We took the wise advice of Ernest Hemingway and made a guided e-bike tour through the center of Rheinhessen booked. The center of Rheinhessen, that is the hill country around Wörrstadt and Nieder-Olm. Together with our tour leader Angelika Friedrich, we cycled to three very different vineyard towers and can only agree with the writer: Yes, this is how you really get to know Rheinhessen!
A good start with the e-bike
We met with Angelika Friedrich in the Wörrstadt Tourist Information arranged. Here we will be equipped with e-bikes that will take us relaxed through the hilly countryside of Rheinhessen. Each of our bikes bears the name of a different grape variety, and it's details like this that make this day a truly Rhine-Hessian experience - even before we've ridden a single meter.
There are various tours of different length and intensity, which lead from Wörrstadt in all directions. However, individual wishes can always be taken into account and so we have in consultation with Angelika Friedrich set an individual route entirely according to our wishes.
Charming Sulzheim
After a short briefing on how the bikes work, we set off directly, first to neighboring Sulzheim. We stop in front of the small baroque church of St. Philip and St. James, where we take a look inside. It is used by both Catholics and Protestants, and Angelika Friedrich tells us with a wink that some people in Sulzheim go to both services so that they don't miss anything.
We are in the old town center and marvel at the house facades, which have been preserved with great attention to detail, as well as many listed half-timbered buildings, some of which were built as early as the 17th century. Angelika Friedrich grew up in Sulzheim and raves about the town, the Wörrstädter Land and the Rhine-Hessian lifestyle in general. She has also lived elsewhere for a while, but she is only really happy here. You can see it in her face!
Vineyard habitat
Now we dive into the vineyards. Our e-bikes take us effortlessly up and down the hills, allowing us to concentrate fully on the beautiful landscape. It's striking that meticulously tended rows of vines alternate again and again with wild vegetation. And this with full intention!
Many years ago, in the middle of the vineyards, areas were areas for nature conservation and thus about six hectares were renaturalized, says our tour guide. Plant seeds can survive in the soil for a very long in the soil for a long time, so they simply waited to see which grasses, bushes and shrubs and shrubs would develop naturally here again. Angelika Friedrich has even discovered wild orchids and wild tulips.
The nature reserves are open to the public. Information boards provide details about the special features of each area. Those who stay on the specially created paths are cordially invited to let the "wilderness" with its buzzing and humming take effect on them.
Prehistory at your fingertips
We have reached the first vineyard tower of our e-bike tour and take in the magnificent view from the Schildberg tower. Angelika Friedrich shows us the most important points on the horizon, from Mainz to the Donnersberg. Even the Frankfurt skyline can be seen on nice days like today.
But why wander off into the distance when the Nahe is even more impressive? We learn that 10 million years ago the primeval Rhine ran right through the middle of Rheinhessen around Wörrstadt and Nieder-Olm. And then our tour guide takes a small tin out of her bag. It is filled to the top with 30 million year old primordial sea shells that she herself collected nearby. The chalky shells are quite dry, the way Angelika Friedrich conveys millions of years of history to us is anything but!
The ABC of winemakers
Our next destination, the Vendersheimer Weinbergsturm, is already visible in the distance. Until then, it's still quite a while up and down. No problem thanks to the e-bike! We let the wind blow around our noses and stop again about halfway between Sulzheim and Vendersheim.
Angelika Friedrich, who herself grew up on a fruit and wine farm, explains to us the structure of a vine and the most important work steps of a vintner. It is quite exciting to be able to understand this "on the living object", so to speak. We also learn that you can taste the soil composition in wine, but also in asparagus and apples.
High above Vendersheim
The small wine village of Vendersheim on the slopes of the Sonnenberg welcomes us with the 1 p.m. ringing of the churches. At this time, the vintners and their helpers traditionally return to the vineyard after lunch. And as ordered, a tractor promptly overtakes us, intending to do just that.
The Vendersheimer Weinbergsturm is located directly on the outskirts of the village. It is significantly higher than the Schildberg tower, and yet we can only see the top of the latter. In the Rhine-Hessian hill country, some valleys remain completely hidden from some perspectives. Instead, we look together at the distance we have already covered and the one that still lies ahead of us.
Strong, stronger, strengthening
On the way to our third and last Weinbergsturm we first drive to Wallertheim and lay in the beautiful courtyard of the Winery Kern a well-deserved break.
The Kern family welcomes us with a beaming smile and a sumptuous snack that leaves nothing to be desired. We enjoy crispy rolls, an exquisite selection of sausages and cheeses, delicious salads, fresh fruit and a fluffy cheesecake. This is accompanied by cool water with limes and a shot of tonic water, which is a real revelation after several kilometers on the e-bike.
If you wish, the Kern family also brings the refreshment to the table of wine to the vineyard tower. But we are very happy to have experienced the warm ambience of the winery. We come again! The next time then without e-bike to the wine tasting.
A piece of Hiwweltour
In the best of moods we get back on the saddle and continue our journey. and continue our journey. The next section leads through the middle of fields, past orchards and finally up into the vineyards again. vineyards.
We meet here the Hiwweltour Neuborn. The certified Prädikatsrundwanderweg through the middle of the Wörrstädter Land is a wonderful alternative for all those who prefer to discover this region on two legs rather than on two wheels. Whereby the one does not exclude the other, of course.
To our left is the architecturally exciting Weinbergshaus Perka, an experimental and research building of the Technical University of Kaiserslautern, cast from high-strength concrete. To our right, we look down on the Greifenberg with its distinctive tree on top. A wonderful photo motif!
The bright finish the e-bike tour
The third and last tower of our e-bike tour beams at us from afar. And it's in a bright Burgundy red. We climb the steps for the last time and are also rewarded with a great view on the Wörrstadt Burgundy Tower.
In the middle of the forest we can Neuborn Bath make up. Angelika Friedrich raves about the cool but very clean spring water that feeds this bath.
After about three hours we hand in our e-bikes again and say goodbye to our tour guide, who has introduced us to her homeland in an her home country in an extremely warm, exciting and humorous way.
Tip: Those who wish can combine the e-bike tour with a wine tasting afterwards at a winegrower in the middle of Rheinhessen combine and thus get to know the advantages of this beautiful region a little better.
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