"Excuse me - is this a private party?" or A long awaited revisit to Franconia. 16/04/2024 to 20/04 2024.
Over 5 years since my last visit to Bavaria, with a little bit of Franconia thrown in (last visited over 17 years ago!), it was going to be a pub outing (from Heaven & Ale, Barnsley) but striking Railway workers (both here & in Germany), added to a Lufthansa ground-crew dispute put paid to that. Single manned then!
Tuesday 16th April 2024
To avoid the above disputes I would have to travel down to Stansted Airport to get a (Ryanair) flight to Nuremberg, this added an additional overnight stay in Cambridge so involved an extra hotel, luckily my Priv railway passes meant this was the only additional cost involved.
Unit Barnsley - Wakefield Kirkgate 1717 Nottingham - Leeds 11miles
Unit Wakefield Kirkgate - Wakefield Westgate 1840 Knottingley - Leeds 1mile
I'd spotted that the 1945 ex Leeds was consisted with the booked class 91 so headed to Wakefield.
I killed the 50 minute wait with a pint in the excellent Harrys Bar, followed by another in the quirkily shaped Priory bar, opposite Westgate station.
The Priory Bar, Wakefield
91124 Wakefield Westgate – Peterborough 1945 Leeds – Kings Cross 100miles
We ran late throughout so my "connection" at Peterborough was long gone, only 10mins to wait for another train this time to Ely, where I had to change for Cambridge - that's 30mins drinking time lost!
Unit Peterborough - Ely 1751 Liverpool Lime St - Norwich 31miles
Unit Ely - Cambridge 2142 Kings Lynn - Kings Cross 14miles
I must say Cambridge North station came as something as a surprise to me - it's been that long since I had reason to travel in these parts!
A short 5min walk to the Cambridge House Hotel, glad it was close by as advertised. My room was on the ground floor at the front of the building, nice and handy. Bag deposited, out for a couple of winner pubs even though it was now 22:50pm!
I'd found 2 nearby pubs on Whatpub that were open until midnight & 1am respectively so walked to the Earl of Beaconsfield. 4 real Ales advertised I had a pint of Balmy Days, an Adnams/Vocation collab beer.
I was sat drinking when several chaps came in and settled along the bar, it looked like they had just come out for their first pint of the evening - it was turned 11pm!
Not far back to the 2nd pub the White Swan, 3 Real on but all Greene King. A pint of Spring Break, while sitting drinking I saw on a TV that my mates football team, Portsmouth, had just won promotion so a WhatsApp frenzy with him led me to toast his team with another pint - purchased at just after midnight.
Plenty of people had come into the pub since I'd sat down but it's probably the only one open to 1am in the area. I'm not used to City living these days!
Wednesday 17th April 2024
An early start, the main reason I'd wanted to book a hotel as near to the station as possible.
Unit Cambridge - Stansted Airport 0517 Cambridge - Stansted Airport 24miles
Check-in had been done online so straight to Customs/security. No issues, the belt police were on duty but not the shoe ones so managed to keep them on.
I made a beeline to the Windmill (Wetherspoons) airside, purchased a pint of Exmoor Gold then searched the premises for somewhere to sit amongst the hordes of people in said establishment - even at about 06:30am! I'd grabbed a free coffee from the hotel (self service kitchen) but as I'm not a breakfast person at this time of day, I didn't order any food in the Windmill.
When the flight was called a marathon walk got me to "priority" check-in desk as one of the first through the gate, this gained me a wait on a set of steps with no windows just above the tarmac. Nice!
9H-QED FR7632 0740 Stansted - Nuremberg
My first time through a European Customs check since Brexit, again no problems at all here.
Time to make my way to Bamberg, the Beer capital of the world.
U2 Nuremberg Flughafen - Nuremberg Hbf
ICE Nuremberg Hbf - Bamberg 0955 Munich - Hamburg Altona 62km
I'd originally booked 3 nights in an Ibis here for 12 people, alas that had been knocked on the head when we realised it was going to be a lottery (due to the industrial disputes already mentioned) if there would be any flights from Manchester to get here.
On the first Lufthansa strike days in March NO flights ran to/from Munich or Frankfurt AT ALL, the only nearby destinations if travelling from the North West of the UK.
