Traubenpfad No. 1 - The Little Walporzheim Route

This Traubenpfad hike is the little sister of the large Walporzheim route (circular route no. 2). It runs parallel to this hike for a large part but is overall shorter. At highlights, it is in no way inferior to its big sister but impresses just as much with a mix of scenic paths through the vineyards and refreshing sections through the forest. Including magnificent panoramic views.

The path starts at the hiking car park at the foot of the vineyards in Walporzheim, from where an asphalted path leads uphill. Here you are partly on the wine-growing educational trail. After about 600 m, you reach a bench and the junction to the mountain path, which leads quite steeply uphill to the left. The somewhat strenuous path is worth it because it offers great views of the Ahr valley and the vineyards. A few meters after the ascent, you also reach the viewing platform "Bunte Kuh." Now follows a small forest section, which you reach after the shelter on the left-hand side. The path leads about 300 m slightly downhill towards Marienthal, the viewpoint "Fischley." After leaving the forest, the "Altenwegshof" guesthouse is already in front of you. Shortly after, you reach the hiking car park. Here you keep left and after a few meters directly right onto the path that leads slightly uphill above the guesthouse through the vineyards. After around 800 m, you come to a crossroads where you keep right on the asphalted path towards the forest. Once you have reached the forest, go left on the gravel path. Shortly after, the path turns right into the forest, so you turn your back to the vines. On a wide, comfortable path, it now goes without any major climbs through the mixed forest until, after around 200 m in the forest, you come across a memorial cross on the right. About 400 m further, you reach a junction where several paths meet and a shelter with an artistic column placed in front awaits. You pass the shelter with the column behind you and keep right, slightly uphill towards Kuxberg. At the junction after about 400 m, the path leads right downhill. You now first hike a section through a spruce forest, then through mixed forest. After a few hundred meters, you leave the path to the right onto a trail, on flat terrain towards Silberberg. Soon you come to the wooden EVA tower erected by the Eifelverein Ahrweiler. A climb is definitely worth it!

The Traubenpfad continues straight ahead and after 200 m meets a crossing path, where you turn right. Soon you reach a small hut, and shortly after, a path branches off to the left, which leads steeply downhill towards the valley. After about 200 m, you reach an asphalted path on which you continue hiking downhill.

Some time later, you are in front of a significant attraction of the Ahr valley: the documentation site Regierungsbunker.

The last two kilometers run parallel to circular route no. 2. After passing the entrance of the Regierungsbunker, the path soon leads right out to Hotel Hohenzollern. The return route takes you from Hotel Hohenzollern through the vineyards back to the hiking car park, which you have already seen from the other side on the way. Here you go left towards Bunte Kuh until you meet the mountain path again. It goes downhill again to the starting point of the Traubenpfad. As the descent of the mountain path is quite steep, you can optionally go from Hotel Hohenzollern like on circular route no. 2 below the terrace through the vineyards to the car park.

Here is the link to the large Walporzheim route: https://www.outdooractive.com/de/route/wanderung/bad-nehuenahr-ahrweiler/rundtour-bad-neuenahr-nr.-2-die-grosse-walporzheimer-runde/17661188/

The detailed route description with information on places to eat, beautiful views, and elevation profiles can be found in the hiking book: "Around Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. The 15 Most Beautiful Hiking Trails" J.P. Bachem Verlag, ISBN 978-3-7616-2844-7.