On the Rhine Castles Trail, we we follow the entire World Heritage Valley and hike from Bingen to Remagen on the left bank of the Rhine. This path takes us on a journey back in time in our hiking boots, uncovering legends and myths along the way.

The Rhine Castles Trail is the little brother of the Rheinsteig, a trail which unfolds on the other side of the river. You can even make up your own route and cross the Rhine on a vessel. On the Rhine Castles Trail, we start at the Mouse Tower in Bingen in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site , extending all the way to Koblenz. We naturally see a lot of castles on our route – around 20 in total, and also visit some of the castle grounds. Wine is another major theme along the Rhine Castles Trail. We stroll through the vines of the three biggest German wine-growing regions : the Middle Rhine, Ahr and Moselle. We are treated to spectacular vistas of Father Rhine on narrow alpine trails and modest vineyard paths. We see the flowing water of the Andernach Geyser and pass the remains of the famous bridge at Remagen. Our hike comes to an end 200 kilometres later, at Roland's Arch, to the south of Bonn. Simply legendary!

TIP: a view of the Lorelei

Manuel Andrack, editor, presenter, author and hiking blogger:

"My recommendation is the stage between Oberwesel and St. Goar. We have a fantastic view of the Lorelei rocks. On a good day, we can see the beautiful statue of Lore – the maiden featured in the myth about the rocks – brushing her hair."

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