There are currently no less than TWELVE breweries in Bamberg, including some brewing the local speciality "Rauchbier" (smoked). Add to that Bamberg has one of the most unspoilt medieval old towns in the world, (it's a UNESCO world heritage site), it is a destination for all German beer fans & a popular beer pilgrimage trip for many Germans. It gets incredibly busy in both Summer & Xmas market seasons.
I had decided to concentrate on the Wunderburg part of town - just the 5 breweries in the area!
A 25min walk in the sunshine saw me arrive outside Mahrs Bräu.
I ordered a Ungespundet (or "U" pronounced Oooh by the locals) beer. I sent the above picture to our WhatsApp group & got an immediate reply from my mate Neath (author of the Camra Good Beer Guide Germany) that Mahrs beers had gone downhill recently - get yourself to Keesmann's over the road! The beer was drinkable but not the classic that so many people have raved about in books & on Blogs over the years.
A few steps along the pavement and your opposite Keesmann's brewery.
A Keesmann Pils, served through the bar's serving hatch, all tables taken inside with lunchtime eaters.
The beer garden is part of the brewery yard, fine until a heavy April shower started.
So a 15min walk in the rain to look forward to, my next stop would be Fässla so worth it.
A firm favourite of mine, we always tried to get accommodation here in the early 1990's, it was the next to cheapest place to stay in Bamberg at the time. The Spezial across the road was the cheapest but you could never get a room - everyone wanted to be as near as possible to their Rauchbier!
I ordered a Lagerbier while I dripped onto the tiled floor...
I noticed it had finally stopped raining, should I walk to a new brewery for me, Landwinkl, or just go straight across the road to Spezial? I decided to go for the newbie.
My online research had suggested a 1400 opening time - it seems 1800 would be a better bet! So back the way I'd come to Bräuerei Spezial where I of course ordered a Rauchbier.
One sip & I wondered why I'd bothered going anywhere else - Nectar!
I got talking to an English couple, in town for a couple of days who were venturing into the Old Town next. They asked me which breweries did the best beer "this one - but they're all pretty good really" was my reply! Another beer was duly ordered. This is my favourite beer of all time after all!
Due to the time gained from Landwinkl being closed I had time for a 3rd & final beer here, before heading back to the station to make my way to Regensburg and my hotel for the next 2 nights.
The Golden Arches on the platform at Bamberg provided me with food on the go.
ICE Bamberg - Nuremberg Hbf 1021 Hamburg - Munich 62km
Standing on the platform amidst a sea of units shows my age - it was nearly all loco hauled in the evening peak back in the day.
Unit Nuremberg Hbf - Regensburg Hbf 1707 Nuremberg Hbf - Regensburg Hbf 101km
I had booked the Ibis Zentrum, a 12min walk from the station. I figured it would cut down the walk to any of the brewpubs in the city centre as they are about a 25min walk from the station. Wrong - the hotel isn't very "Zentrum" more off at a tangent so the pubs are still a 25min walk away!
I was staying in Regensburg to do some trains with class 218 diesels, which have recently taken over from units on services up to Hof, an area where I spent many years travelling behind classes 211 / 217 & 218 in days gone by.
So back to the station for an evening move to Weiden & back - DB's reputation for late running intervened - the train was 60 minutes late, blowing the move out of the water.
So to avoid the long walk into the Old Town/City Centre (it was of course raining constantly) I tried to find a few pubs or bars a bit nearer.
I found "Die Couch" where I had a Tegernseer Hell (bottle), it's a Student bar & I was the oldest person in the building (including the Staff). Decent prices though.
Looking at Google maps nothing else close by but plenty within a 10min walk so back out into the rain, fortunately it was now more of a drizzle. My next port of call was to be "Dicker Man" but it was wedged & apparently I would need to be eating to have a drink. No thanks, eating is cheating.
So back round the corner to Gravenreuther, where I perched on a bar stool & said I'd just like a drink if that's ok. Yes, so I ordered an Arcobräu Mooser Lieser Helles. Then the Barman who served me asked me if I'd be eating!
