A challenging cycle tour with tourist destinations and various photo stops on the subject of mills.
Mills were vital for the supply of flour. They existed in almost every village. Depending on the circumstances, water or wind power was used to operate the mill. It was only with the invention of the electric motor that the old mills became superfluous. However, like the railroad, they bear witness to a long-gone romanticism of a profession that is still talked about and dreamed of today. Mills were not only differentiated according to their type of drive and construction, but also according to their affiliation as castle, monastery or council mills. There was an obligation to grind and a mill peace. Superstition, legends and mythical creatures are associated with mills.
"Good luck" has been the miller's greeting since time immemorial. The miller's job was very varied, it was not just about grinding grain. The miller repaired the mill himself if necessary and took on carting services, usually with donkeys. There were not only grain mills, but also saw mills, paper mills, grinding mills, bone mills and many others. The great decline of the mills began with the increasing industrialization at the end of the 19th century. The old romanticism of the mills lives on to some extent in today's modern wind turbines.
Detailed information on the mill sites can be found at the marked points along the route.
