Category Archives: Nutshell

Entre Vignes et Vallons: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Entre Vignes et Vallons

Trail Type: Short distance circuit; somewhat maintained, with mostly rough surfaces, and no marking on the trail. (See comment below.)

Length:

Total – 9 or 12 kilometers/ 5.6 or 7.5 miles

Convenient to: Sancerre, France

Marking:

None

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Rieslingweg: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Rieslingweg

Trail Type: Short distance circuit trail; well-maintained and almost exclusively paved, very good marking on the trail

Length:

Total – 7.1 kilometers/4.4 miles

Convenient to: Baden-Baden, Germany

Marking: Green grapes with a green leaf on a white (sometimes yellow) background

Riesling Weg Signage

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Rotweinpfad: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Rotweinpfad

Trail Type: Short distance circuit trail; well-maintained and almost exclusively paved, good marking on the trail.

Length:

Total – 3.8 kilometers/2.3 miles

Convenient to: Baden-Baden, Germany

Marking:

Purple grapes with a green leaves on a white (or yellow) background

Rotweinpfad Signage

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Wein-Barock: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Wein-Barock

Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit trail; almost exclusively paved, well maintained, but the marking along the route, while excellent, is not trail specific. (See the Itinerary below for specific itinerary points.)

Length: total: 10 kilometers/ 6 miles

Convenient to: Konstanz, and Friedrichshafen, Germany

Marking:

Yellow rectangular signs with black lettering, indicating direction to major itinerary points. (Not trail specific)

Trail Signage

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De Tour en Grotte: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  De Tour en Grotte (southern half only)

Trail Type: Short distance circuit trail; well-maintained and almost exclusively hard-surfaced, either tarmac, earthen or rock surfaces, marking on the trail rather good throughout the southern half. (See comments below)

Length:

Total – 20 kilometers

My segment – @9 kilometers

Convenient to: Grignan, France

Marking: A white 2 on a blue background, accompanied by the VTT (mountain bike) symbol: a triangle (orange) with two same-colored circles.

De Tour en Grotte Signage

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Musikantenbuckel Wanderweg: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Musikantenbuckel Wanderweg

Trail Type: Short distance circuit; well-maintained and almost exclusively paved with tarmac or concrete, marking on the trail good throughout

Length:

Total – 7.5 kilometers/ miles

Convenient to: Bad Durkheim, Germany

Marking: Musician playing a horn.

Musikantenbuckel Signage

 

Trail Description:

A family-friendly, short circuit passes up and along a gentle slope, through the village and vineyards, (meaning it is almost completely unshaded), with views over the village and valley, and out to hills. This trail is paved for almost all of it, and where not, there are paved alternatives.

Trailhead:

Freinsheim – Hauptstrasse, at the old Rathaus

Parking:

Freinsheim – Parkplatz P3, Weisenheimerstr

Freinsheim –  festival parking area along L522/Talweide. Note: only during the festival weekend!

Public Transportation Options:

Rail: Deutsche Bahn regional trains provide frequent regional train service to Freinsheim, from Gruenstadt to the north, and points south, including Neustadt an der Weinstrasse and Bad Duerkheim.

Bus: Buses connect Freinsheim with Bad Durkheim, and other towns in the area. Check VRN.de for schedules to and from Freinsheim.

Suggested Stages: Not applicable

Trail Itinerary-Reference Points: (Clockwise)

Freinsheim: by the old Rathaus, Korngasse-Wallstrasse-2 Querstr-Wenjenstr, Schubertstr-Franz-Liszt-Str, path straight across, the left along L522, past Sportplatz (soccer field), Orchards and vineyards, and the Weinbergsgarten (rest area with benches and picnic table), cross L455, parallel L455, then cross it again, vineyards, cross path across L522/Talweide

Representative Trail Photo:

Trail Surface: 98% of the Way

 

Restrooms:

Freinsheim, off Baerengasse

Musikantenbuckel, porta-potties on the trail. Note: only during the festival weekend.

Attractions on or near Trail:

While Freinsheim has no wine-themed museums or exhibits, there are several architectural features of historical interest in the old part of the village.

