Moselsteig Trail Stage 16: Neef – Ediger-Eller

This leg starts in the Petersbergstraße. A few metres away from the railway station, you start this short but challenging Moselsteig Trail leg in the centre of Neef. You quickly reach the outskirts of the town and the Moselle Bridge. From the bridge, you can already catch a view of Petersberg and the Neef summit - you will experience these sites from the most various perspectives. Once you have arrived on the other side of the Moselle, the path takes you through gardens and vineyards and gets closer to the outskirts of Bremm. If you still need to get some provisions, you can walk into the town on the signposted access route - and then join the Moselsteig Trail in direction Ediger-Eller via a different access route. For hikers on the main path, the trail remains close to the town and continues at a slight incline through vineyards until you need to cross the country road. This is where the actual ascent to the Calmont summit starts.

The trail, accompanied by a “stations of the cross path”, continues steeply uphill in serpentines. Follow the steep path until you reach the Bremm mountain chapel. Here, the incline eases a little. Continue a little further on the path, and the trail becomes wider and leads through a steep, wooded hillside. You have now reached the highest point of the leg, the almost 400 m high Schneeberg. The resting area is exactly what you need now. On a level or slightly descending path, you now hike past a large field into a coniferous forest. Finally, the Moselsteig Trail reaches the slope edge and the summit cross on the Calmont. The view here is one of the finest on the entire Moselsteig Trail! You can see the entire route of today’s leg. In flying weather you can watch hang gliders and paragliders, and in season, there is also an open wine bar (check the opening hours).

The Moselsteig Trail now continues over the Calmont summit ridge which slopes steeply on both sides: to the Moselle Valley on the one side, and the Ellerbachtal on the other side. After a short depression, you arrive on a second plateau, where you will find a reconstruction of a Roman mountain sanctuary. On the slope edge before the building, you again have a wonderful view. The ruins of the Kloster Stuben in the Moselle loop are particularly interesting. On the following path section you should venture on a small detour to the Vierseenblick (four lake view) viewing point: The Moselle is divided by reliefs and vegetation into four single sections from up here, and it appears as if you are looking at four lakes. The trail now continues through the low forest without great ups and downs to the fire brigade hut. Here, once gain, you have a stunning view exactly opposite the Petersberg mountain.

The next descent requires all your attention (and sure-footedness)! This is a steep descent. First, through the lower oak forest, before the environment becomes rocky and more sparse. Once you have reached the Galgenlay hut, you have managed the most challenging section. Climbing enthusiasts can tackle the Calmont climbing trail from here. The trail continues downhill for quite a few meters, always on a narrow slate path. The trail runs parallel to the railway tracks and under the railway bridge. From here, you can also reach the Ediger-Eller railway station on an access route. The Moselsteig Trail continues into the Eller town centre. Through narrow alleyways you hike past a representation of the crucifixion, a chapel and a church, on an old cobbled road out of the town. Following the steep road you reach the vineyards between the town districts of Ediger and Eller. The descent at the endpoint of this leg, Eller, become more challenging again. Directly next to a vineyard, the serpentine path takes you to the lower-lying vineyard path. From here, the access route branches off to the town centre of Ediger at the Moselle bank. Here you will also find the tourist information office and a bus stop.