Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The paddling route
Put in at the boat steps below the weir in Pappenheim, under the castle ruins, and follow the Altmühl south-east as it winds between meadows and the wooded limestone slopes of the Altmühl valley. After about 3.7 km the river splits round an island at Zimmern: get out at the signed wooden landing on the island before the weir, carry round on the path and put in again below. The last stretch curves round to Solnhofen, the village whose fine-grained limestone gave the world Archaeopteryx. Get out at the official landing just before Solnhofen weir.
It is 8.5 km one way; allow about 2 hours in a canoe or kayak and 2½ on a paddleboard, including the portage. The grade is Easy: a light current with no rapids, and one weir to carry round.
Paddle downstream only, in narrow craft, and launch and land only at the signed places. Weirs cannot be run: watch for the warning signs and get out in good time. Keep out of reeds and side arms and off the gravel bars. In spring a traffic light shows whether there is enough water. Pappenheim and Solnhofen both have stations for the trip back. Wear a buoyancy aid and check the conditions before you set off.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap waterways (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- From below Pappenheim weir down the wooded Altmühl valley to Solnhofen
- One weir to carry round, at Zimmern, by the landing on the island
- Solnhofen gave its name to the fine limestone in which Archaeopteryx was found
- Stations at Pappenheim and Solnhofen for the trip back
On the water
- Put in: Pappenheimer Wehr (canoe launch) 48.93445, 10.97062
- Take out: Solnhofen Wehr (canoe launch) 48.89180, 10.99742
- Weir: Wehr Zimmern · 3.7 km (2.3 mi) from the start · get out and carry round
- River level: Treuchtlingen (Altmühl). Check it before you go, and don't paddle when it is high.
- Rules and licences: Wasserwirtschaftsamt Ansbach, Naturpark Altmühltal. Check whether you need a licence before you go: on many inland waters in England and Wales you do, and Paddle UK membership includes one for many of them.
- Suits canoes, kayaks, paddleboards.
Getting there
Start: Pappenheim, below the weir. 48.93445, 10.97062
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Pappenheim: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Water levels, flow and the weather decide the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; wear a buoyancy aid, check the river levels and the forecast, keep well clear of weirs and powered boats, and don't go out in flood.