Tasting along the Trail:

The village of Freinsheim has many wineries (Weingut); and on the day of the Rotweinwanderung, there are half a dozen or so vintners with huts along the trail

Alternative Options:

Hiking: While the Deutsche Weinstrasse Wanderweg, the 96 kilometer-long (almost 60 miles) hiking trail from Bockenheim to the border town of Schweigen-Rechtenbach, passes near Freinsheim, it does not pass through it. Instead, Freinsheim offers a series of short, mostly family-friendly circuits, such as the Wanderweg “Schwarzes Kreuz”, through a named vineyard area.

Biking: Radweg Deutsche Weinstrasse, the 95 kilometer-long (almost 60 miles) cycling trail from Bockenheim to the border town of Schweigen-Rechtenbach), passes through Freinsheim.

Car: Deutsche Weinstrasse, the thematic car route from Bockenheim to the border town of Schweigen-Rechtenbach, passes near Freinsheim.

Additional Information:

Regional: http://www.freinsheim.de/tourismus_wein_und_kultur/uebernachten.html

Trail specific: https://www.outdooractive.com/de/wanderung/pfalz/freinsheim–musikantenbuckelrundweg-durch-die-weinreben/3321889/#dm=1

Comments:

End of January each year, the Musikantenbuckel area is the venue for the Rotweinwanderung, a walking wine and culinary festival. During this weekend, the Rotweinwanderung Weinwanderweg generally follows the same itinerary as the Musikantenbuckel Wanderweg, but is a bit shorter.

Musikantenbuckel refers to a named vineyard parcel. Freinsheim also has two others: Schwarzes Kreuz and Oschelskopf, with a hiking trail through them, the Schwarzes Kreuz trail. Combining this trail with the Musikantenbuckel would cover all of Freinsheim’s named vineyards, and provide a longer (about 14 kilometer) easy hike.

Arriving by train will add about 900 meters. From there follow: Bahnhofstr-Hauptstr, to arrive at the Rathaus, the official start.

 

Vignes et Vallees: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Vignes et Vallees (Aka : Au Fil des Vignes et Vallees)

Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit; well-maintained, surfaces vary from road, to grass, to dirt paths, to rock rib, marking on the trail rather good

Length: 13.25 kilometers/8.25 miles

Convenient to: Chalon-sur-Saone, Santenay, France

Marking: Two types, long distance and more local (red and white bars, or red and yellow bars, respectively), as well locational and directional signposts. (See featured photograph above)

Marking for the GR Trails

 

Marking for GRP Trails

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Mercurey: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Mercurey; AKA: Circuit des Vignes (Circuit of the Vignes), Petite Boucle de Mercurey (Small Circuit of Mercurey), and M1 (on signs)

Trail Type: Short distance circuit through various landscapes, but half of it vineyards; fairly well-maintained with a variety of surfaces, including some naturally rough (rock) surfaces in places; some climbing; marking on the trail very good overall.

Length:

Total – 7.75 kilometers/4.8 miles

Convenient to: Chalon sur Saone, or Macon,  France

Marking: Yellow lines; as well as posts indicating positional and directional references

MI Signage

 

Location and Directions Post

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Hexenpfad: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name:  Winninger Hexenpfad

Trail Type: Short distance; well-maintained, varied surfaces (grass, earthen, paved; signage good in some places, but lacking in others along the trail

Length: 8 kilometers/5 miles

Convenient to: Koblenz, Germany

Marking: Red witch on a white background (See photo above.)

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Saxon Wine Trail: Trail in a Nutshell

 

Trail Name: Saxon Wine Trail (Saechsische Weinwanderweg)

Trail Type: Long distance trail; varied surfaces, but mostly paved or hard parked earth, well maintained, and well-marked.

Length:

Total: 88.5 kilometers/55 miles

Last (my) stage: Meissen to Diesbar-Seusslitz: @18 kilometers

Convenient to: Meissen, or Dresden, Sachsen (Saxony), Germany

Marking: Red grapes within a red-lined circle on a white background

Sign: Sachsische Weinwanderweg

 

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