Walking the Weinsteig Rheinland Pfalz, Germany Stage 4: Deidesheim to Neustadt an der Weinstraße

Walking the Weinsteig: Deidesheim to Neustadt an der Weinstraße Stage 4: 15.5 km; 5 hours; 650 m climb 
February 28, 2016 Weather, dry, cool (9°C), overcast
This stage is fairly strenuous with plenty of scenic variety, including good views over the vineyards south of Deidesheim. The little town has attracted artists and as we walked towards the old Town Hall with its tremendous steps we noticed amusing and atractive sculptures adorning several buildings. Of course if you are with a group or children the figures around the fountain near the station require a stop. We dragged ourselves away from the beguiling menu boards and angled left then into the narrow streets lined with stone cottages. Soon the houses petered out, the road climbed gently between high stone walls on the edge of vineyards and became a rough track. Shortly we left the shelter of the vines, climbing into meadows, and up a wide grassy slope. A glance back revealed that we were already high above Deidesheim and approaching the Pfalzblick restaurant 200m ahead. a popular lunch stop, especially at weekends. Soon we are back in the familiar mix of pines and chestnuts climbing easily, then back down to a small white chapel, the Klausenkapelle, where there are occasionally services. Up again above the village of Königsbach, with its notable church tower. Maddeningly there is a steep descent down steps, with fragile wooden handrails right into the churchyard. We contoured along a series of alleys to an open view of vines, with Gimmeldingen village ahead below. This is a pleasant snack stop with a few picnic bench, especially if the magnificent rose bushes are in flower to attract bees (to fertilise the vines). Though a cold Spring this year, almond trees were flowering around Gimmeldingen. The festival in celebration, with stalls, vino tasting and local foods was postponed until later in March (still very chilly). Our trail headed steeply uphill partly up irregular stone steps. We were feeling quite perky until we reached the steps and climbed to Meerspinnblick, where there is a wooden shelter. Hunger suddenly struck both of us so we perched on a convenient bench where various walkers wished us "Guten Appetit" as we ate our lunch.
We had forgotten the rather demoralising drop into and along the valley deeply into the woods. From  Forsthaus Benejental the real work of the day began, up, along, up into the Scots pine and heather clad hills towards Weinbiethaus. Fortunately we were encouraged by various signposts and indeed  distances and the additional climbing needed did get smaller. En route great blocks of stone and weathered outcrops, clumps of heather and chestnut trees gave way to eerie looking Scots pines and even traces of snow. Eventually the low welcoming restaurant building of Weinbiethaus appeared with the stone tower behind.
Maybe it was the anticyclonic gloominess of the day but both of us were glad to reach Weinbiethaus at 554m, our highest point yet reached on this Weinsteig trip. This is a restaurant run by the Pfalzerwald Verein (Club), not to be missed with excellent hearty meals, drinks, plus homemade cakes, teas or coffees. It was reopened only recently after extensions and rebuilding. As usual we chatted to our neighbours at the long table before tucking into large mugs of milky coffee and sustaining portions of cheesecake (German style).
The determined walker can continue at high level along the marked Weinsteig trail for 7.7km, to the rocky outcrop of the Bergstein, with great views over Neustadt, then a steep descent into the town. The less determined walker can take the shorter (4km), but still interesting route more directly into Neustadt. That February day we had decided to be less determined walkers, despite the calorific input of coffee and cake so we hoisted our packs and followed blue and white striped symbols on the southern side of the Meisental valley. Parts of the trail and several thousand trees had been laid waste but the 'harvesters' and their machines were gone. With a little extra care we reached the outskirts of Neustadt where many sets of steps further tested our knees. Neustadt an der Weinstraße is a real town of some 30 000 souls, one of the many Neustadts in Germany dating back to the 12th century. It is well worth a visit, but that February day we legged it through the town, past the large church and over to the station, catching a train to Mannheim 10 minutes later.

Insert head in figure as appropriate, Deidesheim fountain

Imposing steps to the old Town Hall, Deidesheim

Steps into the vinyards too

Klausenkapelle

 J struggles down the steps

 Almonds bloom despite cool temperatures

Roses attract pollinating bees in sumer

The way of the steps

Neustadt, so near and so far down

Walking the Weinsteig, Rheinland Pfalz, Germany Stage 3: Bad Dürkheim to Deidesheim

