Witches' Fountain, Winningen – Winningen Village Center loop from Winningen (Mosel)
Witches' Fountain, Winningen – Winningen Village Center loop from Winningen (Mosel)
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Witches' Fountain, Winningen – Winningen Village Center loop from Winningen (Mosel)
02:12
7.76km
160m
Hiking
Moderate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels. The starting point of the route is accessible with public transport.
Last updated: February 6, 2026
Waypoints
Start point
Train Station
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1.48 km
Viewpoint
Viewpoint
1.95 km
Winningen Vineyards
Highlight • Structure
3.37 km
Domgartenhütte Viewpoint Over Winningen and the Moselle
Highlight • Viewpoint
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5.84 km
View of the Moselle Valley Vineyards
Highlight • Viewpoint
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5.98 km
View of Winningen from Vogelsangweg
Highlight • Viewpoint
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6.49 km
View of Winningen and the Moselle Valley
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7.28 km
Witches' Fountain, Winningen
Highlight • Monument
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7.29 km
Historic Old Town of Winningen
Highlight • Historical Site
Winegrower Veit Mertes lived with his wife, Kathrin, in a small, rickety house near Wolfstor. Because of his passionate flute playing, he was nicknamed "Pfeifenhannes." One day, he noticed that one of his barrels of wine was missing. (We now know that one liter of wine can simply evaporate from a wooden barrel per week.) The winegrowers of the 17th century apparently didn't know. The neighbors had also experienced this, they said, and they were inclined to attribute anything mysterious to witchcraft. Pfeifenhannes didn't really believe it—after all, it was only the barrel of his best wine that was missing. That made him think more of theft. But how could a rascal have gotten into the cellar when Veit always carried the key to the cellar door with him? Mysterious. Pfeifenhannes resolved to keep a close eye on his cellar over the next few days. But after a few days, two thumbs of wine were missing from his best barrel. This enraged him and prompted him to personally ambush the thief, even if it took days. He went into the cellar, closed the door behind him, and hid behind a large barrel. He had his flute with him, for it was made of such fine wood that it could be used for more than just whistling. He may have waited for about half an hour when he suddenly noticed a key turning in the lock above. The door opened quietly, and by candlelight, someone crept down the cellar stairs and headed straight for the barrel containing the best barrel. The person started working on the bottom of the barrel, and suddenly a thin stream of wine was heard running into a jug. He dared a peek from behind the barrel and saw the thief expertly driving a peg into the bottom of the barrel. Before the thief could make off with the wine, however, Pfeifenhannes swung his flute and attacked the thief. There was a great outcry – and suddenly Veit recognized the thief: It was Kathrin, his wife. Whether he immediately stopped the beating is not known...
Text / Source: Municipality of Winningen – August-Horch-Straße 3 – D-56333 Winningen
moselfest.com/downloads/GeschWeinhex.pdf
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7.76 km
End point
Train Station
Way Types & Surfaces
Way Types
5.56 km
1.17 km
564 m
215 m
Surfaces
2.89 km
2.27 km
1.53 km
662 m
145 m
< 100 m
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Elevation
Highest point (200 m)
Lowest point (60 m)
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Weather
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Monday 11 May
12°C
2°C
33 %
Additional weather tips
Max wind speed: 19.0 km/h
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Our route recommendations are based on thousands of hikes, rides, and runs completed by other people on komoot.