The River Rhine Trail - A Walker's Guidebook
The River Rhine Trail
Price
£8.99
Stage 1: Bonn to Bad Godesberg - 11.8km (7.3 miles)
LOCATIONS
|
DISTANCES | |||
| Sectional | Accumulative |
|||
| kms |
miles |
kms | miles | |
| BONN (55m; 180ft) | - | - | - | - |
| Venusberg (162m; 531ft) | 3.2 | 2.0 | 3.2 |
2.0 |
| BAD GODESBERG (122m; 400ft) | 8.6 | 5.3 |
11.8 | 7.3 |
FACILITIES
There is no shortage of hotels in Bonn, and the tourist office (Münsterstrasse 20) will be able to supply a list of cheaper pensions. Cheaper still would be a night or two spent at one of the city’s two excellent youth hostels, both of which are conveniently situated close to the RHW. The first is at Venusberg, almost halfway along this short stage; the second is in Bad Godesberg itself, at the end of the walk (see Appendix A for more details). The position of both hostels is shown on the 1:50,000 map. Campers will have to continue a little further on the RHW, along the Rhine, to reach Mehlem, where there is a large campsite, open all year, on the banks of the Rhine (see Stage 2).
There is adequate hotel accommodation in Bad Godesberg, which is almost a suburb of Bonn, but if any problems arise it is easy to catch a bus or train, or even boat, along the Rhine valley to find a hotel - maybe back to Bonn, or on to Mahlem, Oberwinter, Remagen or Sinzig. Buses run from Sinzig, Remagen, Rolandseck and Bad Godesberg about ten times a day Mondays to Fridays, but less frequently on Saturdays and Sundays.
Very many restaurants, cafés, bars, shops, banks and all the ma ny other facilities of a substantial and important European city are, of course, all within easy reach of today’s section.
MAPS
1:50,000: Naturpark Kottenforst-Ville, Südteil (Landesvermess-ungsamt Nordrhein-Westfalen).
1:25,000: Either Kottenforst und Drachenfelser Ländchen or Naturpark Siebengebirge (Landesvermessungsamt Nordrhein-Westfalen).
PLACES OF INTEREST
Bonn
Like Cologne, its larger neighbour, Bonn (population ¼ million) has Roman origins, dating back to the Roman town of Castra Bonnensia. It was the temporary capital of the Federal Republic of West Germany, from 1949 until the early 1990s when the seat of government of a unified Germany once more reverted to Berlin. Its other claim to fame is its association with Beethoven, who was born there in 1770. His birthplace, at Bonngasse 20, is now a museum devoted to Beethoven memorabilia, a visit to which can be recommended.
Bonn’s other museums include the Landesmuseum (Colman-strasse 14-16, near the main railway station) and the Art Gallery of the Akademisches Kunstmuseum, near the Hofgarten. The Schloss, built in baroque style by the Archbishop-Electors of Cologne who originally moved to Bonn in the thirteenth century, is one of the major buildings of the city. Bonn has a relaxed atmosphere, far more provincial in character than would be expected from a one-time capital, the reason, indeed, why it was often known as the “Federal Village” when it held the seat of government.
Poppelsdorf
An elegant suburb of Bonn, famous for its schloss or palace. Poppelsdorf Palace, built in the eighteenth century, nowadays forms part of the university, and is surrounded by the elegant botanical gardens. Close by will be found Robert Schumann Haus, a museum containing a number of artifacts relating to Bonn’s other Romantic composer. Schumann was mentally unstable, eventually attempting suicide by jumping into the Rhine. Perhaps Schumann’s most celebrated symphony is that known as the “Rhenish” (Symphony No.3 in E flat), a musical evocation of the river on which the composer spent most of his life. Alas, the last two years of his life were spent in an asylum near Bonn.