The rain had finally stopped, I was now quite near to the river so ideal to walk over the 868 year old Steinerne Brucke bridge, Germanys oldest, that would take me to the Spitalbrauerei & their Spitalgarten tap. No problems just having a couple of drinks here, I tried a Helles then had another 2 of their Dunkel.
Thursday 18th April 2024
After something of a long day yesterday a day on the trains beckoned, that's if DB were performing better than last night! I checked the departure board and the 0720 to Hof was only showing a couple of minutes down. Ok for my +15min leap at Marktredwitz then. I picked up something to have on the train for breakfast & a coffee.
The train eventually departed 36mins late, so with no chance of making the next Southbound service at Marktredwitz, I would instead be going through to Hof.
It's a cracking route with plenty of twisting curves, rolling hills and great scenery, it has always been one of my favourites in Germany and I was very pleased to be able to sample it again loco hauled.
It's a 2 hourly service and this is the only train all day NOT calling at Weisau, so you can negate any late running the rest of the day by bailing off here instead of Marktredwitz. Just my luck.
218 422 Regensburg Hbf - Hof Hbf 0544 Munich - Hof 179km
On arrival into Hof it was a measly 6 degrees C and overcast. With very little to do and still having a good hour fester I had a wander to see if I could find a Bar of any kind, although I thought it unlikely as it was only about 9.50am. My luck was in however, a bottle of Kulmbacher Edelherb Pils in a dubious place where I was the only customer.
218 422 Hof Hbf - Weiden (Oberpf) 1040 Hof - Munich 51km
As I was out of kilter with my original plan for the day, I decided I would give myself a longer break in Weiden. It would also give me time to visit both breweries - I had intended to visit one of these two yesterday evening before the DB timetable fell apart.
A 15min walk, away from the town centre, to the Gambrinus brewery.
It also looked like someone had been living in the doorway - the problem with brewery taps being located at the brewery itself is, if you cannot get opening hours info on a website, google maps will show it as open in line with the brewery's off sales opening hours.
Another 15min walk into the heart of the Old Town brought me to Bräu Wirt which was decidedly open!
I was told I'd enjoy the bar downstairs best - because it's in the Brewery!
Excellent, I tried their Zoigl Hell but I must say the next beer, the Zoigl Weizen, was a top version of the style - very nice.
On leaving the sun had come out but I found another bar right next door - the Kir Royal, where Maisel's (Bayreuth) Weisse Hell was available on draught, she said she had 3 of their beers on tap.
Back to the station to carry on with the bash.
218 418 Weiden (Oberpf) - Regensburg Hbf 1240 Hof - Munich 86km
I crossed the road and headed back towards Die Couch, however Rough Surface Coffee house was on the corner, and yes they serve beer. A bottle of Kuchlbauer (Abensberg) Weisse, thankyou!
On the way back to the station you pass through a grassy stretch with trees around it - Hare! in the middle of a city.
Wonders never cease - DB seem to be running on time.
218 418 Regensburg Hbf - Marktredwitz 1344 Munich - Hof 137km
Back in the late 1990's I got off a pair of 218's heading towards Leipzig here, having suddenly decided to visit the Nothhaft brewery for beers & a meal, instead of accumulating more KM's behind the locos.
I had no idea where the brewery was located so had to ring someone back in the UK for directions - thanks Betty!
Now some 27 years or so later I had decided to do it again. I had Google maps to guide me this time - until my route tried to take me down a street that was closed - even to Pedestrians. After a short detour I was outside the Nothhaft brewery once again.
Three older gents were entering the establishment in front of me, so I followed them in, the kitchen was viewed busy cooking food and I entered what was previously the bar & dining room.
No Bar now just an open serving area, 3 young fräulein's waiting to serve everyone & I was told I could sit anywhere. A menu with todays date was on the table for my perusal.
At this point one of the older gents whom I'd followed in came over a rapped on my table with his knuckles, a local custom to say thanks for visiting & trying our beers. This had only ever happened to me once before since I started coming to Germany in 1989 - and it was here, in the Nothhaft, on my previous visit!
Food was starting at 1730 and within a few minutes the place was pretty well full, I had a German family of Mum & her two sons sharing my table & we were soon in conversation - "what was I doing in Marktredwitz?" being the obvious first question.