Walking the Weinsteig Stage 3: Bad Dürkheim to Deidesheim: 14.5km; Height climbed 480m; Time needed 4 hours
We last walked this section in Autumn 2015 on a mild sunny day, with some of our cycling club. In the cooler part of the year we walk or ramble more often than we cycle longer routes.
This is one of our favourite Weinsteig sections, with plenty of variety in the landscape and good views of the Rhine Plain.
We arrived at the station in Bad Dürkheim using tram 4 from Mannheim, a gentle way to sway across the gentle ups and downs of vineyards towards the edge of the Pfalzerwald escarpment. We stepped out directly into the square with the Wurstmarkt fountain, which may indicate the 'goings on' during the annual winefest, disguised as a 'Sausage festival'.  However there was nothing to distract us so we walked up through the town past interesting shops, picking up the Weinsteig signs on street furniture. This is Bad Dürkheim as the locals know it with  baker’s shops and sometimes even a few market stalls well away from the tourist area around the Riesenfass. The climb began with large villas replacing the shops. We left the major road, soon the tarmac is replaced by cobblestones between stone walls. Suddenly we are lead up through vines,  zigzagging up the hillside to the Flags Tower (Flaggenturm). That day there were good views here from Art Nouveau style windows, well worth the extra steps. Apart from the whole expanse of the Rhine Valley and Odenwald Hills beyond, the Roman Quarry from the previous route can be seen.
The marked route follows a rough trail through scrub and some rows of bio-vines, before we reached  a few expensive looking modern villas with manicured lawns. Then we were back into forest trails, rising a little before reaching an interesting section in  open woodland above a steep slope into a side valley. Tree roots and the steep slope on our left required our attention and nimble footwork. We reached a minor road and followed a marshy trail then a wide gravel path that led upwards, and upwards, through beeches and pines. The quiet of the woods, normally only broken by bird noise or leaf rustles is often spoilt by aeroplane noise here. Overhead is a holding area for transport planes approaching a distant military airport. Soon a narrower, steeper path turns sharply over a ridge then equally steeply descends to a motor road. We crossed, with care, past a boule pitch, where we ate our picnic at the convenient benches. It had been a long time since breakfast. Various hawks wheeled against the blue skies, occasionally divebombed themselves by territorial crows.
The road is about 100m lower than the hillside above so we had a steep but easy climb up the side of the Wachenheimerbach Valley to the Wachtenburg, the castle, our next target, visible through the trees. The castle dates back to the 12th century and although extensively damaged on several occasions it has been lovingingly restored. There are excellent views from the terrace, drinks and food if the place is open, as well as toilets.
After any rest comes the reckoning and we puffed up some steps and along a ridge, surprisingly being overtaken by a 4x4 en route to a cottage in the woods. Then we were into forest over the ridge through delightful woods on springy paths. Eventually we reached a signpost, close to a boundary stone, where forest roads cross at Grüne Bank. Indeed there is a green bench to sit on at this highest point, so we did and squeezed another few drops out of our flask.
There are gentle rises and falls as we wandered over the summit of the plateau then a more obvious climb to the Heidenlöcher, another of the great prehistoric stoneworks dotted around these hills. In addition to the outer walls, there are deeply cut holes here, so it pays to wend carefully across following the markers to the other side. With our group it was also a place to mark by munching chocolate or downing a tiny schnapps, no one was cycling that day!
Finally we began to lose height taking care among the drifts of leaves, tree roots and ankle turning stones. The white St Michaelskapelle appeared immediately below on a shelf of land with a view over Deidesheim and beyond. More knee crunching steep track leads downhill, out of the woods and into vineyards. A fine stone sculpture celebrates wine culture, then down and down, to reach Deidesheim. The establishments of vintners and restaurants lining the road leave no doubt that this is a place to linger, the former summer residence of the Bishop of Speyer. We've often stopped in one of the welcoming cafés, where cakes incorporating wine can be enjoyed with a clear conscience. Some of the best known and revered wines of the Pfalz can be tasted or enjoyed with a meal here, but check the prices shown outside the entrances first.

Wurstmarkt Fountain Bad Dürkheim

Windows at the Flagganturm

J on narrow path, tree roots, boulders

Wachtenburg

At Heidenlöcher, Schnapps or Chocs?

By St Michaelskapelle

Winter Sport - Snowshoeing in Bavaria

Snowshoeing

Snowshoes have been used by mankind for centuries to move around in the snow. Ötzi the 5000 year old male body found frozen in the Öztal Alps on the Austrian/Italian border had snowshoes with him. If you've tried to walk in deep snow you will know that it is hard work. Snowshoes were formerly tennis racquet type constructions of wood and animal gut, attached to the feet to spread the weight in snow. Modern more sophisticated models resemble short wide plastic skis with a studded base and a front claw to kick into snow on steep inclines. They can be adjusted to fit your boot and are fastened around the toe and ankle. They are normally used with a free heel to make walking easier.

 

Snowshoes let you walk more easily on deep snow. However you do not float on top of the snow. Your weight compresses the snow until it'll bear your weight and you can walk without let or hindrance on the surface, or across, down and up steep slopes. 

Balderschwang

Years ago we went downhill skiing until our fear of breaking some important bit of ourselves became greater than the joy of almost frightening ourselves to death at high speed or at least what seemed to us to be high speed. In addition we were not impressed by the time spent in lift queues. Then we took up cross country skiing, but because of climate change snowy periods became more irregular, so we took holidays in winter walking in places with a warmer climate. Our cross country skiing boots fell apart and our skis no longer have modern fittings. We still enjoy the mountains in winter and so were pleased to find that snowshoeing is offered in more and more resorts. We had enjoyed a walking and snowshoeing holiday with Liz and Mel of SpaceBetween in the Mercantor National Park in the South of France some years ago, so we looked for another resort. The German Wikinger Reisen company was offering holidays in Balderschwang in the Allgäuer Alps in Bavaria where the hotel we'd be stopping in offered a week of guided snowshoe trips in January 2017 at no extra charge. Balderschwang is Germany's highest continually inhabited community (think top of Ben Nevis) and has the reputation of being Bavarian Siberia, so snow looked likely. It was a close run thing. We arrived on Sunday afternoon and it had been snowing heavily from Saturday. Christmas had been a largely green celebration. 

