As I got up this morning ….. I could see the rain clouds gathering again in the west. But you can’t change the weather – so we packed the tent and off we went towards the Danube. (And yes- Pauline – it is for real – though we have to keep pinching ourselves!).

Having missed the official start of the trail yesterday we stopped as soon as we reached the river for our own photo.

We had breakfast sitting outside a bakery beside the bridge. Our first white storks flew overhead – so we knew we really heading east. The rain held off until our coffee stop – where we met our first British cyclist on a very similar route to ours. For the first time we are on a recognised (and very popular) cycle route and not on one that I made up. I hope we can adjust to the crowds! We have noticed already that most seem to be middle aged couples. What do the youngsters do?

Lunch was in rainy Tuttlingen, where we came across a bookshop with an English section – much to Helen’s delight because a parcel from the UK had not reached Zurich before we did (either we are fast cyclists or the post is slow). Four days with nothing to read and only me to talk to.

The rest of the day held all the scenic treasures. The river enters a limestone gorge, of a similar depth and width to Monsal Dale in Derbyshire, but about 20 miles long. There are limestone cliffs, caves and towers – as in Dove Dale – and fairytale castles on the cliff tops – unlike Dove Dale.

One strange feature is that about 80% of the water from the Danube/Donau disappears underground into sinks that re-emerge about 15 km to the south on the other side of the watershed. Here the water flows down to the Bodensee and thence the Rhine and the North Sea! But we followed the reduced river Donau heading for the Black Sea (eventually).

The gorge is too narrow for road or railway so it was beautifully peaceful as we cycled the unpaved track.

We decided that it is now officially too wet to camp – so we have checked in to the Pelikan hotel in Beuron – still in the heart of the gorge. Once rested there is a monastery to explore.

Helen’s track of the day: Tavener, The Lamb, in keeping with the spiritual calm from the monastery across the road from our guesthouse.