I started with a Nothhaft Ur Hell as I noticed most of the other blokes were on that, I then ordered a Nothhaft Rawetzer Zoigl and for my meal I chose the Notthaft Teller . (This is Pork medallions in Zweibel beer sauce with potato & onion Rosti.)
One of the lady's sons would shortly be visiting Bournemouth with school (English being their 2nd language, which they all learn at school) so I was telling him about Poole & the Isle of Purbeck, should he visit them, when the Landlord & Landlady took a break from the kitchen and came in to talk with the head serving girl, she was pointing at me in the process.
I turned to his Mum and asked "Excuse me - is this a private party?" to which the answer was
"Yes - the meal is a thankyou to all the brewery staff for getting the brewery through a difficult winter. The pub has been shut since last autumn as they've been unable to make a go of it, this is a test run for the kitchen and new serving staff prior to re-opening in a few weeks" !!
She also told me the man sitting at the end of our table was the Head Brewer! Anyway the Landlord soon decided it wasn't going to be a problem, they would work out what to charge me after the meal - no-one else was paying for anything!
The food was fantastic, I had another Rawetzer Zoigl with it, then had time to meet and stroke the pub dog, Elvis, before I said my goodbyes. One of the girls took me to the serving area as "my Aunty is going to decide what to charge you"! 25 Euro was to be the amount but I gave them 30 & thanks - I've had a great time.
I was giggling as I walked back towards the station - you couldn't make it up.
I had time for a quick drink before my train so stopped at a bar, Pzwei 2, for a Kulmbacher Pils on draft.
A sea of plastic units greeted me on arrival back at the railway station, fortunately I had a 218 due in!
218 418 Marktredwitz - Regensburg 1840 Hof - Munich 137km
With DB still managing to run everything to time I should be able to do a quick out & back to Schwandorf at 2120 so back to "Die Couch" where the beer of the month had changed from yesterday so I tried it - now being Schwarzbräu (Zusmarshausen) Feines Helles.
I'd had quite a lot to drink today so a night time move to Schwandorf should be good for the thrash
218 422 Regensburg Hbf - Schwandorf 1944 Munich - Hof 42km
I just made last orders in the DB shop here (it has a Bar) so I had a bottle of Augustinerbräu Lagerbier Hell while waiting for the southbound service.
218 403 Schwandorf - Regensburg 2040 Hof - Munich 42km
& to Bed.
Friday 19th April 2024
After the good timekeeping of yesterday afternoon DB went back to their normal ways again this morning, for the 2nd day in a row I wouldn't make at Marktredwitz off the 0720 so off the train at Weiden for an hour fester.
218 418 Regensburg Hbf - Weiden (Oberpf) 0544 Munich - Hof 86km
Yes you've guessed it - another bottle of Augustinerbräu Lagerbier Hell while waiting for the southbound service, this time in a glass.
218 403 Weiden (Oberpf) - Regensburg Hbf 0840 Hof - Munich 86km
146 247# Regensburg Hbf - Landshut (Bay) 0840 Hof - Munich 62km
The booked +8mins connection at Landshut onto the Mühldorf trains is dodgy the way DB performs these days - we left Regensburg on time but lots of us were left running through the subway to make it!
628 xxx Landshut (Bay) - Landshut (Bay) Sud 1136 Landshut (Bay) - Rosenheim 3km
In theory I could have come to Landshut 2 hours later for my planned move, a 218 hauled service BUT
I would still be facing the 8mins connection & confidence was low (it would also have ruined the rest of my day). So although I'm here decidedly early, the Wittman brewery Tap was looming, just a 5min stroll down the hill past the brewery itself.
The main door was locked (groan) but lights were on inside, on walking round to the car park the door that side was open - your supposed to use that (apparently). Anyway on entering young men in Bavarian shirts & shorts were in plentiful supply to greet me.
Is it ok to just drink and not eat? Of course - I sat at a table near the bar and ordered a Wittmann Hefe-Weiss. My beer was brought to the table and I was asked "Are you not eating?"! Err No as previously mentioned... I was ok to plug in my Iphone charger which helped too.
I then realised I had the best part of 2 hours here maybe I should eat - no the confusion would start all over again, best just drink. I had another Wittmann Hefe-Weiss.
