Moselsteig Trail Stage 13: Traben-Trarbach – Reil

This leg starts in Traben in the Poststraße. If you are arriving by train, you will get here via the signposted access route. First the trail takes you over the bridge to the other side of the Moselle. The city district of Trarbach is located here, at the other side of the Hunsrück. An access route from the bridge tavern takes you to the large parking area at the Moselle. Following a serpentine path you now climb the steep forest slope. After countless bends you will arrive at the ruins of the Grenvenburg. In summer, there is a restaurant open here. Here, you will have the first view of the twin town in the valley. Discover the Grevenburg in its original appearance. Download the free ARGO app and call up an augmented reality application via your smartphone or tablet that shows you the original structure as if it were still standing unchanged in its place. You can find the free app and more information about Grevenburg Castle at www.ar-route.eu.
After a section on the castle access route, the trail now follows a steep, narrow slate path. The view from the “Heaven’s Gate” (Himmelspforte) invites to a short stop or even a longer break, and there is a bench for you to sit on. The ascent is not done yet, but the incline on the forest path to the Bismarkhöhe is child’s play compared to what you have already managed. At the top, the view invites to a longer break: You have a view of the entire Traben-Trabach river loop and in the middle, of the loop of the plateau with the ruins of the Mont Royal fortress and the small airfield site.

From the viewing point the Moselsteig Trail continues on a path through the forest. After a few steps, the lowest point is reached. A short distance on, the trail ascends again on a path. The slope becomes steeper and the narrow path keeps closely to it. You now hike on a gorgeous section through the forest which is dominated by low oak trees. A short distance further you arrive at the Auf’m Rach viewing point, which awaits complete with mountain hut, resting area and a fascinating view of the Moselle landscape. The Moselsteig Trail continues a little further on the path through the slope and reaches the former school gym grounds of Starkenburg. Here, you simply must take a moment to enjoy the view! Climbing some steps, you continue to the main road of the small town, which lies on the ridge like an eagle’s nest, between the Moselle and Ahringsbach Valley. The trail changes the side of the mountain and leads though the slope, which descends steeply to the Ahringsbach.

After a road crossing, you quickly reach the ridge again. The Moselsteig Trail again changes in the ridge facing the Moselle, and starts with a path that impresses with rugged slate cliffs and fantastic views of the Moselle. On the next 1.5 km the Moselsteig Trail closely follows the ridge, which leads to the Moselle Valley, in some sections as a narrow free rocky ridge - a path with rocky underground, leading up and down with varying views, a truly gorgeous section! Along the way there are also several huts and benches. The Kirster Grat ends at the Rottenblick resting area. From here you can already see Enkirch, the next stopover.

The trail now descends to Enkirch. After a short section through the narrow alleyways you will reach a path that will take you downhill from the higher village to the lower village. Once you arrive at the lower village, you will cross the Großbach on a footbridge. At the Brunnenplatz, you have now arrived at the town centre of Enkirch. Follow a side street and you will reach the outskirts of the town again. After crossing a small side valley, the trail continues through the vineyards. First the path leads steeply uphill through rows of vines and then reaches the forest on a path parallel to the slope. The path now remains on more or less the same altitude. On a trail loop you can visit the wine growing village Burg. Through the vineyards, you arrive at a chapel. Here, the Moselsteig Trail meets a wine educational trail, which you continue on until the next resting area. There is also an access route to the castle. The trail now mainly runs through the fallow areas of former vineyards, which does not detract from the hiking experience as the view of the Moselle Valley is even better! The “comfortable” section on the grassy path ends suddenly at a crossing. On a path, the Moselsteig Trail crosses through a fallow area and reaches the lower slope path. Continue a short distance on this vineyard path with a beautiful view of Reil, the end of this leg. Then a steep descent is next. (At this point there is also an access route to Pünderich). The Reiler bridge is quickly reached following this steep vineyard path, and you will cross this bridge for the second time today to change to the other side of the Moselle. Continuing along the Kaiserstraße you arrive at the railway station, the final destination of this leg.

• Sturdy hiking footwear
• Appropriate weatherproof hiking gear
• Picnic lunch

This stage can also be split into two sections, as there is a bus stop (Zell – Traben-Trarbach) only 200 metres way from the main trail in Enkirch (signposted link road). The two sections are then 8 km (to Traben-Trarbach) and 7 km (to Reil). The bus stops in Traben-Trarbach and Reil are both on the Hunsrück side on the B 53.

Starting point: Traben-Trarbach, B 53 between Bernkastel-Kues and Zell

Destination: Reil, branch off the B 53 between Traben-Trarbach and Zell, cross the bridge, branch off the B 49 between Wittlich and Cochem then follow the L 105 to Reil

Traben-Trarbach: car parks on both sides of the River Moselle (pay car parks at certain times)

Reil: there is only limited parking at the railway station but plenty of parking spaces along the riverbank

You can reach the stage locations Traben-Trarbach (stop Bahnhof) and Reil (stop Bahnhof) by train (RB 82) or by bus line 720 (in Reil stop B 53). There are regular connections.

 Please note that during the school holidays in Rheinland-Pfalz / Saarland, on weekends and on public holidays, there may be restrictions on the frequency! Please refer to the updated daily travel times in the timetable information on the website of the Trier Region Transport Association (VRT): www.vrt-info.de

Literature (only available in German):

"Moselsteig" - Offzieller Moselsteig-Wanderführer von ideemedia, 14,95 €

Authors: Ulrike Poller, Wolfgang Todt, publisher: ideemedia, 300 pages with around 300 images, altitude profiles, QR codes and GPS Tracks (in German), Format 11,5 x 23 cm, ISBN: 978-3-942779-21-0, 14,95 €

"Official Moselsteig Trail hiking maps" in pocket format:

The entire route is divided into 3 maps:

Leisure Map Moselsteig - Map 1: Perl - Trier (Stages 1 - 4), ISBN: 978-3-89637-419-6

Leisure Map Moselsteig - Map 2: Trier – Zell (Moselle) (Stages 5 -14), ISBN: 978-3-89637-420-2 Leisure Map Moselsteig - Map 3: Zell (Moselle) – Koblenz (Stages 15 -24) ISBN: 978-3-89637-421-9

Individual maps: €5.90

Set of 3 maps: € 14.50 (ISBN: 978-3-89637422-6)

"Premium-Set"

Premium set consisting of the official hiking guide including set of 3 hiking maps. Publisher: ideemedia, ISBN: 978-3-942779-24-1, 26,95 €

The hiking guides and the maps are available in bookstores or on the website https://www.visitmosel.de/wandern/service-infos-tipps under the heading “Ordering brochures”.

Leisure Map Moselsteig Trail – Map 2: Trier - Zell (Mosel) (Stages 5 - 14), ISBN: 978-3-89637-420-2

Mosellandtouristik GmbH

Kordelweg 1, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues; Phone: +49 (6531) / 97330

www.moselsteig.de

Tourist information office Traben-Trarbach

Am Bahnhof 5, 56841 Traben-Trabach; Phone: +49 (6541) / 83980

www.traben-trabach.de

Tourismuszweckverband Moselregion Traben-Trarbach Kröv

Bahnstraße 22, 56841 Traben-Trarbach; Telefon +49 (6541) / 8184572

www.moselregion.com/de