I park my car in the free parking lot at the Jägerhaus near Bingen on the Rhine. This is also where I meet Thorsten Irmen; at the beginning of the year, the enthusiastic hiker took over the honorary trail sponsorship for the Tree Spirit Tour.
Tip: counterclockwise circular route
As a trail patron, he walks the trail several times a year, checks the condition of the wooden bridges, sees if all the signs are still there or easily recognizable and if the route is passable without any problems. In this way he ensures the safety of the hikers.
Now we start - Thorsten Irmen recommends walking the circular route counterclockwise. No sooner said than done: We hike down the grassy hill to the Steckeschlääferklamm. Plug-in beater Are hikers casually dragging their poles on the ground. I like it when the local dialect is incorporated in this way.
First highlight: The 1km long gorge
The approximately one-kilometer-long gorge is a first highlight on our hike: We discover many fairy-tale forest spirits - the loving carvings in the trees were made by Franz Kellermeier and the Weilerer Waldwanderfreunde.
Steckeschläferklamm as an entertaining family excursion
There were created with much skill numerous works of art! Each forest spirit shows a different emotion and its very own character. I wonder how many there are? It is worthwhile to walk carefully through the gorge so as not to miss any of the forest spirits. A nice task for children to count them! The Steckeschlääferklamm is a great place for an entertaining family excursion. But beware: Unfortunately, it's not easy to get through here with a stroller!
We hike through the mysterious gorge; listen to the Haselbach murmur softly. We cross wooden bridges, walk past moss-covered stones and enjoy the and enjoy the quiet, mystical atmosphere which the Steckeschläferklamm exudes. The path is ideal for hot summer days, as it provides us with plenty of shade.
Somewhat wistfully we now leave the gorge and reach the hikers' parking lot at the Josefsbrünnchen via a road. We turn right into the forest and then cross a road again.
A narrow natural path finally leads us again to the right, past the idyllic to the right, past the idyllic Waldalgesheim meadows. From there we have a magnificent view of the Soonwald.
Two hiking loungers invite you to take a short break to relax. a short break. However, we want to continue walking immediately, turn left and then right again. right again. We hike relaxed along the well-developed forest path, after a short time After a short time we pass the excavation site Villa Rustica.
The wooden suspension bridge over the Kreuzbach stream
Soon we arrive at another attraction: the wooden suspension bridge over the Kreuzbach is extremely popular with children and adults alike and is also a sought-after photo motif! It is part of the 4.5 kilometer long Adventure trail Bingen Forest, which overlaps with the tree spirits tour in some sections.
We cross the slightly swaying bridge and hike in the direction of botanical garden. Whoever wants can make a detour there. However, we are drawn further. We come at the Forestry house Heiligkreuz past - it smells very tempting. In the restaurant with good home cooking hikers can take a culinary break. We bravely resist and walk on, it is now uphill.
Soon we can enjoy a spectacular view of the Rhine - another highlight of the tree ghost tour. A bench and a hiking lounger allow for a pleasant rest. From a distance I discover the Ehrenfels castle ruins and the famous Mäuseturm. Hiker's heart, what more do you more?
Detour for the view on the Damianskopf
We also don't want to miss the next view on the Damianskopf - the small detour only adds a few hundred meters. Here, too, we are rewarded with a fantastic distant view. My gaze falls on the red wine village of Assmannshausen - from up here, houses, cars and ships look downright tiny, like toys.
After some time we arrive at the long-established Swiss House. Since 2018, the establishment has functioned as a beer garden - meaning that you can eat the food you bring with you here; only the drinks are bought on site. Incomparable: the view of the Binger Loch! Already as a child, I always enjoyed a trip to the Schweizerhaus. Those are beautiful memories!
We now continue along the narrow donkey trail to the romantic Rheinstein Castle. The well-preserved, former customs castle can be visited. There is also a restaurant there - but you have to pay the full castle entrance fee for this visit.
We continue our hike - so slowly I notice that my condition is not the best: More and more often I have to take a break. Thorsten Irmen waits patiently until I am reasonably fit again. am fit again.
Soon we are offered another panoramic view - this time of the imposing Reichenstein castle. Unlike the previous castle, we can admire it on our way only from a distance. It can also be visited.
Over roots and stones it goes now mostly downhill, passing filigree ferns, gnarled trees and impressive rock formations. We can hardly get enough of this charming landscape. Finally we reach the idyllic Morgenbach Valley nature reserve. Large stones along the way invite us to a picnic. picnic. The Morgenbach brook rushes happily past us. On hot days hikers can refresh themselves here.
The end of our hike is approaching: Finally, we climb steeply one last time back to our starting point, passing the restaurant Forester's lodge hunter's lodge, which offers a delicious refreshment after the hike. Somewhat exhausted, but very happy I say goodbye to my new hiking friend.
My conclusion: The premium hiking trail Baumgeistertour offers countless highlights, but also requires a certain level of fitness. Hikers can look forward to a varied tour that they will surely remember with pleasure.