They do "Seasonal" beers, after some debate it seemed Wittmann Landshuter Dult-Bier was now in season so I tried one - it wasn't too clever to be honest.
I noticed on the menu they do a Schwarz-Weisse, I do like a German Black Beer. I'll try one of those.
Back at the station the screen said my train will depart from platform 1. There is only 1 platform, all very German!
The only hauled train between Landshut & Mühldorf, in time honoured fashion this is a strengthened train to convey schoolchildren home. This practise gained many of us lots of routes, normally only served by units, loco hauled back in the day. I don't think there are many such "Schoolex" trains left running now.
218 401 Landshut (Bay) Sud - Mühldorf 1337 Landshut (Bay) - Mühldorf 52km
I had 75mins here so walked down to the Town centre - I say down as the walk included steps down what seemed to be a cliff, a fair walk too of at least 20mins.
I was looking for the Unertl brewery tap, I was unaware that it had actually closed so the Asian restaurant now in it's place was a surprise, at least to me. Luckily there was a bakers shop next door, this included a place to eat at the rear & it won't surprise you to hear they too sold beer - a look at the menu found 2 Unertl beers available. I had a bottle of their Weissbier. Can a Bakers be a "Tap"?
I really didn't fancy the long & very uphill walk back to the station, I had passed the main bus stops in the middle of the square on my way so headed there. I asked a group of schoolkids which bus would be for the Bahnhof, they said that's where they were going so follow them. A bus shortly arrived and we filed on, I paid for a ticket - we had all just sat down when the driver turned round & said we'd all be better off doing another bus which had now arrived - so we all piled onto that instead!
I then got a familiar feeling, which has happened many times over the years, as a 245 pulled in on my next train instead of the hoped for (& booked) 2 x 218 - BOWLED!
245 015 Mühldorf - Munich 1536 Mühldorf - Munich 85km
I was due to make my way to Augsburg, however there was at least one 218 waiting to work a train so I walked up to the bay platforms where 218 426 was on the 1706 departure. I bought a bottle of beer to drink on the train & worked out a move to Dorfen.
218 426 Munich - Dorfen 1706 Munich - Mühldorf 57km
I had passed a 218 while on my previous train, it should return to Munich on the next service out of Dorfen. I found a chicken kebab shop had opened in the station building, that'll do nicely to eat on my way back into Munich. BUT bowled again!
245 xxx Dorfen - Munich Ost 1736 Mühldorf - Munich Ost 47km
Someone had removed the 218, it was raining hard again so I didn't bother getting the loco number, just found a seat in a quiet coach to eat my kebab. I later looked up the days goings on using the Czech loco spreadsheet site and according to reports 3 diff 245's & 218 423 all worked parts of todays diagram - no wonder I got bowled.
Onto a U Bahn which got me out to Munich Pasing in time for an ICE to Augsburg. We left on time but the 22mins journey turned into a signalling farce so took over an hour.
ICE Munich-Pasing - Augsburg 1901 Munich - Karlsruhe 62km
It was still raining so I hot footed it round the corner to the Ibis hotel, I'm glad that I did as when I turned around after checking in there were about 20 people now waiting to do so, all seemingly off my train.
After depositing my bag in the room I had a foreshortened evening ahead of me. I decided to walk to Drei Königinnen as my first port of call.
A nice place, I sat on a barstool and had Augusta Kellerbier, a nice beer. On my 15min walk to get here I'd noticed how very busy a lot of bars & pubs were along the way, not so here but far from being empty. Time not being on my side, just the one here then I set off on a similar length of walk to find the Thorbräukeller.
Another traditional brewery & Tap, this time only 7 paying customers to keep the 3 staff busy. I had passed a trendy bar on the same road where there was a queue outside in the rain, it's a wonder the brewpubs can keep going.
I first tried their Hell, a great example of the style. The Barman said the Schwarzbier is even better so I said I'd have one of those next.
Back to the bar to order a Schwarzbier - "What do you want?" the barman says. The Chef replied "Schwarzbier". No-one in Germany understands me...
It wasn't as good as the Hell to be honest.
Time to walk to the Riegele brewery's WirtsHaus, their large and flashy Tap right outside the north end of Augsburg railway station. It was again raining heavily.
