Rheinsteig Stage 16: Kaub - Lorch (North - South)

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Lorch town centre

Access: From the Kaub train station, after 200 m you come across the Rheinsteig (RS) at the junction with Adolfstrasse. The RS starts off leisurely and follows Zollstraße in the direction of the train station. The ascent to Gutenfels Castle begins with the turnoff into Adolfstrasse. Height is gained in wide loops until the driveway to the (inaccessible) castle turns left. Now panoramic hiking is the order of the day, because the RS leads through the slope flank with the best view of the valley. The focus is on Pfalzgrafenstein Castle, which appears to be plowing through the river like a ship in the middle of the Rhine. Gently ascending, the RS turns into the Volkenbachtal. As the vegetation thins out, the view of large slate heaps becomes clear and reveals the treasures the ground hides here. After crossing the street, the RS takes a sharp right turn and continues uphill. On the edge of the slope, the Pfalzgrafensteinhütte with a great view of the Rhine invites you to take a well-deserved break before the RS, still climbing, swings into the hinterland. In the middle of the forest you pass another hut, from which you head for the Schenkelbachtal. After crossing the idyllic valley, the RS heads back towards the Rhine Valley, where a local hiking trail from the Kaub train station meets the RS at a pretty view and a place to rest. It continues gently uphill and again the RS turns into a side valley. When the RS changes to the winding Paul Claus path, things get exciting and steep. You reach the Niedertalbach much lower down and cross the border from Rhineland-Palatinate to Hesse when you cross the stream, at the same time you enter the Free State of Flaschenhals. An information board by the border guard explains what this "no man's land" of the French and American occupation zones was all about in the 1920s. Passing the hut, you first follow the stream down into the valley and are surprised by a wine stand in the middle of the forest (during the season), which also offers regional delicacies.

 

The RS swings uphill and soon you are hiking along above the Rhine Valley again. The vegetation is tearing up and so the Kauber Blick can live up to its name. The RS then circles the Obertal and reaches the junction to the Wirbeley viewpoint, which inspires with a great view of Bacharach and is definitely worth the short detour. It continues along the edge of the slope, where another sensationally beautiful view invites you to take a break at the bend in the Lorchhauser valley. The RS then circles the Belzbachtal and climbs up into the vineyards above the Clemenskapelle. Now the viticulture dominates the path environment and allows wonderful panoramic views over the Rhine. Finally, the RS reaches the (inaccessible) ruins of Nollig. The following descent on a steep alpine path is challenging, but there is a detour marked in yellow. Then you come to a vineyard path that leads down to Lorch with a detour. Cross the Wisper and walk along Marktstraße to the market square. At the end of the hike, it is worth taking a look at the church, which houses a valuable carved altar from the 15th century. Access: If you want to get to the train station, follow the access path parallel to the railway embankment upstream.