Daytrip to Hunsrück and Mosel region

After moving to the Rhine/Main River area I thought it was time to explore the surrounding region. Considering the tips from colleagues and fellow travelers I decided to visit the Geierlay plank bridge, one of the horseshoe bend of the Mosel River and Eltz Castle. All of these sites can be visited during a daytrip from Koblenz, Frankfurt and Mainz/Wiesbaden, but you will need a car (or bus tour) and they all involve hiking. If you want to know even more, please check out part 2 🙂

My first stop was the Geierlay plank bridge, which is located in the Hunsrück, a low mountain range in Rheinland-Pfalz/Germany. You can either drive to the visitor center in Mörsdorf (parking is 4 € for 2 hours) or start your trip in Sosberg, either way you will have to walk/hike to the actual bridge, there is no way of parking anywhere near it. I decided to do the “Geierlayschleife”, which is a hiking trail starting in Mörsdorf including crossing the bridge (6.4 km, around 2 – 2.5h). If you just want to walk to the bridge you have to be prepared for a 1.5 km walk – very important note, especially for people like me – there is no shade, so sunscreen and a cap is advised J The bridge itself is breathtaking and it looks super unreal when you cross the “Mörsdorfer Bachtal” – it is 360 m long and around 100 m above ground. If you are visiting on the weekend be prepared for the crowds of people there, so if you can, make sure you visit as early in the day as possible. Don’t go over the bridge if you are afraid of heights or get seasick easy – a few people had to turn around after a few meters due to the height and the bridge swinging. But if you make it to the middle, you get an amazing view of the surroundings and it is well worth the walk/hike. Crossing the bridge is free, you just need to pay for public parking and you can stay as long as you want.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

After getting back to my car I decided to find a spot to get a good view on the many horseshoe bends of the Mosel River. You will get one of the best views from the top of the steepest vineyard in Germany, which is located in the Bremm village. A big plus: the drive from Mörsdorf to Bremm contains scenic views of the Hunsrück and the Mosel River. There are two main ways to get up there: one is driving up with your car (follow the signs to “Römische Tempelanlagen”), which involves a short but easy walk, and the other one is hiking the “Calmont Klettersteig”. If you decide to take option two, be aware that it is rather difficult and you should have some experience with hiking – please wear hiking/sport shoes and take plenty of water with you. Even though the climb is demanding, the view totally makes up for it. There is a little kiosk up there, where you can get the famous vine as well as other drinks and snacks. Around this time of the year, the top is also the starting point for paragliding. So if you want to have the ultimate view, make sure to check out the local companies offering paragliding.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

My last stop of the day was the Eltz Castle, which is about an hour from Bremm. They have a public parking lot (2 € fee) for the tourists. Since you can’t drive down to the castle, getting there involves hiking or you can take advantage of the shuttle bus, which runs every 15 to 20 min from the parking area. Even if you don’t like hiking, I would suggest at least walking down to the castle and driving back up with the shuttle bus, since you will get the best views on it from the hiking trail. The hike is moderate and will take 15 – 20 min (depending on your pace). The Eltz castle is a medieval castle and still owned by the Eltz family dated back to the 12^th century. Surrounded by the Elzbach (tributary of the Mosel River) it is located on a 70 m high rock, which was an important part of the Roman trade route back in the days. You can take guided tours inside the castle. Since the two stops before did cost me more time than I planned, I was too late for the last tour since it is only opens until 5.30 pm. If you want to take the tour, you can buy tickets in the gift shop and it will also include going into the treasury. Costs range between 6.50 and 10 € – important fact for solo travelers: have cash with you, since cards are only accepted on purchases of over 20 €. Even though I couldn’t get inside the castle, it was great to see it (you can still walk around and take pictures – just not from the inside) – and I have a reason to come back.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Of course, a day was not nearly enough to fully explore the Hunsrück, but it was great to get a little glimpse of the nature and a reason to go back and do some more hiking. If you want to know about my second trip, check out part 2.

If you have any questions or feedback please comment down below or contact me, I’m always looking forward to hearing other people’s experiences or answer questions. If you want to see more pictures, please check out my Instagram Account as well.