Kreuzberg
About a mile’s detour from the RHW, lying to the west between Poppelsdorf and the Venusberg and marked on the maps, will be found Kreuzberg, like Venusberg, one of Bonn’s many hills. Some may find the detour worthwhile to visit the small isolated pilgrimage church or chapel on the Kreuzberg, originally built in 1628, but completely restored in Rococo style in 1746. The area is surrounded by the Kottenforst woods, one time royal hunting grounds.
Venusberg
Another of the hills of Bonn, to the south of the city and surrounded by attractive woodland. Venusberg marks the real start of the Rheinhöhenweg, once the city of Bonn has been left behind.
Bad Godesberg
A fashionable spa town, home of many of Bonn’s embassies (including the British Embassy), and known for its many elegant buildings. Amongst these is the Redoute, built between 1780 and 1820. It was formerly a ballroom for the rich and socially conscious; nowadays it houses a fashionable and very expensive restaurant.
Bad Godesberg’s claim to infamy comes from the fact that it was the meeting place of Hitler and Neville Chamberlain in 1938, which resulted in the “peace in our time” declaration, only a year before the outbreak of the Second World War.
The most imposing structure in Godesberg is its medieval castle, the most northerly of the famous Rhine Castles and therefore the first to be visited on the RHW, the first of many as you make your way southwards towards Mainz. The castle (Godesburg) was built in 1210, on a 122m (400ft) high hill overlooking the town, by the Arch-bishop-Electors of Cologne, but was largely destroyed at the end of the fourteenth century. The romantic ruins can be visited where an ascent of the circular keep can be made to obtain a view of the town, the Rhine and the surrounding countryside of the “Seven Hills”.
SUMMARY
The “problem” with the RHW is that there is so much to interest the visitor along the way that it is often difficult to have time for walking! Indeed, even to get started on the trail can require considerable effort; as if Cologne hasn’t delayed you enough then Bonn will almost certainly eat into the time available for the first day’s walk. Fortunately the first stage is a short one, which should allow plenty of time to explore Bonn before leaving.
The Rheinhöhenweg starts from the main railway station (Hauptbahnhof) in the centre of Bonn. The cathedral is nearby, as is a smart pedestrianised shopping precinct from where food may be purchased before setting out. The bus station is situated outside the railway station from where a bus may be taken to Venusberg if you wish to avoid a walk through the city. However, this walk through Bonn is quite pleasant and is a good way to see the city; if the route described here is followed it will not be long before the outskirts of this relatively small city are reached. The walk to Venusberg from the Hauptbahnhof takes approximately 1hr 15mins.
The walk out from the centre of Bonn offers an agreeable selection of town and leafy suburban walking, and a visit to the city university, after which the wooded hills and escarpment of Venusberg are the playground for the locals, many of whom will be seen strolling this delightful area on sunny Sunday afternoons. The stage ends in the elegant spa town of Bad Godesberg, home of many foreign embassies, the first of many charming riverside towns in which you will overnight on your journey south along the Rhine.
Today’s stage will probably be enough for most people as a first day on the trail. Those carrying a tent, though, may like to consider continuing another 6 miles to Rolandsbogen, where there is a good campsite (see Stage 2).
THE ROUTE
At the south-east end of the Hauptbahnhof complex seek out a pedestrian subway which passes under the railway lines (marked as Poppelsdorfer Allee 15). Take this underpass and then walk along Poppelsdorfer Allee, under an avenue of trees with a large grassy area to your right. At the first crossroads turn left onto Bonner Talweg. Remain on this road heading south-east to cross Weberstrasse and several other smaller streets to enter the suburb of Poppelsdorfer. Cross the main road of Reuterstrasse to enter the suburb of Kessenich and keep ahead on Bonner Talweg. Continue ahead at a large roundabout, still on Bonner Talweg. Where the latter ends bear left onto Lotharstrasse, heading for the church spire which is clearly visible. Before reaching it turn right onto Rosenburgweg, now beginning the first gentle ascent of the walk. Soon ignore two roads on the right, but instead continue ahead on the Rosenburgweg as it climbs, swinging first to the left and then to the right. When the gradient increases somewhat the surface of the lane deteriorates as the route becomes a Waldweg (forest trail) on which motorised traffic is prohibited. The climb ends at a cross-tracks in the woods. Bear left here to pass a large stone monument on your left to Kaiser Wilhems I. Head south over the Rosenburg to reach the Hauweg and a main road at the Steigenberger Hotel on the outskirts of Venusberg.
