildlife is to be found, I can still see the onion-domed towers
of the Frauenkirche that are a symbol of this south German city.
Munich must be one of Europe’s most bicycle-friendly
conurbations.
It has 1,200km of cycle paths and those that traverse the
city centre are clearly defined so the cyclist is generally kept apart from
other road users. Routes also spread out across parks and along the pretty
banks of the River Iser.
Several companies offer organised bike tours of Munich (see
box), and these provide guided trips of three to four hours as standard,
including insights into many of Munich’s major, and not so major, sites from a
guide.
Alternatively, the city is so cycle friendly it is possible
to hire a bike and make your own itinerary.
My own tour begins on Marienplatz, in sight of of the
Frauenkirche, with an introduction to a modern, comfortable, easily adjustable
bicycle.
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| Medieval glories of the Altstadt |
‘Here we are in the centre of the Altstadt [old town],’ he
says, ‘In medieval times there would have been a large market here and also
tournaments and festivals would have been staged.’
In the centre of the square he points out the Mariansaule, a
17th-century column topped by a gilded statue of the Virgin Mary.
‘During the 30 Years War [1618-1648], Munich was occupied by
the Swedish army,’ explains Schwalde. ‘There was great relief when the soldiers
left in 1638. Many of the neighbouring areas had also been ravaged by plague,
but Munich escaped that. So, in thanks, the citizens erected this statue on the
Marienplatz.’
The gilded Mary is certainly impressive, but perhaps more so
is the famous Glockenspiel, overlooking the square from high up in the Neues
Rathaus (town hall).
Dating to 1903, this springs into life at 11am, noon and 5pm
with a swirl of brightly coloured knights, trumpeters and dancers.
From Marienplatz we pedal a short distance to the bulky
pink-grey Alter Hof, a rather heavy-handed restoration of a 13th-century
original. It was originally built on the orders of a 13th-century Duke of
Bavaria called Louis the Stern – a man who lived up to his name.
‘Louis was away on a diplomatic mission when he heard his
wife, Marie of Brabant, was having an affair,’ says Schwalde as we cycle past,
‘so he had her beheaded. But it turned out she was innocent. In a bid to make
amends, he paid for an abbey to built outside the city at a place called
Furstenfeld.’
With that sobering story on my mind we turn down
Munzstrasse, dodging crowds of visitors, until we reach the Hofbrauhaus. This
is probably the most famous beerhall in Munich and can trace its origins back
to the 16th century.
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| A city famous for its beer |
Unfortunately we can’t stop, but my guide at least tells me
the story of Munich’s famous beer. ‘You’ve heard of the Bavarian beer purity
law? Well, in 1516 it was decreed that it could only have three major
ingredients: water, barley and hops. No additives, no preservatives. In fact
you could call it food.’
We skirt north past the expanse of the Residenz, the vast
palace that was home to Bavaria’s rulers from 1385 to 1918, before we head out
of the Altstadt in the direction of the River Isar and the Isarradweg cycle
path that runs alongside it.
Now, instead of moving through the tall buildings of the
city centre we’re passing trees and the occasional jogger. It’s an impressive
expanse of greenery so close to the city centre.
A short pedal through woods and parks later we pass the
so-called Angel of Peace. She’s actually a gilded depiction of the goddess Nike
atop a 25-metre column that stands amid formal gardens and commemorates 25
years of peace following the conclusion of the war with France in 1871.
We turn left over the Luitpold bridge, passing the
impressive bulk of the Bavarian National Museum, with its huge collection of
paintings, sculpture and folk art, and cycle on into the Englischer Garten.
After that near squeak with the scampering squirrel, we take
a brief halt while Schwalde provides a little background. ‘This is the biggest
city park in Germany,’ he says.
It’s easy to believe – the greenery stretches away on all
sides. ‘You’ll even find flocks of sheep grazing here,’ adds my guide.
That’s not all you’ll find. Munich people appear to have few
qualms about naked sunbathing, which can come as a surprise to those from more
restrained cultures.
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to look. Fortunately, if
you’re riding a bike, you can just focus on the path ahead. That’s probably a
good idea anyway, because roller bladders and skateboarders have a habit of
whizzing along seemingly out of nowhere.
Schwalde takes this opportunity to bring matters down to
earth with some further background on the park. ‘The ironic thing is that the
garden’s creator, Sir Benjamin Thompson, was actually born and spent his
formative years in America.’
He was, however, an enthusiast for England and the English
and fought on the side of the British in the American War of Independence
before being employed as a senior officer in the Bavarian army.
‘Thompson also helped cultivate the potato in Bavaria and
helped invent a soup to feed the poor and homeless,’ adds Schwalde.
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| Greenery along the banks of the Isar |
One of the ingredients in that soup, along with pearl
barley, peas and potato, was beer and, with that thought in mind, we pedal
onwards towards the Chinesicher Turm.
Beneath this wooden, pagoda-style tower that dates back to
the late 18th century, is probably the most famous beer garden in the whole of
Munich. Locals and visitors alike can share outside tables and get to know each
other over a drink or several.
We park up our bikes and order a couple of glasses of
Löwenbrau; customers pay an additional deposit for their glass to deter them
from walking off with an unpaid-for souvenir.
As we sip our beer, Schwalde tells me more about the park’s
origins. ‘It was the time of the French revolution and the local ruler, Elector
Karl, was not popular. He was worried about being ousted or worse. Thompson,
though, had seen revolution in America and knew the people needed to be kept
happy.’
Not to mention well fed with that filling-sounding soup, I
want to add, but don’t.
‘His idea was the garden: where the people could relax and
play games and be happy.’
And, of course, drink beer by the litre in charming
surroundings; after which, then as now, it’s easy to decide that the revolution
can wait until tomorrow.
Munich bicycle tours
The following companies offer bike tours (with
English-speaking guides) through Munich and its environs.
Mike’s Bike Tours
Radius Bike Tours
Lenny’s Bike Tours
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