The route initially follows the south (Swiss) shore of the Untersee arm of Bodensee, this stage crosses the river at the walled town of Stein am Rhein to continue north of the Rhine. Two short sections of Germany are crossed, including the enclave of Büsingen, before you reach the Swiss city of Schaffhausen. Forested hills, occasionally reaching the river, line the valley.

We rose early and had a Kebab for breakfast from a Turkish restaurant close to the Swiss-German border. After our breakfast, we crossed the Swiss-German border and into Backstrasse and followed the cycle route signs. Then we entered into Unterseestrasse which is a straight road heading towards Tagerwillen town and then passing Triboltingen station and then straight to Ermatingen. It was about an 8.5 Km ride.

Then continued over crossroads (Heimgartenstrasse) and forked right onto the quiet residential street (Westerfeldstrasse) with the lake behind the houses, where asphalt bears, continued on gravel track out of the village, with railway track on the left and sports field on the right. After 1km, we crossed the railway track and turned right to reach the main road. We then followed the cycle track beside the road to reach Mannenbach.

Just beyond the station, we forked right onto the cycle track and crossed the railway track right. We then followed the road left looping round the village and re-crossed the railway track. We then turned right (Stadtgraben), parallel with the railway on cycle track between railway right and main road left. This soon becomes a cycle track alongside the road, crossing the railway and continuing on Seestrasse along the lakeshore through the pretty village of Berlingen.

Beyond the village, the cycle track continues along the lakeshore, eventually becoming a cycle lane alongside the main road to reach Steckborn.

Continued through town and turned right at roundabout along the main road (Seestrasse) up a slight rise. At the top, we turned left between factories and crossed the railway tracks. After 100 meters we turned right (Weierstrass), then forked right (Bollanderstrasse). Then we followed this into the open country as it becomes a cycle track parallel to the railway track. Next, we joined the main road and continued ahead on the cycle track past Schloss Glarisegg conference center. Drop down, turned right to pass under the road, and continued following the road. Continue alongside the railway track for 3km and rejoined the road at T-junction over railway crossing (Hauptstrasse) into Mammen.

Then we continued another 6km along the way crossing the Rhine in front of Rathaus into the center of Stein am Rhein. We had lunch at Stein Am Rhein and spent some time in the city.

Stein Am Rhein, situated at the western end of Untersee where Bodensee empties into the Rhine, is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Switzerland. Rathausplatz and Understadt (main street) are pedestrianized streets lined with highly frescoed buildings, many of them Swiss Heritage listed. The wood-framed buildings of St Georgen Abbey (now a museum) perch on the riverbank, while Hohenklingen castle lies 200m above the town.

After having a sumptuous meal, we continued across the cobbled Rathausplatz and downhill along Understadt, lined with attractive medieval houses. We passed under Untertorarch through city walls and continued ahead on the main road (Hemishoferstrasse) on the cycle track. Passed the youth hostel, then crossed the road by an underpass and continued between the road and river, passing under two bridges into Hemishofen.

We passed through the old part of the village and continued on a concrete cycle track through arable fields. Although north of the Rhine, the bowl to the right encircled by wooded hills is part of Switzerland, while Rosenegg castle, visible in the distance, is in Germany. The path becomes asphalt and then uphill towards trees. Next gravel track winds steeply into the forest, crossing the Swiss-German border at the summit (449m). Descended through a barrier out of the forest and continued on an asphalt track, firstly through fields and then along the riverbank to arrive at the covered bridge between Diessenhofen in Switzerland (opposite) and Gailingen in Germany.

We continued along the road following the river, ascending for a short distance. After 1.2km, the path crossed the German-Swiss border. We often crossed borders. Emerging from trees, Busingen church is visible on the hilltop and follows cycle lane on the main road through Busingen.

Busigen has been a German enclave surrounded by Swiss territory since the early 19th century. Despite a 96 percent vote in 1918 to become part of Switzerland, the village remained German as the Swiss had no suitable territory to exchange. Citizens with over 10 years’ residence have honorary Swiss citizenship. Busingen is in a customs union with Switzerland and although the official currency is the Euro, Swiss francs are commonly used. Although children may attend secondary school in either country, 70 percent choose Switzerland. The village has both German and Swiss postcodes and telephone dialing codes. 

At the end of the village, the cycle track appears between the road and the river for 1km, before reverting to the cycle lane on the road. We continued over the German-Swiss border to enter Schaffhausen by Rheinhaldenstrasse with Munot Fortress visible on the hill ahead. Just as older buildings started to appear, the cycle lane ended and the cycle track started on the road. This goes around the car park and under the building and railway bridge. We continued along Rheinquai, passing boat landing stages and under a road bridge into Schaffhausen. To stand high above Europe's largest waterfall, feeling the roar and vibration of the water over one's entire body - this can be experienced at the Rhine Falls near Schaffhausen. We did aerial photography of the Rhinefall.

Rheinfall, continental Europe’s largest waterfall by volume of water, was formed during the last ice age (14,000–17,000 years ago) when the Rhine changed course to flow over a hard limestone sill. With a width of 150m and a drop of 23m, the falls can be seen and visited from both sides of the river. Over many years, there have been plans to bypass Rheinfall with locks for navigation and hydroelectric dams, but these have all been rejected.

We stayed at Dachshen which is about 2kM from Rheinfall through a shortcut. We arrived at Dachshen at about 6.30 pm, all the eateries were shut but then we were able to find a restaurant which was about 4 km from our Airbnb. It's a lovely little town.