RuT4 near Ollmuth on the Ruwer River

From the starting point, we hike along the Waschbach down to the Ruwer. Significant efforts have been made here to protect the waterways: The culvert under the road was rebuilt and the riverbed raised, so that aquatic organisms can now migrate freely back and forth between the Ruwer and the Geizenburger Waschbach.

Lined with alders, the Ruwer now winds its way through the valley meadows like a green ribbon; with a bit of luck, we’ll spot the dipper, which likes to build its nest here. We reach the Hinzenburg Mill and from there enter the V-shaped valley of the Alkenbach. Where the valley slopes are too steep for meadows, beech and oak trees stand. The gently sloping headwaters of the Alkenbach are occupied by pastures. Once you reach the flower-filled heights, you’ll have a sweeping view of the Hunsrück Plateau, which is carved by the Ruwer and its steeply incised tributaries. Just before reaching the village, you’ll spot it: the belt of orchards that once surrounded every village. These scattered orchards not only provide people with healthy fruit but also offer a variety of food, shelter, and nesting sites for numerous bird species, small mammals, and insects.

Sturdy shoes and comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing are recommended.

The sweeping view from the high plateau over the Hunsrück mountain ranges!

From the A1: Take the Reinsfeld exit toward Kell; drive through Reinsfeld, Holzerath, and Schöndorf to Pluwiger Hammer. Turn left there toward Ollmuth. The parking lot is on the right before Ollmuth, behind the cemetery.

From Trier: Head toward Pluwig; at Pluwiger Hammer, turn toward Ollmuth. The parking lot is on the right before Ollmuth, behind the cemetery.

Ollmuth, parking lot on the right before Ollmuth, behind the cemetery; N 49°40.474 E 6°42.932, free of charge

The nature trail is funded as part of the Ruwer Waterways Project through the federal Riparian Zone Program, with support from the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. The goal is to preserve and develop the Ruwer River and its tributaries, along with their floodplains, over a stretch of approximately 186 km as a near-natural water and floodplain landscape within the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park.

A total of 6 themed hiking trails (Rut1–Rut6) are part of this project, offering hikers a vivid and informative way to experience the Ruwer River and its various uses up close.