Turn left onto the main road (Robert-Koch-Strasse). Walkers intending to stay at the youth hostel should follow the signpost for Jugendherberge to the right along Haager Weg, but for the RHW remain on the main road. A few metres after a bus stop* look for the green waymarks on a lamppost which indicate Walking Route No.1 - Eifelverein Haupt-Wanderweg and the Rheinhöhenweg (the first “R” waymark of the trail). Both these routes take the Waldweg footpath on the left: within 50 metres turn right following the “R” waymarks along a woodland path which runs parallel to Robert-Koch-Strasse, which is over to your right. When the path emerges onto a lane walk ahead, passing to the left of the University Clinic to enter a nature reserve. Pass over a bridge at the Dienstweg to continue on the woodland track ahead. Pass a bench at a viewpoint of the Rhine valley. The track follows a stone wall for a while to reach a circular wooden shelter in the woods. Take the track passing immediately to the right of this shelter, heading south. Continue ahead at a 5-way cross-tracks.
Continue to a T-junction at a narrow metalled lane; here turn left, heading downhill towards the south. Pass another circular wooden shelter, this time on your right, and after this a stone, also on your right, on which is a waymark (rather faded) indicating the way to the right to “Waldau Wildpark” in 20mins. Ignore this waymark, but remain on the forest track ahead which soon swings sharply to the left to pass over a (usually) dried-up forest stream. The way now heads to the south-east, with woods to the left and open fields to the right. Remain ahead on the Waldweg at the next cross-tracks. At the far end of a pond on the right-hand side of the track there is a bifurcation of ways: Route No.1 and one variant of the E8 (black triangle waymarks) take a track on the right, whereas we turn left (ignore the E8 waymarks ahead) on a woodland path heading north-east. After about 350 metres, at the next path on the right, turn right along it (bearing 100 degrees magnetic). In a further 250 metres turn left at a path/track junction, now heading downhill on a track (bearing 50 degrees magnetic). However, within 50 metres turn right off this main track, downhill on a footpath (“R” waymark easily missed). Descend on this path eastwards to reach a flight of broadly spaced steps which lead down to a track (stream and gully on the right). Turn right on the track to follow it round a left-hand bend, and continue now with the stream on your left.
The track heads north-eastwards, then northwards and then, on reaching the edge of the escarpment above the Rhine valley, swings to the right to descend east-south-east. On reaching a road continue ahead (east) along the Promenadeweg. The turret of Godesburg Castle is soon seen on the hill ahead. When the metalled road comes to an end take the right (higher) of the two footpaths ahead, climbing into the Bad Godesberg Woods. Climb to reach Am Burgfrienhof, bearing left downhill on this lane. Continue to a T-junction where you turn left on Winterstrasse for 60 metres and then left again on Auf dem Godesberg. Where this lane swings sharply to the left uphill, turn right on a paved drive (“Innenstadt” signpost) downhill. Later bear right at an old stone cross (only the hands and feet of Christ remain) to descend a flight of steps to cross a footbridge over a main road. Cross a pedestrianised area (Michael Platz) in the heart of the town of Bad Godesberg.
Cross a main road (Am Kurpark) and bear left through the small park, following “RV” waymarks (“RV” is an abbreviation of Rheinhöhen - Verbindungsweg). Cross the Koblenzer Strasse and continue through the park to reach Bad Godesberg railway station.
Recent articles:
Related titles:
Frequently Asked Questions:
