Walking Beside The Rhine in Germany
Rheinsteig, the 250-Mile Walking Trail on the East Bank of the Rhine
Apr 11, 2009
Up and down. That’s the main characteristic of the Rheinsteig trail beside the Rhine in Germany. For walkers who don’t mind fairly frequent climbs, it provides bracing days out with the bonus of superb views of the famous river and plenty of opportunities to try the local vintages around the vineyards along the way.
Walking the Rheinsteig Route in Germany
The Rheinsteig route, sometimes climbing to craggy viewpoints, sometimes dropping down to the riverside, is always meticulously marked. Small signs with a distinctive blue-and white logo are displayed on trees, fences, lamp-posts and walls, with a new one every time there is the slightest change of direction.
All the way along the Rheinsteig, there is a rich variety of scenery. One moment you can be deep in a wood, then passing through a farm or vineyard or perhaps in a street of colourful front gardens. And it is a real pleasure to be able to pause occasionally for a refreshing drink at a village bar.
Erpeler Ley Cliff opposite Remagen on the Rhine
To explore the central part of the 250-mile long path, whether for a day or longer, the Erpeler Ley cliff makes a good starting point. It is high above the site of the railway bridge at Remagen which was the only Rhine bridge captured intact by the allies in the Second World War; ironically it collapsed several days later and has never been rebuilt.
Walking southwards beside the Rhine, you soon arrive in Linz whose half-timbered buildings date back to medieval times.
Through Mohr & Sohne Vineyards at Leutesdorf
In several places the path crosses hillsides through vineyards. Sometimes these are so steep that it seems impossible that anyone could have planted them, let alone be able to harvest the grapes.
At Leutesdorf for instance, you pass through the Mohr & Sohne vineyards which have their own winery. But if you succumb to the temptation of pausing for some wine-tasting, setting off again afterwards may be quite hard!
Views of the Rhine Make the Rheinsteig Trail Special
All the way you are conscious of the Rhine. It is what makes the Rheinsteig trail so special for walking. Wide and gleaming, it twists between hills past the towns and villages that have grown up wherever a section of the bank is relatively flat.
When the path sometimes briefly veers inland, the Rhine disappears from sight until suddenly you glimpse it again, perhaps far below through trees.
Cruise Ships and Barges on the Rhine
On the Rhine, there always seems to be something to watch, from gleaming white cruise ships to long barges or tankers. Some of the heavily-laden ones going upstream, low in the water, look as if they are barely moving as they battle against the current. Others, empty and high in the water, fairly race along especially if they are heading downstream.
It is entertaining too to watch the trains that constantly snake along both banks of the Rhine. Indeed when you are high up, looking almost straight down on them, the scene looks like a vast model railway layout.
Plenty of Places to Stay and Eat along the Rheinsteig
Near the riverside, there are plenty of hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and bars. Several hotels, such as the family-owned Hotel Zur Post in the tiny village of Waldbreitbach, offer Rheinsteig walking packages which include a lift to your starting point each morning, plus a packed lunch. At the end of the day you simply telephone them to pick you up.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
