This was a rainy day in Regensburg – which certainly took the gloss off the photos, if nothing else. We have spent most of the time between cafe stops wandering through the maze of medieval streets. The place is certainly very different from the post war rebuilt towns elsewhere, and it feels more like York.

But the emblematic feature is the Stone Bridge, crossing the three strands of the Danube. This dates from 1137 and is described as a masterpiece of medieval engineering. The huge stone piers now have concrete bases with upstream steel tips against the winter ice, and they create enormous eddies downstream, so it is a wonder that it hasn’t been swept away. This is a very powerful and fast river now.

At the town end there is a tower, from which there were good views of both bridge and town – despite the rain and the greyness.

Having crossed the bridge, the view back to town was excellent (I am referring, of course, to Helen’s rain attire, not the architecture).

This is the most northerly point on the Danube. So from tomorrow our route takes a rather more logical south easterly trend.

Helen’s track of the day: James Taylor – Up on the Roof. (Our 4th floor hotel room has skylight views over the city).