Moselsteig Side Trail Leiermannspfad

start: Enkirch, "Off Schart" or Starkenburg parish hall in the Burenstraße
destination: Enkirch, "Off Schart" or Starkenburg parish hall in the Burenstraße

medium
10,85 km
4 hours
255 m
365 m
130 m
80 / 100
40 / 100

Old mills, bakehouses and fantastic views.

This legendary trail leads past old mills, through mystical forests to the peaks of Starkenburg and through award-winning vineyard locations. If you believe in sagas and legends, you might even meet the Leiermann vom Ahringsbach (the organ grinder of Ahringsbach)!
After starting in Enkirch, the trail leads gently downhill into the Ahringsbachtal valley, past the old monastery church and into a narrow V-shaped valley. The trail then leads slightly uphill through the valley past the Ahringsmühel hill to the Starkenburg Mill; from here it’s well worth taking a slight detour to the ancient Upper Starkenburg Mill slightly further up. The connecting steep climb through the forest leads to Starkenburg with its ancient, but still fully functional bakehouses, before leading to the Auf'm Rech viewpoint on the edge of Starkenburg. The next section of the side trail forms part of the Moselsteig trail - an Alpine section leads across the Kirster Grat ridge with countless viewpoints, sections of trail, rocky paths and spectacular panoramas, before heading back to Enkirch with its picturesque half-timbered houses.

Aussicht vom Kirster Grat Richtung Enkirch

Weg von Starkenburg ins Ahringsbachtal (Bachweg) Höhe Oberes Schafseifen (Am Kasten).

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General information

Directions

The starting point "Off Shart" in Enkirch offers a picturesque setting for the start of an exciting tour through a side valley of the Moselle and over a high ridge.

A short cobblestone passage leads, accompanied by the Moselsteig Trail, through the village slightly upwards to the Sponheimer Straße (L 192). After a few metres the Moselsteig Trail branches off. If you would like to hike the Leiermannspfad in a clockwise direction, you follow the country road for a short section. After the last house a path branches off which leads slightly downhill to the old monastery church in the forest. Unfortunately the church is closed, but the church makes a great impression also from the outside. The monastery church is located at the confluence of the Ahringsbach to the Großbach.

The Leiermannspfad now follows the Ahringsbach up to the Upper Starkenburger Mill. Just behind the church, you hike a few hundred metres steeply uphill.The following approx. 3 km in the valley also run uphill, but the slope is not steeper than at the Ahringsbach, which the path accompanies all the way.On the way you pass the Ahrings Mill, which like most mills in the Ahringsbach Valley, seems stuck in time like a sleeping beauty character. At the next mill, the Starkenburger Mill, you have the option of a short detour (0.4 km outward and 0.4 km for the return) to the Upper Starkenburger Mill. The detour is worthwhile, not only because of the historic building, but also because it has a beautiful rest area.

Back at the Starkenburger Mill, hikers on the Leiermannspfad now face an approx. 1 km long steep ascent through the forest. Once you have arrived in Starkenburg the ascent is still not over, but the historic buildings (for example the two bake houses) in the village are certainly worth a stop and a break. There is also a place offering refreshments. On the outskirts of the town you have reached the highest point of the Leiermannspfad, the pavilion "Auf'm Rech". From here you have probably the most beautiful view of the Traben-Trarbach Moselle loop.

Directly below the pavilion, the path meets the Moselsteig Trail, which the Leiermannspfad follows back to Enkirch. Close to the outskirts of the village the path takes you through a lower oak forest, on the same height. Soon you have reached the former school sports grounds, which again offers a fabulous view of the Moselle, this time downstream of the Moselle.

Continue a short distance downhill through the village, passing the mostly open pilgrimage church. The Leiermannspfad and the Moselsteig Trail leave Starkenburg and continue further downhill to the upper slope of the Ahringsbach Valley. The descent is short. Continue on a steep stretch to the L 192, which you need to cross. From here, you continue steadily downhill to Enkirch, only interrupted by a few intermediate climbs. The path, which often leads over the ridge as a rocky path, always offers great views of the Moselle. Here on the Kirster Grat, the Leiermannspfad has an almost alpine character. Several rest areas and mountain huts (including the Pavilion Rottenblick) can be enjoyed for a break (always with a view of the Moselle), before arriving back in Enkirch (Sponheimer Straße) via a stairway. The starting point "Off Schart" is now only a few steps away.

Equipment

The path is easy to walk wearing hiking boots.

Tip

In hot weather, a picnic is recommended at the rest area at the Upper Starkenbühler Mill. Here you can sit close to the water, surrounded by shady trees.

Getting there

Enkirch: B 53 Between Traben-Trarbach and Zell

Starkenburg: via L 192 from Enkirch

Parking

Enkirch: large parking lot between B 53 and the banks of the Moselle (close to the mobile home parking)

Starkenburg:Parking area at the parish hall at the Burenstraße

Public transit

Enkirch, bus line 333, stop B 53 of the line Traben-Trarbach-Bullay

Distance from starting point "Off Schart" bout 0.8 km

Literature

Literature (only available in German):

"Seitensprünge Band 2" - 17 Premium-Rundwanderungen von Bernkastel-Kues bis Koblenz von ideemedia