Die Weinstraße

The Pfälzer Weinsteig (Palatinate Wine Trail runs for about 160 km (100 miles) from Neuleiningen to the Weintor at Schweigen-Rettenbach, just north of Wissembourg in Alsace. The route traverses the foothills of the Pfalzerwald (Palatine Forest) through vineyards, past castles and Ludwigshöhe, a Royal Bavarian summer residence. The climate is warm here in the summer with almond, fig and edible chestnut trees. This is a major German wine growing area. It is especially fine in October when the leaves on the grape vines change colour from deep green to yellow, orange and deep red. It is a bit late for this year, but next year maybe? You will need some time to sample the wine and the local food which is rural, robust and simple, but not to be missed - Saumagen (pigs' stomach stuffed with hotpot and then sliced and grilled or  fried. This is the favourite food of Helmut Kohl, the former German Chancellor.), liver dumplings, Bratwurst, sauerkraut… The trail can be easily walked in either direction in 10 days - about 16 km and 700 m, just 2000' a day. You can expect to pay about €80 a night for a double room with B&B. Practically every village has a wine festival in the autumn, so booking head has a lot to recommend it. The organisations whose websites follow will help you find rooms: www.deutsche-weinstrasse.de, www.suedlicheweinstrasse.de or www.pfaelzer-wanderwege.de for details of pre-booked holidays with luggage transport, allowing you to just carry a day sack with a picnic and a waterproof.

Deutsche Weinstraße Trail

Autumn in the Pfalz, the wine growing area in the south of Rhineland-Palatinate is a explosion of colours. We were pleased to have the chance to take part in a guided walk along the trail with the Mannheim Section of the Odenwaldklub. The trail itself runs for 100 km from the German Weintor on the border with Alsace near Wissembourg to Bockenheim roughly south - north along the edge of the Pfälzerwald Hills. We walked about ten km from Burrweiler to St Martin past the Ludwigshöhe, the former residence of the Bavarian Kings. Public transport is adequate in the area. We took a suburban train to Neustadt an der Weinstraße and a bus to Burrweiler. The group then followed paths through forests and vineyards to St Martin, stopping occasionally to look across the rhine Valley. We picked up a bus on the same line in St Martin to return to Neustadt.

Ludwigshöhe

St Martin

Pembroke Coastal Path Sandy Haven to St Anne's Head Head