Network of hiking trails: The Romans are no longer moving

The fact that the "Rheingauer Riesling Route" is getting on in years can be clearly seen from the signet of the hiking trail: A white Roman glass on a green background shows hikers the way.

The stale wine glass was still widespread in the wine taverns of the region 40 years ago, even if it has always been rather detrimental to true wine enjoyment.

Oliver Bock

Correspondent for the Rhein-Main-Zeitung for the Rheingau-Taunus district and for Wiesbaden.

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Modern wine connoisseurs no longer even touch it with pointed fingers, and it has long since disappeared from most wine bars.

Nostalgics can now hang the hiking trail signs with the Römerglas in their living room, because the Rheingau Riesling Route is history.

It will soon be replaced by 14 shorter circular routes called "Riesling Loops".

More than half of the total costs covered

The Rheingau-Taunus Kultur und Tourismus GmbH initiated the new network of paths that stretches from Lorch to Hochheim.

Because three paths run in Hochheim, Wicker and Mainz-Kostheim, but they may not be financially supported outside the Rheingau-Taunus district and Eltville even has two loops instead of one, only ten of the 14 paths from the European Leader program are co-financed .

District Administrator Frank Kilian (independent) recently presented the funding decision for a sum of 69,000 euros in the House of the Region in Oestrich-Winkel.

This covers more than half of the total costs of 126,000 euros for the new road network.

The invitation to tender for the signposting of the new routes that have already been determined will be issued shortly, and the Riesling loops should be accessible to guests and locals by the end of October.

There will also be a new hiking map entitled "Genusswanderregion Rheingau", but for many hikers the option of calling up the routes digitally via online hiking portals such as

and then walking them with your smartphone in your pocket is more up-to-date.

Creating awareness for Riesling

So far, there have only been a few shorter route suggestions over distances of between four and seven kilometers, says project manager Maren Gutberlet.

She refers to the Wispertrails signposted three years ago, the distances of which usually cover well over ten kilometers.

The renunciation of the Rheingau Riesling Route as an element of the previous network of paths was also easy for the tourism experts because the 30-kilometre-long Klostersteig between Eberbach Abbey and the Marienkirche in Rüdesheim-Aulhausen, which opened in 2016, as well as the 320-kilometre-long Rheinsteig, which opened in 2005 between Bonn and Wiesbaden there are already two well-frequented and certified routes through the Rheingau.

The Rheinsteig runs in parts on the previous route of the Riesling route.

The Riesling loops are intended to make the hiker aware that Riesling is the defining grape variety in the 3200 hectare wine region.

The routes only partly lead through the forest, but much more often through the vineyards down to the Rhine.

Most of the routes are well connected to the local transport network and can be reached via the region's bus and train stations, says Gutberlet.

If you like, you can walk in the footsteps of the Spätlesereiter or explore steep slopes.

In the House of the Region, those responsible hope that the new hiking offer will be well received by visitors and locals alike and will contribute to added value.

Managing Director Dominik Russler hopes that the towpath on the banks of the Rhine, which is particularly busy at weekends, will be relieved a little by the flow of visitors.

In the long term, it is planned to clearly summarize all hiking trails in the entire region.

Rheingau wants to catch up with other hiking regions

In this summary, however, not only the Rheingau Riesling Route will no longer be included.

The 140-year-old Rhein-Taunus-Club sees the "old" long-distance hiking trails such as the Rheinhöhenweg and Taunushöhenweg as "still good orientation aids" for all hikers.

However, the association admits that they have been “overtaken” by offers such as the Rheinsteig and Wispertrails.

"We are currently examining which paths or sections are worth preserving and which ones can safely be left out," reports Board Member Jörg Sobek.

With its Riesling loop offensive, the Rheingau wants to catch up with other hiking regions.

The signage is based on the hiking trail guide of the neighboring state of Rhineland-Palatinate.

For District Administrator Kilian, the new hiking trail project is proof of the benefits of the European Leader program, which is intended to strengthen rural areas.

In the second funding period since 2014, at least two million euros flowed into the region for 48 projects, enabling total investments of 4.7 million euros.

The hiking trail offensive in the Rheingau is supplemented by an initiative for the district of Untertaunus.

For Aartal and Idsteiner Land there is a concept for ten "Aarschleifen" hiking trails with a total length of 112 kilometers.

For cyclists there should be around a dozen Taunus circuits with a length of 334 kilometers.

There are also swallow hiking tours in Bad Schwalbach and trail running routes in Schlangenbad.

In addition, the Limes adventure trail is to be upgraded.

And there will be a more attractive route for the Aartal cycle path.