We like the dwarf state, even if the dwarf is quite big. After all, it has 660,000 inhabitants in twelve cantons. We have not actually explored Luxemburg on our touring bikes yet. We take advantage of the first warm days in early April and set off on our bikes.
First we head towards Mainz where we stop for the third time in the last five years on the Maaraue. The campsite is legendary: great tent pitches with pavilions to sit under. We are joined by two other touring cyclist couples. Opposite is the city of Mainz and boats sail up and down the Rhine. The adjacent kiosk is not just for campers, but also for many others who stop and meet up with friends who love this view, enjoy a beer or a glass of wine and relax. We sit outside until the early hours. It does not get damp or cold. The city of Mainz charges a hefty five euros tourist tax per person for this overnight stay. In the morning we cycle on to Zornheim where we celebrate Henner’s 86th birthday.
After coffee and cake, we head to Bad Kreuznach Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg. The cozy campsite where the Nahe river makes a bend, rushes violently and the magnificent backdrop of rocks including the Ebernburg. The dice snake has one of its few retreats here. It is Sunday evening and the campsite manager Christoph welcomes us. We pitch our tent on the beautiful picnic meadow with wood to make a fire, a barbecue and a fridge to swap warm drinks for cold ones, or something like that. Once over the bridge and we are in the spa town which is surrounded by the rocky massifs of the Rheingrafenstein and Rotenfels. Impressive!
The next morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we set off across the Hunsrück – Hochwald forest to the Moselhöhe campsite in perfect weather. The weather is still mild like in early summer. We climb up through beautiful landscapes. We also have a great view from the campsite. You can just make out the Moselle river. We meet Christina of Dortmund. She has borrowed a camper van, wants to learn how to camp and tour Europe for six months. What a great plan!
After a stormy night and a drop in temperature of more than ten degrees celsius, we continue the next morning. Down to the Moselle river, via Trier to Wasserbillig in Luxemburg. This is the first time we have traveled through the Grand Duchy on our bikes. We follow the Sûre river which meanders along the border, up to Echternach – our next destination for the day which we already know from vacation trips with our boys.
This time we will get to know Echternach as a hiking paradise in the Mullerthal. In the town and at the campsite, we bump into a number of hiking friends. Two backpackers from Belgium, Sanna and Da, spending the night at the Wolfsschlucht campsite, like us, where the hiking trails start directly.
At 36/38/36 kilometers, the stages are a little far for us. So we get on the bus after a good 20 kilometers and 1200 metres in altitude. Since 2020,all public transport in Luxemburg is free. A great offer for us. The comfortable bus takes us back to our starting point.
We cycle through Luxemburg’s Switzerland and the foothills of the Ardennes. Troisvierges, the northern cape of Luxemburg, is our overnight destination. A spacious campsite with all kinds of infrastructure invite us to stay.
The Vennbahnweg is Europe’s most beautiful or one of the longest railroad cycle paths. It does not really matter. It is great to cycle on, together with skaters, hikers, pedestrians and wheelchair users. Well, it is an ordinary Friday in April. On Sundays and public holidays, it is probably often quite busy here.
Around 5 p.m. we reach Aachen where we spend a wonderful weekend with sister Petra and Jörg.
On Sunday we four cycle to Valkenburg for the start of the Ardennes Classics to cheer on the racing bike stars at the Amstel Gold Race.
Ten travel days, 700 kilometers, four countries, six nights in tents and valuable tips for outdoor enthusiasts come to an end with a weather change. We reach home just before the heaven opens.