Rundweg Westerberg

I found the round at Andrea H., thank you very much. It is based on the Westerberg circuit marked with a horseshoe and has been extended by 2 km at the end. The tour is very beautiful, often surprisingly shady at the edge of the forest with beautiful views of Ingelheim, Rheingau and towards Mainz. Many benches invite you to rest and enjoy. After Corona, you can graduate in gastronomy at the Bismarck Tower (tower closed due to Corona).

The Westerberg circuit with the horseshoe sign always offers beautiful views of Ingelheim and a varied landscape with horse pastures, forest, fields and fruit trees. Some benches invite you to rest. However, it was quite uncomfortable today with about 7 degrees and rain on the way back.

We had hoped that the sun would make it through the fog up there, but unfortunately that didn't happen 🤪. But the main thing was not to spend the whole day on the couch. And a foggy hike is also something 👍☺️. Unfortunately, the Bismarck Tower is currently closed because of the Ingelheimer Kerz. I'll definitely come back in the spring 👍

We started our tour at the Bismarck Tower under bright sunshine. Halfway through the route, we reached the Westerberg Stud Farm. For much of the way, you pass horses. Unfortunately, we couldn't climb the Bismarck Tower, as it's currently closed due to the "Ingelheim Candle" installation. However, we were able to take a picture of the "candle" in the dark.

The Westerberg circular trail is one of the eleven Ingelheim circular hiking trails that are laid out around the pharmaceutical city on the Rhine and are excellently signposted. From the car park at the Bismarck Tower, the trail initially leads across the plateau of the table mountain that was formed in the Tertiary period through pastures, horse paddocks, orchards and a few mini forests; there are always wonderful views over the Rhine Valley to the Rheingautaunus with the Hohe Wurzel and the Hochtaunus with the Grosser and Kleiner Feldberg and the Altkönig. The turning point of the circular trail is reached at the Westerberg stud farm and it now runs one level lower, in wide curves and partly on half-sunken paths, until it reaches the first vineyards on the Westerberg at the small road that leads to the Bismarck Tower. The trail continues downhill through vineyards on an old wine path, partly paved with cobblestones, until you reach the beautiful avenue hiking trail that leads steeply up from Ingelheim. After a short, steep climb, you are back at the car park at the Bismarck Tower, where you are spoiled for choice between two places to stop for refreshments. Today was exactly the right tour in this great weather; the first time in a long time without multiple layers of clothing; in fact, you could almost have run in a T-shirt, it was warm and windless enough for that...

Always a nice walk: from the parking lot at the Bismarkturm, high above Ingelheim, always following the horseshoe to Gestüt Westerberg, with a view of Westerhaus Castle and vineyards, past large pastures with peacefully grazing pregnant mares or exuberant yearlings and over field and forest paths return. The Westerhaus stud farm was founded by Heinrich von Opel in 1912 and is now run by his great-granddaughter, an enthusiastic eventing rider. English thoroughbreds are bred. The stud has produced several extremely successful racehorses as well as derby winners. More about the stud at http://www.gestuet-westerberg.de/das-gestuet/

An interesting mood on the Westerberg, you could see the outline of the Feldberg/Taunus very well. And the tele is fun, the castle church - albeit slightly blurred - is a highlight on the outskirts of Ingelheim-Süd. The grapes are hanging well, at least from a layman's point of view, and the deciduous trees also have some fruit.

Evening light stroll after the courtyard festival at Westerberg Castle. Good wine, delicious food, a relaxed atmosphere, great music, and then wonderful views from and over the vineyards.