When the sun shimmers through the bright green canopy of the slender beech tries, dappling the path with specks of light, when the forest floor gently cushions your every step as the stream gurgles through the rocky gorge, then you know you are on the wildly romantic Saar-Hunsrück Trail in the upland region of Hunsrück.
Between Perl on the Saar, Trier on the Moselle and Boppard on the Rhine, the scenery switches dramatically from spectacular views over the loops of the river Saar in Mettlach and the river Rhine in Boppard, to parties of climbers on the rocks of the scree heaps in the Mörschieder Burr, and then to the wildly romantic gorge of the Baybach and the Ehrbachklamm.
One of the main attractions is the Geierlay suspension bridge on the 20th stage between Mörsdorf and Kastellaun. The 360 metre rope suspension bridge connects the villages of Mörsdorf and Sosberg. It was built in the style of a Nepalese rope suspension bridge and swings bravely over the Mörsdorf stream valley at a height of 100 metres.
Every walk has its highlights. On the Saar-Hunsrück Trail, it is the section between the Schmausemühle near Gondershausen and Oppenhausen, as the 22nd and 23rd stages weave their way through tropical gorges.
Geierlay suspension bridge between Sosberg and Mörsdorf, Hunsrück
Stage 22 begins at the Schmausemühle, which is popular among hikers for its freshly baked mill bread and ham roasted in the stone oven. There is also freshly caught trout that tastes best sitting outside the ancient mill in the middle of the forest right next to the Baybach. The mill is also a good starting and finishing point for the gorgeous 10-kilometre ‘Baybachklamm’ loop. The path from the Schmausemühle starts off gently along the Baybach, then the gorge drops around 15 metres towards Baybach to form the first little waterfall. The climb gets rockier and more technically demanding, but climbing rope and good shoes are sufficient for the little climbing involved.
Hikers at the Ehrbachklamm gorge on the Ehrbachklamm loop and the 23rd Saar-Hunsrück Trail stage, Hunsrück
The Saar-Hunsrück Trail continues in the valley and follows the stream snaking through the rocks. The point where the river widens again marks the start of the ‘Mursche Eselsche’ loop, which marches off up the steep rocky ridge of the ‘Eselsche’ to the sweeping views of the Baybach valley and the Hunsrück region. From the little village of Ehrenburgertal, the Saar-Hunsrück Trail climbs gradually towards the medieval Ehrenburg, before leading past the many mills of the Ehrbach valley and through the wild and romantic Ehrbachklamm along paths and over stepping stones and bridges to strange rock formations.
At 410 kilometres in length, the Saar-Hunsrück Trail is the longest hiking route in Rhineland Palatinate. In 2009 and again in 2017, 10 years after it was opened, it was named “Best long-distance hiking trail in Germany’ by readers of Wandermagazin. There are a grand total of 111 wonderful day or half-day walks to some of the loveliest parts of the Hunsrück off the Saar-Hunsrück Trail.
Mystical impressions of the Baybachklamm loop, Hunsrück
Hike to the Ehrbachklamm on the loop of the same name or the 23rd Saar-Hunsrück Trail stage, Hunsrück
“We stop a little while longer at the pretty spots, so the time we spend walking doesn’t really matter,” explains hiking guide Karli Mies on the way around the wonderful hiking trail around the Baybachklamm. Unwind, take your time and discover the Hunsrück Grand Canyon. Rugged cliffs, dense forests and a bubbling stream in the background: it’s all you need for a perfect day on the "Traumschleife Baybachklamm" loop.
