Moselsteig Detour Saar-Riesling-Steig

At the starting point at the parking lot at the sports field, the information board informs you about the course of the detour. From here, it initially goes to the underpass of the railway line and the state road. Here, if you have used the train, you join the path. It goes uphill to the edge of the village. Here the path reaches the Marienkapelle chapel. From here the detour leads through the forest, but still steeply uphill. A small side valley is crossed and after a change of direction, you reach a bench that offers a first view of the Saar valley. Even further up, a small detour leads to the viewpoint at the Schleidkreuz. You should definitely take these additional 200 m, because from the cross you have a wonderful view of Schoden, the Saar with the lock and the Saar canal, and the surrounding vineyards.

Back from the detour, the detour now continues as a path through the forest. This section is very relaxed to hike because the path has a soft surface and no major differences in altitude. Soon you come to a large meadow with fruit trees, which you walk along the edge. The detour crosses the open plateau and then leads along the wooded edge of the slope. At a small meadow, the view opens again. View into the Saar valley. The path crosses the plateau again and after a short section the Saar-Riesling-Steig returns to the edge of the slope once more. Here you walk through a great oak forest. On the gently sloping path, the viewpoint "At the Saar-Steep Slope" is quickly reached. With the beautiful view from the benches into the Saar valley with the nature reserve "Wiltinger Saarbogen" you should definitely take a break.

Further downhill it goes to the remains of a Westwall bunker. Another short section moderately downhill, then on the following path but steeply down, which offers a view of the church of Wiltingen. At the bottom, you can enjoy the view of the surrounding vineyards from the recliner. The path now leads into the Zippborn valley. Initially, it goes uphill on the western side of the valley, after crossing the stream then a short section downhill. Here the turnoff to the Geispiffer hut Wiltingen is reached, which can also be used as a starting point for the Saar-Riesling-Steig.

The detour now leads uphill in the Zappborn valley. Along the path through the forest, there are repeatedly the boards of a forest educational trail. The climb to the Zappborn is about 2.5 km long in total, sometimes steeper, sometimes flatter. The path also goes sometimes closer to the stream, then again further away from it. In the upper part the valley becomes narrower and while oaks still dominate below, it is mostly beeches in the upper part. At the Zappborn the path crosses the stream, which here is mostly dry. The following section is ideal for catching your breath after the long climb. The path leads flat through the forest. At a large meadow the ascent continues again. From here you have a wide panoramic view. On one side you look towards Saarburg, on the other side towards the Moselle valley. You can see Igel and Konz and even a small part of the Sauertal bridge of the motorway is visible. On the set-out recliner you can enjoy the panorama even longer.

If you can tear yourself away from the view, the path leads you a little further uphill. On a winding path through the forest. The following, wider path passes a radio mast. Here is the highest point of the entire hike reached. Through bright, sunny forest, mainly consisting of oaks, it goes downhill to a signpost. If you like, you can make a detour to the nearby Kroh cross. There is also a resting place.

Now the Saar-Riesling-Steig leads steeply downhill. First as a path, later as a forest road. The small side valley flows into a larger one. Here, the gradient is no longer so steep. The old slate walls in the forest suggest old vineyard locations. The path climbs again and leaves the valley floor. From the vineyard area, you now have a wide view to the west towards Saarburg. The detour climbs steeply again in a side valley. But you don't accompany the valley all the way to the top; instead, you switch to a level forest path that leads to a viewpoint above the vineyards. A perfect place for a break, because the view towards Saarburg and down to Ockfen is already great.

Between forest and vineyard it goes slightly uphill. Then it gets alpine. After a staircase follows a rocky section to the Bockstein, a weathered rock massif. If you like, you can take a climbing detour to the summit cross. After a section through the forest, the Saar-Riesling-Steig reaches the vineyards again. The Heppenstein viewpoint with its resting place invites you to another stop. From the path between vines and forest, a path then leads into the forest. Steeply downhill, this leads to the Bismarck tower on a service road. The view from the small observation tower is another highlight of the Saar-Riesling-Steig to finish. A dreamlike view into the Saar valley!

The service road leads straight to the junction below the Marienkapelle chapel. From there, the train station or the parking lot is quickly reached and the detour is finished.

The section at the Bockstein can be slippery when wet!

Please note that there are no dining or shopping facilities on the direct route. We recommend planning detours to the villages. Please find out about the opening hours of the respective inns/restaurants/wine taverns before your hike: https://www.saar-obermosel.de/wein/gastrofuehrer#/pois

Please wear sturdy footwear.

If you don't want to hike the full 18.4 kilometers, you can shorten the route well from all three entry points via the Geisberg plateau.

B 51 between Trier and Saarburg.

You can reach Schoden most quickly via Wiltingen.

Large parking lot at the sports field Schoden, directly at the starting point of the detour

The Schoden-Ockfen train stop is served hourly by the regional train.

Information about current public transport timetables can be found at www.bahn.de or www.vrt-info.de

"Moselsteig Detours 1 – The most beautiful circular routes between Trier and Bernkastel-Kues" by ideemedia

Authors: Ulrike Poller, Wolfgang Todt, Publisher: ideemedia, 144 pages, format: 11.0 x 16.4 cm, ISBN: 978-3-942779-59-3, 12.95 €

The hiking map "Holiday Region Saar-Upper Moselle" at a scale of 1:35,000 is available for 8.95 € at the tourist information offices in Konz and Saarburg.

Or order the map directly in our online prospect shop.

Saar-Obermosel Tourism Association

Saarstr. 1, 54329 Konz, Tel. 06501-6018040

Graf-Siegfried-Str. 32, 54439 Saarburg, Tel. 06581-995980,

www.saar-obermosel.de

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https://www.instagram.com/saarobermosel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkcqfebcdiSYLAAj_qIxsBQ

Mosellandtouristik GmbH

Kordelweg 1, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues, Tel. 06531-97330

www.moselsteig.de