Red wine hiking trail from Bad Bodendorf to Altenahr (The Tour)

The trail first goes uphill until we are below the castle Are (1), whose mighty tower is enthroned above the Ahr valley. If we turn right, we will come up to the ruins 113 m above the valley on a winding path. From here we have a wonderful view of the river below us. Back on the marked path we pass the "White Cross". We pass it on the left and follow the wide path upwards. On a ledge high above Mayschoß the small Michaelskapelle is enthroned. We walk parallel to the slope further through the forest. At a small tributary of the Ahr we turn right and follow the small stream downhill into the vineyards, the traditional Mayschoßer Lagen. In Mayschoß is the oldest winegrowers' cooperative in the world. On the opposite hill, surrounded by vines, we see the remains of the Saffenburg (2). We walk along the vines for a while until we see the monument of Saint Rochus, the patron saint of red wine winegrowers, who watches over the vineyards. Continuing following the signs, we pass through a rocky outcrop just before the Heinz-Korbach-Rast lookout point. With a view of the loops of the Ahr we follow the grape markings parallel to the slope through the vineyards. Above Dernau we finally pass the Dr.-Karl-Näkel-Hütte. At the next two forks we keep to the right and finally turn right at a wayside shrine. The winding path leads us over the country road and further through the vineyards until we finally reach the first houses of Dernau.

We continue to follow the signposting which leads us above the wine village and over vineyards to Marienthal. In the north of Marienthal we pass an old bunker. At the ruins of the monastery, we go up on the left and climb the Trotsenberg over serpentines. Passing the farms "Förster's Wine Terraces" and the Altenwegshof, a detour to the observation tower "Bunte Kuh" is worthwhile.

At the hotel "Hohenzollern" we finally reach the viticulture educational trail (3), where 31 display boards inform about viticulture in the Ahr valley. We continue to follow the signs and pass the Roemervilla Museum (4) at the entrance to Ahrweiler. There you can admire the remains of an old Roman villa. Here we have covered about half of the total distance. Above Ahrweiler we continue walking through the vineyards and along the Silberberg and pass the "Seilpark Mittelrhein". In a detour we reach a beautiful winegrower's chapel after a short time.

Above the twin town Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler we follow the signs, cross the motorway A573 on a bridge and walk along the slope further in eastern direction. Shortly before the A61 we pass the Apollinaris fountain (5) at the company of the same name, from where the famous mineral water reaches the whole world. In front of us we now see the ruins of Landskrone (6) on the basalt cone near Heppingen, visible from afar. At the foot of the 270 m high mountain there is the "Heppinger Brunnen". Here the inhabitants of the surrounding communities can help themselves to the Apollinaris healing water free of charge.

Above Heimersheim the route then leads via Lohrsdorf mostly along the edge of the forest. On the Heerweg we finally reach the train station in Bad Bodendorf. The red wine hiking trail can of course also be walked from here.

Stages of the red wine hiking trail:

    Altenahr - Mayschoß 4.4 km

    Mayschoß - Rech 2.1 km

    Rech - Dernau 1.8 km

    Dernau - Marienthal 4.2 km

    Marienthal - Walporzheim 3.0 km

    Walporzheim - Ahrweiler 3.2 km

    Ahrweiler - Bad Neuenahr 7.4 km

    Bad Neuenahr - Heppingen 3.0 km

    Heppingen - Heimersheim 1.2 km

    Heimersheim - Lohrsdorf 1.3 km

    Lohrsdorf - Bad Bodendorf 4.0 km