Many a strenuous climb is rewarded with beautiful views, lush vegetation, secluded forest paths and sections right through the vineyards on this certified Prädikat circular hiking trail. And no one can take away the great feeling of being at the top!
Geologically valuable
The Hiwweltour Eichelberg begins at the hikers' parking lot at the old train station of Frei-Laubersheim. Here we meet Emmy Frieß, Culture and wine ambassador from Neu-Bamberg. She tells us that a train ran regularly here between Sprendlingen and Fürfeld until 1956, transporting stones from nearby quarries. The loading ramp was located right here on the hiker's parking lot.
The theme of stones and quarries characterizes this Hiwweltour, which is geologically quite interesting. It is located in the natural area "Neu-Bamberger-Riegel" on the edge of the Mainz Basin, which was formed millions of years ago. Even though many geological features are no longer visible today because old quarries have been filled in, Emmy Frieß remembers digging up shells here as a child.
With an overview of all the highlights of the tour and her personal favorite spot (more on that later), the culture and wine ambassador lets us off on the approximately eleven-kilometer hiking trail. We are excited to see what awaits us and keep our eyes open for shells. You never know!
Tip: Emmy Frieß and other cultural and wine ambassadors of the region offer various thematic tours and guided walks around Neu-Bamberg and the Eichelberg Hiwweltour throughout the year. Information and dates can be found here .
On the old railroad line
First we walk directly on the old railroad line. There are no more tracks here for a long time, but a wonderfully grassy hiking trail between dense hedges and woods, on which we easily cover the first meters of the Hiwwelt tour. It's impressive to think that less than 100 years ago a steam train was still running at this very spot.
We pass a still active quarry, from which the distant sounds of busy machinery emanate, and reach the outskirts of Frei-Laubersheim. Via an access road, you can make a detour from here to the center with its picturesque half-timbered houses.
We complete the first ascent, leave Frei-Laubersheim behind us, immerse ourselves in nature and a little later reach a wide clearing with a forest stage. To the right, a narrow path leads deeper into the forest. The air is cool and pleasant.
We reach the viewpoint "Alter Steinbruch", which offers an impressive panorama. Here we can get an idea of the geological past of the region, which Emmy Frieß told us about. A little later we meet the old railroad line again, which slowly but surely leads us to the namesake of this Hiwweltour.
The Eichelberg calls
Now the trail climbs again, moderately at first, but soon steeper and steeper. Around us, the dense, fragrant pine forest provides cool shade, which we are very happy about. We keep going up, after all, the Eichelberg is one of the highest mountains in Rheinhessen. No pain, no gain!
The prize reveals itself to us a little later in the form of the "Nordpfalzblick". We don't know what we appreciate more at this moment: The beautiful view of the Palatinate or the bench that invites us to take a breather at this very spot.
On the bench we discover a small sign with a poem that could not be more appropriate! It tells of a hike up the Eichelberg through field, forest and meadow, of smoky feet and just this magnificent view.
After our short break, the last meters to the rough rocks of the Rabenkanzel, the highest point of the Eichelberg, are quickly accomplished. From here, through the trees, we catch our first glimpse of the village of Fürfeld, which lies directly below us and to which we now descend along a winding path. The Eichelberg is done!
From the forest to the wine
At the edge of the forest is a beautiful rest area, where the citizens of Fürfeld welcome us warmly with a plaque. How nice! From here, an access path leads into the village, where you can visit the pretty baroque church of St. Aegidius, among other things.
The Hiwwelt tour continues along the edge of the forest and we enjoy the view of the wide Rhine-Hessian hill country, delight in the idyllic heath along the way as well as apple, pear and plum trees that smile at us with their ripe fruit.
And something else suddenly comes into our field of vision: wine! We walk through the middle of the vineyards, past red and white grapes that can soon be harvested. Again and again, precisely planted vines alternate with wild hedges, opaque copses and old dry stone walls. In the valley below us flows the Fürfelder Bach and a little later we also discover the Thalermühle.
Then the next bench with a view awaits us. While we take a short break, we have Hof Iben firmly in view. In the middle of it all stands the High Gothic chapel, whose origins go back to the 13th century, when the Templars built a moated castle here on a busy trunk road.
Lows, heights, great views
Now it goes leisurely downhill into the Appelbach valley, which you can also see on the Hiwweltour Tiefenthaler Höhe gets to know. In the middle of the greenery, a lovingly designed vineyard cottage invites you to rest. And you should, because the next hike is a tough one. But if you've been steeled by the Eichelberg, nothing can knock you off your stride!
The hiking trail then leads at ground level and comfortably through the vineyard. From here we can see in the distance the Neu-Bamberger Heide, a section of the Hiwweltour Heideblick . And indeed, at this moment we see hikers who are just there. Do they see us too?
The table of wine could not be better placed. Amidst wild scenery, it overlooks the unmistakable Ajax Tower, the willow mill and the castle ruins of Neu-Bamberg. No wonder that exactly here is the favorite place of culture and wine ambassador Emmy Frieß!
The next access road leads to the nearby Sarlesheim church, the "church without a village". All that remains of the former village of Sarlesheim is the church. The village was abandoned when the village of Neu-Bamberg was built at the foot of the castle in the 14th century. The core of the church still dates back to the Middle Ages, in the meantime it is home to the Protestant church of Neu-Bamberg.
Next to us is the quarry
Now the last Hiwwel of the hike lies before us. We have become accustomed to climbs, only the magnificent panoramic views over Rheinhessen surprise us again and again! The castle ruins of Neu-Bamberg, still small on the horizon earlier, now come closer with every step. And just when we think we have seen everything, another final highlight awaits us.
The last section of the Hiwweltour passes right next to a huge disused quarry, in which a lake has since been created. The water shines in deep blue, the massive stone walls have the most varied shades of brown. It is almost as if the Eichelberg Hiwweltour wants to bid us farewell with this last impressive insight into its geology, because only a few meters later we reach the hiker's parking lot again.
A look back
But we can't quite part with it yet. We want to pay a visit to the castle ruins, which have been accompanying us in the distance for quite a while. To do this, we follow the access road to Neu-Bamberg.
The castle was built in the 13th century and destroyed in the 17th century. The experience of standing in the middle of the elaborately renovated ruin is impressive. As are the views that arise from this perspective. We even recognize our hiking path again and can proudly look at all the Hiwwel we hiked up and down today. It was great - even if we didn't find any shells.
