Welterbesteig Upper Middle Rhine Valley Stage 2 Trechtingshausen-Niederheimbach

With or without a detour to Reichenstein Castle: through the Morgenbach valley it goes uphill again, and this on a significantly longer section than on the Rhine Castle Trail.

Tip: at the height of the hunter's house, the Steckeschlääferklamm, only 700 m long, meets the path with 15 small wooden bridges. More than 40 lovable tree faces have also been created here through carvings. Definitely worth seeing!

Among the natural monuments in Rhineland-Palatinate is the rock formation Schlägelskopf with the Schägle fountain at the highest point of this stage.

The view of Heimburg, Sooneck Castle, Stahleck Castle, Schoeneck Palace, the ruin of Kammerburg, the ruin of Fürstenberg Castle, and the Nollig ruin gives the lookout tower shortly before Niederheimbach its name: Seven-Castles-View.

Via the Martin path it goes to the parking lot of Sooneck Castle, from here a short detour to the rose-surrounded castle is worthwhile.

With views of Lorcher Werth, the World Heritage Trail approaches Hohneck Castle. The castle nursery is one of the World Heritage Gardens, which are part of the cultural landscape of the UNESCO World Heritage. Worth seeing – not only for children – is the fairy tale path with restored figures from a former fairy tale grove.

Good footwear and sufficient drinks are mandatory.

All start and destination locations are accessible via the B9 on the left bank of the Rhine:

Motorway:

Bingen: A 60 exit Bingen-East

Bacharach: A 61 exit Rheinböllen

St. Goar: A 61 exit Emmelshausen

Oberwesel: A 61 exit Laudert

Hirzenach: A 61 exit Emmelshausen

Boppard: A 61 exit Boppard-Buchholz

Rhens: A 61 exit Paffenheck

Koblenz: A 61, A 48

Since there is a train station in almost every town on the left bank of the Rhine, the routes can be planned individually. It is also possible to explore from a fixed base very well.

For orientation, below are the travel times between the individual train stations by regional train:

Bingen Hbf - Trechtingshausen: 4 min.

Trechtingshausen - Niederheimbach: 4 min.

Niederheimbach - Bacharach: 3 min.

Bacharach - Oberwesel: 4 min.

Oberwesel - St. Goar: 6 min.

St. Goar - Hirzenach: 4 min.

Hirzenach - Bad Salzig: 3 min.

Bad Salzig - Boppard: 4 min.

Boppard Hbf - Spay: 5 min.

Spay - Rhens: 3 min.

Rhens - Koblenz Hbf: 7 min.

Bingen Hbf - Koblenz Hbf: 48 min.

Bingen: Hindenburganlage, City-Center Bingen

Bacharach: On the B9 Rhine bank

Oberwesel: B9 town wall and Rhine bank

St. Goar: On the B9 Rhine bank

Hirzenach: Rheinstraße

Boppard: Marienberg parking deck, Remigiusplatz Mühltal

Hiking guide Welterbesteig Upper Middle Rhine Valley by Ulrike Poller/Wolfgang Todt

At least take a look into the 700 m long Steckeschlääferklamm.

Detour to Sooneck Castle (approx. 300 meters from the path)

From Niederheimbach there is a connection by ferry to Lorch on the right bank of the Rhine.