Welcome to Transeurotrek.com - 1st Trek: Germany - Moselle to Heidelberg
Germany Munsterland to Brandenburg
France Aveyron to Haute Provence
FROM NORTH SEA TO MEDITERRANEAN
Germany - Moselle to Heidelberg
FOURTH SECTION Wednesday 10 to Sunday 14 March 2004 Perl (Saarland) to Waldhölzbach (Saarland) along E3 - 172 Km (765Km).
Entered Germany across the River Moselle into the small town of Perl where it snowed heavily overnight. Wonderfully beautiful scene in the town and on the exit along the French border escarpment eastwards. The snow was quite deep in places with 400 metre snow tunnels in the woods but created no problems for walking. Very cold: -2C plus a wind chill. Higher ground now – 400m and thick woods – quiet terrain, some minor roads and open fields - easy walking. Many birds of prey - hawks and buzzards. People along the way demonstrably friendlier than in Luxembourg. Descended to Mettlach on the River Saar from the renown viewpoint over the loop in the river far below. Trekked north mostly through woods above Saar river to Saarburg. Tiring climb at first then easy contouring in the afternoon into the town. Saarburg is a gem of a mediaeval hilltop town with the Saar flowing through making a spectacular waterfall right in the centre of the town. Crossed River Saar north-east into the Hunsrück region on a lovely route up and away from the river to the ridge at 650M – highest point so far. There was lots of ice and snow in the extensive mixed forest - easy walking except on the ridge where the frozen snow was difficult to walk on.
FIFTH SECTION Tuesday 13 to Wednesday 21 July 2004 Losheim (Saarland) to Schlangenbad (Rheinland) along E3 - 190 Km (955Km).
Warm week with thunderstorms. Picked up the route at Losheim and walked by quiet, pretty minor roads through Waldhölzbach along river and forest paths to Weisskirchen. Then back onto the 700m Hunsrück ridge. Hardest walking so far – dropping 400m and going back up again several times - more mountainous feel. After Nonnweiler walked around the large reservoir to Zuesch. Few shops along the way - travelling shops instead in this area. To 750m past two NATO listening posts. Deep pine forests here. Picked up the route along the Quartz Way with shops selling quartz items. Quiet thick woods of all descriptions and levels of management. Beautiful flowers everywhere and large fields of corn and wild flowers in the hedgerows with larks above. Through Merbach with its giant paper mill which explained why there was so much tree cutting and lorry laden with timber. Houses covered all over in grey slate and neat with lots of concrete paving give the villages a cold look. Even small villages mostly had a bank and all have one or more cigarette machines. Most people seem to smoke, especially in the rather grim gasthaus bars and many are overweight and poor-looking. Passed astonishingly well-preserved fort on the river above Rhaunen with rather wild looking forest campers nearby and scouts camping in the fort. Fine walk through the fields and forest above to Gemünden. High Roman track (Roemerstrasse) through golden wheat fields took us to the Rhine at Bacharach where tourists were wandering the streets of the old town and cruising the river. We watched the barges fight against the powerful river current and others run quickly with it northwards towards the North sea from where we had come. It truly felt like a magical moment to be 1000Km from our start and to cross one of Europe's great and historic rivers. We crossed by ferry to Kaub and climbed steeply through Sauertal and Ransel to the wooded plateau north east of the Rhine with extensive views all around. Quiet paths through hills and valleys took us east by a 13th Century fortified village to Hausen von der Hohe where workers stay to work in Frankfurt - and on to Schlangenbad.
SIXTH SECTION Friday 10 to Sunday 19 December 2004 Bacharach (Rheinland Pfalz) to Bad Mingolsheim (Baden-Württemberg) along regional routes and E8 - 189 Km (1144Km).
Changed the route so as not to go through Frankfurt. So started from Bacharach where we had met the Rhine in July. Headed south along the western bank on a clear cold afternoon with beautiful views across the river. The weather changed to a cold –6C with fog as we headed away from the river southwards to cross the Nahe and its vineyards at Bad Münster set dramatically in a bend in the river. Rolling frozen countryside. Mostly walked at around 200 to 350 metres. Entered large, old, mixed Rheinland-Pfalz forests with farms cut out within it. It felt very cold and we needed the uphills to get warm. Few people about and we twisted and turned through the forest - so more map reading this time. Came to our first mountain refuges - sponsored by the local walking groups - had coffee and cakes in front of a roaring fire in the first and lunch in the second. Lots of elderly fit locals walking. Emerged from forests at Neustadt an der Weinstrasse - lovely old town. From here crossed the Rhine, after a two-day wide river plain, at Speyer and finished east of the plain at Bad Mingolsheim. Visited Heidelberg, just 15 minutes by train to the north. Special feature this week was the Christmas markets in the larger towns – Glühwein being the centrepoint.
Over half Way!! – 1145Km = 716 miles………………….
