Moselsteig Side Trail: Moseltalschanzen

My brother and I have now arrived in Traben-Trarbach on our MOSEL bike tour. Where our father took us on holiday 45 years ago. We remember that a glass of Federweisser cost 50 Pfennig (the equivalent of 25 cents) and that after 3 glasses 🍇🥂 we got our first drunk 🤪😃 (Federweisser is a product made from freshly pressed fermented grape juice🍇, the so-called must, and has at least 4% alcohol 😇😴. - Today I went on a wonderful MOSELsteig hike 🥾 from Traben-Trarbach, which I will remember fondly 🙂🙂

I started at the thermal baths in Traben Trabach. The route led past the Bischofsmütze and Maria Zill to Traben Trabach. A detour to Grevenburg Castle was a must. It was a fantastic route with many views, rustic paths, and gentle elevation gains. Spring is already in full bloom here, with the magnolias already showing their delicate green. Dandelions and cherry blossoms enchant the paths.

A very beautiful tour, but also strenuous, yet somewhat unspectacular. There are repeated long uphill sections over beautiful, narrow forest paths lined with chickweed (I googled it 😉). Highlights include the rest bench at the Bischofsmütze mountain and the "Maria Zill" lookout point. The Elf Trail for children, starting at Bad Wildstein, is also very cute. This trail follows our hiking trail for a bit and is about 3.5 kilometers long. The children have a booklet and have to complete tasks. There's no chance of getting bored on this route, but we were missing the wow factor. A good level of fitness and sturdy footwear are a plus. 🥾🌞We parked for free in the village. The official parking lot is down by the boat dock and is subject to a fee.

More about the route: https://xn--schne-aussicht-xpb.de/moseltalschanzen/

The 16.3 km long Moseltalschanzen path offers great stretches of path that connect the two twin cities of Bernkastel-Kues and Traben-Trarbach. The path is really very varied and nicely done! It is definitely worth it and whoever has always wanted to be led across the Autobahn as "wild" is at the right place here ;-) The path is very well maintained and very well signposted. The path requires a medium level of fitness and is partly a real forest path, i.e. long pants are highly recommended. The path is marked as difficult, I personally find it more medium / difficult.

The Moselschanzen or Graacher Schanzen are the remains of an 18th century defense system. Started by the Prussians in 1794 and then (because of superiority) left to the French without a fight, who continued to build them. Even before completion, however, the work was abandoned again in 1796 due to an armistice ... This nice, because bloodless, historical episode is the background of the name of a really (scenic and hiking) very remarkable round. And for this it is definitely worth a "flirt" in Traben-Trarbach. It is this unique mix of vineyards (at the beginning and at the end), many pleasant forest passages on paths and paths, but also wide views over the Moselle valley and especially in the Hunsrück and meadow paths are not neglected. There is also a rock formation called "Bischofsmütze", which impressively confirms that this Kautenbach valley, which you walk down at the beginning, is also rightly called "Trarbacher Schweiz". Encounters with the Moselsteig are always a personal highlight for us and the fact that you cross the B50 twice only slightly reduces the enjoyment of hiking. The traffic noise is well shielded and the second crossing over a wild bridge even offers new perspectives ... The meters in altitude are not without (especially with the current temperatures), but well distributed in stages and in the end it really only goes down and even "knee-friendly". All in all - super nice and worthwhile - makes you want more ... 🌞😍👍👍🌲🥾🌳🥾🌲👍👍😎🌞

Start & finish Wanderparkplatz 'An der Traver Ruh' in the Graacher district 'Graacher Schäferei' high up in the vineyards, approx. 2km away from Graach. https://www.tourenplaner-rheinland-pfalz.de/mobile/de/tour/wanderung/moselsteig-seitensprung-moseltalschanzen/17572010/

The start and finish is the parking lot on the banks of the Moselle in the Trarbach district of Traben-Trarbach. Due to the length and elevation gain (which are increased compared to the original due to a few small detours, such as the Wildstein), this is a somewhat strenuous tour. Maybe yesterday's hikes were still in my legs... 😉 The Graacher Schanzen, which gave the route its name, are the remains of a fortification built above Graach in 1794 by the Prussian army to repel the French Revolutionary armies. The trail leads along the old ramparts and ditches for a while. https://www.visitmosel.de/wandern/tour/moselsteig-seitensprung-moseltalschanzen