Trail Name: Alde Gott Panoramaweg
Trail Type: Mid-distance circuit on tarmac, grass or hardpacked surfaces; well maintained, and very well marked.
Length: 9.8 kilometers/ 6 miles
Convenient to: Karlsruhe or Baden-Baden, Germany
Marking: Red background, white lettering of the trail name, often on a white metal arrow.
The Danube is one of the world’s most inspirational rivers- It has inspired music, Strauss’ Blue Danube Waltz; and movies, to include a different color – The Red Danube; and many books, poems, and odes. It has also inspired a trail that covers two wine regions of Austria – The World Heritage Trail Wachau (Welterbesteig Wachau).
The beauty of this region inspired me to try the trail. To hike the entire 180 kilometers/110 miles, unfortunately required more time than I had, so I settled for covering the trail’s passage through the Kremstal wine region, in and around the town of Krems. This region is one of Austria’s smaller wine regions. It centers narrowly around the town of Krems on the Danube, and the small Krems river valley extending off the Danube. By hiking the first six kilometers of this trail, I would cover part of the Kremstal wine district.
What I Learned:
Kremstal (Krems Valley), Krems, along with its associated village of Stein, and the area on the opposite side of the Danube, form a wine district known as Kremstal. This district lies on both sides of the Danube River and its tributary, the Krems River. Vineyards lie above the communities on high slopes overlooking the communities and the river. Loess soils predominate in this region.
Noted Ried (named vineyards) in Stein are: Steiner Pfaffenberg and Hund; with other esteemed vineyards being: Altenburg, Grillenparz, Pitschental, Danzern, Geroldberg and Schreck. In Krems, the Wachtberg and Koegl are both well-known Ried.
Trail Name: Welterbesteig (Section Krems to Stein am Donau/Foerthof)
Trail Type: Long distance hiking trail; varied surfaces (tarmac to grass), mostly maintained, and fairly well-marked.
Length:
Total: (Krems to Melk) 180 km
First Stage (Krems -Duernstein): 12.5 km
My Stage: (Krems to Stein/ Foerthof (Pfaffenbergweg) – circa 6 km
Marking: White circle with a “W” and a stylized river, or yellow rectangle with “Welterbesteig” in black letters
Although side-by-side, Vacqueyras and Gigondas have more dissimilarities than just their wines. Gigondas is nestled within the lower folds of the Dentelles de Montmirail crests. Small, hidden, in a complex landscape, it exudes a sense of remoteness and secrecy. Vacqueyras lies on flatter land, in the shadow of the Dentelles, and is bigger. There is a sense of town, vice village, and although still partly behind old walls, has an open, friendly atmosphere.
The trail here was also a bit more friendly, user-friendly that is. So, I took my best friend along, one who hasn’t hiked in a while, but this trail is suitable for all fitness levels. We had a memorable morning hiking along a signposted trail, followed by some wine tasting, and then lunch. What could be better than that?
What I Learned
Vacqueyras is a small town in Provence, France, with a big name in the wine world. Like its neighboring AOC Gigondas, the southern Rhone reds from Vacqueyras are big and powerful. However, there are some important differences between these two appellations.
Trail Name: Parcours du Vignoble de Vacqueyras
Trail Type: Short distance; surface is mostly paved, with some grassy stretches; fairly well maintained, and fairly well marked.
Length: 8 kilometers/5 miles
Convenient to: Orange or Carpentras, Vaucluse, France
Marking: Grape leaf cut-out on a square rust-brown sign; 17 panels
Continue reading Trail in a Nutshell: Vignoble de Vacqueyras
A castle stands atop an unusually steep, vine-covered hill, just east of the German city of Heilbronn in wine region of Wuerttemberg. Famous for having defied the Emperor, the little town of Weinsberg has a unique story. Was it the wine that inspired them?
