This was a tough one with a number of very steep, long climbs on what turned out to be a very warm day.
The hotel did breakfast from 7 and I was the first one down. Knowing the day was going to be hard, I wanted to get an early start and so have time to take a few breaks along the way. The very friendly owner at the hotel recommended stopping off in Neroth, even if it meant leaving the trail, as the village was at the halfway point and boasted a couple of excellent restaurants. He told me to take my time because German cemeteries are full of people who were in a hurry!
When I arrived the previous day, the owner’s wife had said the morning would be misty, and she was right. As I set off along the main street, heading uphill, I could see the dolomite cliffs were shrouded in mist.
There were a number of viewpoints as I climbed higher and higher, and the views got better and better.
There was no one else about at this early hour, apart from a lady with a nasty yappy dog that seemed determined to destroy single-handed my fine opinion of German dogs, that are generally incredibly well behaved. It was a steep 150 metre ascent to the Heiligenstein viewpoint that provided a stunning view, with the surprise of a fine castle on a distant hill,
From this viewpoint, the trail descended slightly to join a wide forestry track that was unusual because a couple of wayside crosses from the 17th century, one with the upper section redone in the 19th century…
…and one that as it was when first placed there.
Shortly after the second cross, another steep climb began, this time to the Dietzenley, the highest point in the Gerolstein area at 620 metres. At the top, there was a lookout tower, a good idea as trees blocked the view otherwise.
I saw a few more hikers at this point, but not enough to disturb the peace of this glorious morning. By now, I was in shorts and t-shirt again, having shed a couple of layers since Gerolstein.
From Dietzenley, the morning’s high point, the trail stayed level, then began to descend gently to Neroth. Once again, I was in beautiful woods. I heard rifle shots now and then and so presumably the hunters were out. However, unlike the sustained barrage of gunfire that we regularly hear in France, the German hunters seemed to favour a single shot from time to time. In any case, I never felt threatened at any point.
To reach Neroth, I had to leave the trail. I followed the streets past very well-maintained houses with beautiful gardens, greeting the postman, the local nurse and a few villagers basking in the sunshine as I went. There was a very benevolent and easygoing atmosphere in this small village and I was glad to have left the trail to see it.
I was heading for the Mausefalle (Mousetrap) café which was run by people with a great sense of humour. Ads on the way into the village vaunted the place as “the world’s most comfortable mousetrap”. There was even a mousetrap museum in the village. Amusing signs were posted all over the interior of the cafe and, outside, there was a “calorie trap” with a plum tart where the cheese should be.
The food was excellent, and set me up for the next climb, to the top of Nerother Kopf, the extinct volcano above the village.
This was another steep climb, made even tougher by the blazing sun in the few sections that weren’t under the cover of the trees. At the top, there was another cave, this one closed by metal gates, and the ruins of a 14th-century castle built by John of Bohemia. Unfortunately, the number of trees around the ruins made it impossible to get a decent photo.
The trail then made its way down to the village of Neunkirchen through open fields, some of them lined with orchards where the trees were heavy with apples.
I was feeling pretty tired at this point from a combination of the numerous climbs, the heat, and a slightly heavier lunch than usual. So I took a 15-minute rest on a bench before tackling the final steep climb to Warth. As I was resting, a few hikers passed by, some of whom I had seen the previous day. Now that the Dutch guys have left, maybe I shall have some new hiking companions.
From the top of Warth, I had my first view of Daun and its castle where I would be spending the night.
The trail led do wen from this final summit, then there was one last climb to the edge of Daun, which, like so many towns in this area, is set an a deep valley. I had to leave the Eifelsteig to descend into the town before climbing up to the castle hotel, but I would not need to return to the same spot the following day as the trail could be picked up from the bottom of the valley.
The hotel turned out to be a pretty luxurious place despite the low price I was paying. The room was huge, there was an excellent swimming pool that helped ease my tired legs from the day’s climbs, and there was a wonderful Croatian restaurant in the old servants’ quarters where I had an excellent dinner (with a free glass of homemade slivovitz to send me on my way).
So, all in all, another great day with fantastic weather and beautiful scenery. And tomorrow should be the same.
Footsteps 