Finishing the Neufahrn - Neufahrn Trail
I got two of my wisdom teeth pulled out three days ago, so I wasn't allowed to do any real hikes yet. But with the public holiday and the good weather, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to go out and do some hiking. I was really happy I got to visit Risesrkogel (1826 m) before my dental procedure, but now it was time to lean back and relax.
Out of the easy options I had, I decided to continue my Hiking Web project and cover the distance between Neufahrn (Niederbayern) and Landshut. It's a long 30 km trip going across fields and meadows, but I knew I could do it if I took my time and didn't rush things (since I couldn't walk fast with the dental pain).
The route started off with a delayed train (as usual) and a couple of people getting off at Neufahrn/NB. I immediately turned in the direction of Landshut and started walking along the railway. Soon after, I reached Ergoldsbach where the celebrations for May 1st were in full force, with local leaders doing speeches and others enjoying beer and snacks. I skipped all that, since I can't drink anyway because of antibiotics, and went up on the hill towards Lourdes Kapelle.
The hill was tiny, and there wasn't much to do, so I went down to Siegensdorf and followed the rapeseed fields and the blossoming trees to Martinshaun and later Unterunsbach. There, I turned west and crossed the highway hoping to make a shortcut towards Mirskofen, but somehow I got lost, made the wrong turn and had to go back onto the correct road through some fields and tall grass. Thankfully, I didn't catch any ticks on me despite my stupidity.
The rest of the way to Mirskofen was very cool in all senses of the word. It goes through a forest with tons of trails across it. You walk through the mostly spruce treelines covered in shade and surrounded by birds. Occasional bikers overtake you, but you pay them no mind, since the forest roads are wide enough for all of you.
Closer to the next town, I came across a hut labelled "Waldesruh" with a bunch of flowers planted in front of it. I was a lovely sight, and they even had benches to rest on, but I decided to keep moving. In the distance, I saw the Uniper power plant and some ladies riding horses along the fields.
My next stop on the way was Schloss Mirskofen, a private residence that was once considered a local castle. I went out of the forest and walked along the outer edge of the village until I reached it. There wasn't much to see though, just someone's house on the side of a village street.
I continued my route towards Ergolding, feeling a bit tired and dehydrated after an already long walk. What I didn't know was that the forest hut was the last place I could sit and rest for the next 10 kilometers. The whole section to the "castle" and the next town was just an asphalt way parallel to an intercity freeway. There was no shade from the trees and no benches, just fields. I started growing more and more tired, but thankfully near the entrace to Ergolding, I found a small bench hidden near some bushes by the road. I took a break there to take my timely does of antibiotics and went on with my trip.
Going through the town felt much better than walking alone along the freeway. There were people walking dogs, children playing in gardens and on the streets. Ergolding even had their own May 1st festival, also packed with visitors enjoying expensive beer and music.
The rest of the route was even more uneventful. Just going through Ergolding towards Landshut and getting to the train station. I fully expected to miss the train going back in the direction of Munich, but it was late by 20 minutes, so I made it just in time.
Usually, these kinds of routes are pointless to hikers, but may be good for bikers. Even today I saw a bunch of people riding bicycles here and there. But to be honest, it was so plain and uneventful that I won't recommend this route even to them. You're better off trying out the Moosburg - Landshut hike I did in the past, since you get to see a few real castles and the overall route is nicer, having more variety and shade.