The best walks and hikes in Alzey-Worms

The tower has been open to the public since its renovation; please see my photo for opening hours. The renovation also included the addition of a stage and seating area outside, which will be used for smaller performances during the summer months when it officially opens in 2025. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to attend an event yet, but that should change in 2026. 🙂

The Hiwweltour trail leads from Uffenhofen along the old railway tracks to Flonheim. There, turn right uphill to the Jewish cemetery and the Naturfreundehaus (Nature Friends House). At the very top, approximately one hundred wind turbines can be seen. The trail then descends and follows the Aulheimer Valley back to the starting point at the small quarry.

This is the scenic highlight of the Hiwwelroute and is rightly a NANTURA 2000 protected area. You wouldn't expect something like this in the hilly landscape of Rhenish Hesse.

The roses in front of the house smelled fantastic 🌹😍

The Aulheim Valley lies within the Flonheim district in Rheinhessen. Geologically, Rheinhessen largely corresponds to the Mainz Basin, the northeastern edge of the Upper Rhine Graben. When the Upper Rhine Graben collapsed millions of years ago during the folding of the Alps, a connection was created via the Rhone Valley to a subtropical sea in the south and via the Hessian Depression to what is now the North Sea. This led to two flooding phases in the Oligocene and Miocene. The Vorholz Peninsula was only briefly flooded. The floor of the Mainz Basin consists of rock formations from the Rotliegend or Permian periods (296–251 million years ago). There was volcanic activity here from fissure volcanoes that covered the surface with layers of lava. In the Aulheim Valley, the lava was fast-flowing, low-silica lava, which cooled quickly and solidified into porous sediment with numerous gas inclusions. This made andesite unsuitable as a building material. Water and minerals penetrated the inclusions, and after the water evaporated, agates and geodes slowly formed. On the path through the Aulheim Valley from the Geistermühle to the Aulheimer Mühle, you can still see the retaining walls of the slope on the side facing Flonheim. Boundary stones can still be found here, marking the old district boundary.

The Aulheim Valley lies within the Flonheim district in Rheinhessen. Geologically, Rheinhessen largely corresponds to the Mainz Basin, the northeastern edge of the Upper Rhine Graben. When the Upper Rhine Graben collapsed millions of years ago during the folding of the Alps, a connection was created via the Rhone Valley to a subtropical sea in the south and via the Hessian Depression to what is now the North Sea. This led to two flooding phases in the Oligocene and Miocene. The Vorholz Peninsula was only briefly flooded. The floor of the Mainz Basin consists of rock formations from the Rotliegend or Permian periods (296–251 million years ago). There was volcanic activity here from fissure volcanoes that covered the surface with layers of lava. In the Aulheim Valley, the lava was fast-flowing, low-silica lava, which cooled quickly and solidified into porous sediment with numerous gas inclusions. This made andesite unsuitable as a building material. Water and minerals penetrated the inclusions, and after the water evaporated, agates and geodes slowly formed. On the path through the Aulheim Valley from the Geistermühle to the Aulheimer Mühle, you can still see the retaining walls of the slope on the side facing Flonheim. Boundary stones can still be found here, marking the old district boundary.

From here you can enjoy a wonderful view over Rheinhessen to the Rheingau

Beautiful view directly from the edge of the forest