I didn’t know what to anticipate in the Ahrtal, but it certainly wasn’t this: gorgeous, dramatic scenery, and absolutely delicious food and wine, all set in the heart of the river valley of one of the lesser known German wine regions.
Also unexpected were the steep hills that, by necessity, must accompany such stunning perspectives. And equally unexpected was the excellent red wine. Given its northern latitude, where ripening can prove difficult, good red wine is often challenging to make. Finally, I did not expect such well-developed tourism infrastructure in an area unknown to mass tourism. But Germans certainly knew about it, as the license plates I saw in the towns and villages indicated visitors from all over Germany – and with good reason.
The main town in the area, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, is a delightful spa town, with all the amenities found in most spa towns: perfectly maintained paths (wheelchair as well as baby carriage accessible) through beautifully manicured parks or gardens; cafes by the dozen where strollers can watch the world go by with a cup of coffee, or a glass of wine in hand; museums and concerts, sometimes even free and outdoors; and, of course, good restaurants. The most important amenity though, pools and spas, are throughout town and in several hotels. (Soaking in a whirlpool of hot water after a long hike is any hiker’s idea of heaven on earth.)
But for those preferring something a bit more strenuous, there is the Rotweinwanderweg. At 35 kilometers, it is designed to be hiked over a couple of days in stages, at your own pace. Conveniently, area hotel guests receive a local rail pass, which was another pleasant surprise! Therefore, it is possible to ride to the start point, in Altenahr, hike your way back down the valley to a point of your choosing, then picking up the following day where you left off the day before.
This trail is certainly do-able in two days, but you will want more time! Lovely wine taverns, wine shops and rest areas line the trail in places. While some taverns were in the villages (Dernau was especially full of them), I stopped at one (the Michaelishof) magnificently set in the midst of the vineyards on the outskirts of Mayschoss to sample some food and wine, in spite of being behind schedule.
Other places that beg for a stop on the trail are fantastic overlook points, and dramatic cliffside benches. Quiet forest vales also invite hikers to experience a few minutes in shadowy, green tranquility. Sadly, I didn’t have enough time to maximize my enjoyment at each spot, so it was often with a heavy sigh, that I moved on. But at this point, I knew I could definitely count on another unexpected delight around the next bend or atop the next rise – and I was never disappointed.
My hike on the Rotweinwanderweg only took me from to Altenahr to Marienthal. That is to say, I only completed the first 13 kilometers of the trail because of personal time constraints. Marienthal is as good a place to stop as any, as it is the site of a former monastery, now home to the Weingut Kloster Marienthal. Set in a hidden, narrow draw lined by vineyards on one side of the road, and tall pines on the other, its historic building contains an impressive wine shop, a wine bar, and a garden café. It was a fitting way to end my hike on this trail, which also included an unexpected desire to return someday to finish this great trail.
