Rheinsteig Stage 8: Sayn - Vallendar (North - South)
Sayn Palace - Oskarhöhe - Brexbach Valley - Roman tower on the Pulverberg mountain - Meisenhof restaurant - Großbach Valley - German Limes Road - Schnatzen mill - Wüstenhof restaurant - River Meerbach - Vallendar
Open
moderate
Distance 12.5 km
The neo-gothic Sayn Palace, built in 1848, stands at the foot of Sayn Castle. Thanks to extensive restorations, which were completed in 2000, it looks like a real fairytale palace again. It houses the town museum, with its collection of ornamental cast iron, as well as galleries, salons and conference rooms. In the palace's English-style park you can admire hundreds of exotic butterflies, tropical plants and birds in the butterfly garden.
Author’s recommendation
Die Altstadt von Vallendar ist sehenswert und lädt zu einem abschließenden Bummel ein.

Author
Frank Gallas
Update: March 09, 2022
Premium route awarded the "Deutsches Wandersiegel"
Difficulty
moderate
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
257 m
Lowest point
76 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Track types
Show elevation profileRest stops
Gasthof WüstenhofWaldgaststätte Meisenhof
Neues Museum Schloss Sayn
Safety information
Health and safety- Wear suitable weatherproof clothing that will protect you from cold, wet, heat and sunshine.
- Make sure you take regular breaks and don't overexert yourself.
- Take enough fluids with you as there are sections without rest stops.
- Wear suitable hiking boots/shoes which give you enough grip on slippery, steep, rocky and uneven surfaces.
- Avoid any sections of the route which you feel are too difficult for you. Natural trails can quickly become wet and slippery in adverse weather conditions.
- Particularly in autumn, you should be careful of uneven ground, roots, stones or holes that have been covered by leaves.
- You need to take these kinds of adverse conditions into account every time you go on a hike.
- Particularly steep and dangerous places are made safer with handrails or ropes. Please use these as safety aids. Handrails are not to be climbed on or used to get a better view!
Tips and hints
www.rheinsteig.deStart
Bendorf-Sayn, Sayn Palace (76 m)
Coordinates:
DD
50.438273, 7.576921
DMS
50°26'17.8"N 7°34'36.9"E
UTM
32U 398944 5588329
w3w
///freshen.vine.cope
Destination
Vallendar's town hall square
Turn-by-turn directions
From the palace terrace, we follow the walls of the castle building up to Sayn Castle. The 800-year-old ancestral seat of the earls of Sayn offers a panoramic view of the Westerwald hills, across the Rhine Valley and as far as the volcanic cones of the Eifel. A tarred path leads from the castle up to a car park. From here, the Rheinsteig trail leads off to the right into the Buchenwald forest and continues in a semi-circle on a gravel path. Above the Brexbach Valley we reach the Oskarhöhe hill with a hikers' shelter. Winding paths bring the trail down into the valley; from there, it turns right towards the viaduct and left over the River Brexbach. Then comes the next ascent to the Pulverberg, where you can enjoy a well-earned rest at the Roman tower.
We cross the plateau between the Meisenhof restaurant and the Bellevue Hotel. Above Weitersburg, the trail brings us on field paths via the German Limes Road past a riding school and finally underneath the A48 motorway. Walking down the valley, we reach the Schnatzen mill and begin the short ascent to the Wüstenhof restaurant. You should pause here, not just for the lovely view of the Rhine, but also because it was here in 1774 that Johann Wolfgang Goethe, inspired by the Muse, is said to have written his famous poem Heidenröslein ('Little rose on the heath'). From here, we hike downhill to the River Meerbach. Above a mini golf course, the trail continues along 'Obere Meerbach' street, passing the parish church of St Marcellinus and St Peter, ending in Vallendar's town hall square. Getting home: follow the streets from the town hall square to the train station.
We cross the plateau between the Meisenhof restaurant and the Bellevue Hotel. Above Weitersburg, the trail brings us on field paths via the German Limes Road past a riding school and finally underneath the A48 motorway. Walking down the valley, we reach the Schnatzen mill and begin the short ascent to the Wüstenhof restaurant. You should pause here, not just for the lovely view of the Rhine, but also because it was here in 1774 that Johann Wolfgang Goethe, inspired by the Muse, is said to have written his famous poem Heidenröslein ('Little rose on the heath'). From here, we hike downhill to the River Meerbach. Above a mini golf course, the trail continues along 'Obere Meerbach' street, passing the parish church of St Marcellinus and St Peter, ending in Vallendar's town hall square. Getting home: follow the streets from the town hall square to the train station.
Note
all notes on protected areas
Public transport
Public-transport-friendly
By bus/train to Vallendar, then by bus to Sayn Palace. The bus stop of the no. 8 bus is just a few metres away from the entrance to the palace grounds.Getting there
By car: B42 to Bendorf, follow the signs for Sayn PalaceParking
Car park at Sayn PalaceCoordinates
DD
50.438273, 7.576921
DMS
50°26'17.8"N 7°34'36.9"E
UTM
32U 398944 5588329
w3w
///freshen.vine.cope
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
www.rheintal-shop.de
Author’s map recommendations
Rheinsteig-Wanderkarten sind erhältlich im Online-Shop des Rheinsteigs
Equipment
Hiking boots/shoesSuitable weatherproof clothing
Status
Open
Reviews
Difficulty
moderate
Distance
12.5 km
Duration
4:00 h
Ascent
449 m
Descent
447 m
Highest point
257 m
Lowest point
76 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- 9 Waypoints
- 9 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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Rating
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