Do you need a guide?

Christoph asks, "Shall we dance?"

The best views

Into the woods

Letting the pig out!

Elegance is not important!

Our hotel,  Berghotel Ifenblick  had organised guides from the Planet B winter sports centre in Balderschwang. In our opinion hiring a guide for a small party greatly improves the experience. Without a guide you can follow the partially cleared winter walking routes or walk along the edge of the cross country pistes. This not over exciting. The guides know where to go.  As one of our number said, he had planned not to have a guide but was very grateful that he had joined the group, because he would have then tried to do trips that were much too long. The guides know where you get the best views. Where you can "let the pig out" as the Germans say and run down slopes, for example. Our five days were so organised that we had a short 2-3 hour trip on the first day with successively longer trips after this. We walked about 8km (5 miles) most days. Both guides were excellent. Our guide on the first two days, Jogi was the owner of Planet B and he made sure that we were fit enough, instructed us in various techniques and gave an introduction to the history, geography, geology and agriculture of the area, as well as a number of slightly scurrilous stories about smuggling and less than honest farming practices. Our second guide, Christoph took us off on more advanced trips into the wild country of fallen tree and boulder strewn river valleys. Occasionally snow/ice bridges had to be tested by one of the sturdier menfolk, but none of us got wet feet. We joined a thirteen person group of jolly 60 or so year old Germans and our working language was German, but I have the distinct impression that both our guides spoke enough English to lead a party of English speakers. I was somewhat worried on day one when Jogi enquired who was over 60 and the majority put up their hands. He then enquired who was over 70 and just us two were in this group. We formed the Zimmer/walking frame group and were, as usual, to be found at the back, panting! The others had to wait for us, but took this in good part. We think that several folks were secretly pleased on the last day when we suggested that we should walk 15 minutes back to the van rather than "enjoying" another 45 minutes walking along  a frozen river bank in a heavy snowstorm. 

Philososphical discussions

The Hotel

Snowshoeing is an energetic sport. Although we ate very well, we both lost weight the week we stopped at the Berghotel Ifenblick, Balderschwang in Southern Bavaria (http://www.berghotel-ifenblick.de/allgaeu-hotel-english/). This was not due to us eating too little, but due to the added exercise. The hotel offers sport programmes and a wellness area - indoor pool,  sauna, infra-red room, a tepidarium and a small sport studio free of charge. The hotel offers various indoor and outdoor sport programmes, e.g. the Five Tibetan Rites. Massage is available at extra cost. The original plan was to come back from our walks and have a swim or even half an hour in the sauna, but the restaurant followed by forty winks was too attractive. What impressed us most of all was a boot drying room with electrically heated hooks, meaning that we could climb into warm/dry boots every morning. This was a real luxury.

We were much taken with the food which is all of certified bio quality with the exception of the mineral water. (It would appear it is difficult, when almost impossible, to obtain bio certification for mineral water in Germany. I suppose because it is obtained rather than being manufactured or grown.) Most meals were served buffet style.

• Breakfast (07:30 - 10:30) offered: 

• a choice of cereals including an excellent Bircher Muesli, fruit salad, fruit sauce, a range of yogurts; 

• scrambled eggs with and without chopped ham; 

• cooked vegetables, hot cooked grains, compote; 

• hotel baked fresh bread and rolls;

• cold cuts, local salamis, local cheeses; butter and vegan butter, vegan spreads, cottage cheese, quark;

• homemade jams, a range of honeys and a chocolate nut mixture for addicts of the brown gunge who need a sugar hit in the mornings, but not the one advertised on TV;

• a platter of raw vegetables;

• coffee, chocolate, fruit teas and infusions. Unfortunately I doubt whether you can make a decent strong cup of tea with the tea bags on offer, but you are in continental Europe, where in the main they have no idea about tea. I drink coffee in the mornings anyway;

• breakfast cake.

• Midday snack (13:00 - 17:00) offered

• cold cuts, local salamis, local cheeses; butter and vegan butter, vegan spreads, cottage cheese, quark;

• salad;

• soup;

• coffee, chocolate, fruit teas and infusions;

• cakes;

• a small hot meal, e.g. pasta was served from 13:00 - 14:30, but we were always too late back to find this.

• Evening meal six nights a week (Monday to Saturday 18:00 - 20:30)

• soup;

• salad;

• roast meat, fish

• a wide range of cooked vegetables

• two puddings, e.g. panna cotta, apple crumble

• cheese

• On Sunday evenings guests are served a three course meal with a choice of meat or vegetarian main dish 

We paid for own holiday. We have no financial interest in Wikinger Reisen, Planet B or Berghotel Ifenblick.