No problems with the number of customers here, even at this late hour. I sat at the bar, several others were doing likewise. I tried their Kellerbier which was ok, not brilliant though.
I then got another beer after more confusion. I asked for a Dunkel, eventually she said "Ah Ein Dunkel" - what did I say? This was better than the Kellerbier. Then back outside, to find the rain had actually ceased, for the short walk back to the hotel. I drunkenly tried to check my train to the airport in the morning, decided it didn't exist, so set my alarm a bit earlier than planned.
Saturday 20th April 2024
After my early alarm I walked to the station to find my planned train DID exist after all, no matter I could do one an hour earlier instead, then spend a little more time at the Airport.
Unit Augsburg - Memmingen 0741 Augsburg - Memmingen 86km
As I'd flown from here years ago I knew the Airport buses leave from the 1st bus stand. Of course the 30 or 40 other people waiting to go to Memmingen Airport didn't & were all asking each other if this was correct - it didn't help that the next bus showed going to "Allgau Airport" which is the other name for it. In the event a 2nd bus arrived, this one showed going to "Memmingen Airport" I got on this to avoid the scrum around the 1st bus, which only left 2mins before us.
The Airport was not the sleepy place I'd flown from before, it seems flights to Rumania & Bulgaria and parts of the former Yugoslavia are all the rage these days.
Only Kristal Weizen available on draft Landside. I've never been keen on the style so had one then went through Customs early. The Draft beer pump was broken Airside but would have been the same beer, a bottle of Meckatzer Urweizen from the fridge was a great improvement.
9H-QDX FR7308 1135 Memmingen - Stansted
On time, only the long snaking queue to get to the "Welcome to the UK" sign above the electronic passport gates, I even made my planned train.
Unit Stansted - Ely 1327 Stansted Airport - Peterborough 39miles
Time for a winner pub here, the Cutter Inn, next to the Canal. Here I sampled Milton Brewery Sparta 4.3%, drunk outside in the sunshine, a marked change in weather from that in Bavaria!
A quick supermarket sweep in the Tesco's outside the railway station before my onward train to Nottingham.
Unit Ely - Nottingham 1353 Norwich - Liverpool 82miles
A quick look at Whatpub on my phone showed a winner real ale pub only 4mins from the station's side exit, that can't be right - I will check it out anyway.
The Newshouse has been taken over by the Castle Rock brewery & sympathetically refurbished, a cracking job they have made of it too. I had a pint of Torrside Candlewick Stout 4%.
I decided to walk to the Castle Rock brewery Tap, the Vat and Fiddle, where I'd only been once before.
I was just past the railway station when what did I see in front of me but the scourge of English pub goers - Morris Dancers! - and they were all heading towards the Vat & Fiddle! I legged it to the nearest door as they were using the far one, it was already about 6 deep at the bar. 13 beers to chose from but difficult to tell what was on due to the throng.
I eventually got served a pint of Castle Rock Oatmeal Stout 4.6%. I got a seat away from the bar, I could see hanky waving had started outside. I used the loo then managed to finish my beer just before the hanky waving started up again, I escaped back towards the station & the Brew Tavern, in the former taxi office outside.
The hordes of Notts County football fans were good naturedly singing outside - well about a dozen of them anyway. A limited range today (I don't do unfined UK beers) Tartarus Beers Puca Oatmeal stout 4.5% was the choice.
Unit Nottingham - Barnsley 1818 Nottingham - Leeds 57miles
Due to recent reductions in my bus service home I had time to kill, so a short walk to Bar Ruelle, where the excellent Ossett White Rat 4.0% was as outstanding as always. Then I noticed yet another Oatmeal stout was on - that'll be 3 different ones on my way home from Stansted, this being Drone Valley Oatmeal stout 4.5% which wasn't too bad.
A top trip, finally getting chance to return to Bamberg and sample some of my favourite beers & brewpubs was great. The fact that 218's have restarted between Regensburg & Hof, after many years, gives another chance to cover this hellfire & scenic route loco hauled - even if I got bowled more than once by DB's notorious poor timekeeping!
I've never known so much rain in this part of the world - but everyone's weather is more hit and miss than it's ever been.
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