As part of my ongoing preparation for the first of two Three Peaks Challenges at the end of the month, I began my trip to Germany by doing a three-day hike on the relatively new Rheinsteig track. Established in 2005, this track encompasses over 320km of hills, castles, wineries, and villages in 23 day-long stages. I chose to do what is arguably the most scenic section, between Rüdesheim and Sankt Goarshausen in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Rhine Gorge.
The hike was every bit as scenic as it was billed to be. No matter how high or low I was, I always had a view of the storied Rhine River. From ground level, I could see just how quickly the river’s current was rushing; from above, I could see the sweeping landscape that it had helped to shape.
My second day of hiking was arguably the most successful, since I didn’t have to stop halfway or turn around because of heavy rain and dangerous conditions that I didn’t want to tackle alone (more on that later). This leg — 13.3km between Lorch and Kaub — featured plenty of lookouts, and even though they all looked out at roughly the same thing — the Rhine — every one was worth stopping for!
Here are a few other photos from that day:
