2020 - Day 15: Der Hunsrückbahn-Wanderweg

The summation of today is we may have been a little over ambitious, but we made it!

A slightly different format to the blog tonight, lots of photos and not so much writing since we're both too tired to write! Today we took the conventional Deutsche Bahn train to Boppard, just 15 minutes from Koblenz on the west side of the Rhine. From Boppard we then had a ride on the Hunsrückbahn to Emmelshausen, but instead of taking the train all the way back to Boppard on the return we alighted at Buchholz, 8km away and over 300m above Boppard. The photos below plot our hike from Buchholz to Boppard along the Hunsrückbahn-Wanderweg.

The walk ahead of us from Buchholz to Boppard via the Hunsrückbahn-Wanderweg, the line marked in red on the map is the walking route. We had allowed four hours for the walk; with all the stops along the way it took us nearer to six!

Our train from Koblenz to Boppard. There are lines on either side of the Rhine that hug the river, we were on the west side for Boppard.

The end of the line for the Hunsrückbahn at Emmelshausen. We stayed on the train to return to Buchholz.

An early shoulder carry as we aim to reach the first viewing point on our walk to see the train crossing Hubertus-Viadukt at the viewpoint Liesenfeldhütt.

We made it to Liesenfeldhütt before the train to take the picture postcard photo of the Hunsrückbahn crossing the Hubertus-Viadukt (photo by Matt).

We made it to Liesenfeldhütt before the train to take the picture postcard photo of the Hunsrückbahn crossing the Hubertus-Viadukt (photo by Amber).

Kids still eating their picnic, so time to have a quick play with the Lensball that was a birthday present from my sister Emily.

Kids still eating their picnic, so time to have a quick play with the Lensball that was a birthday present from my sister Emily.

Lunch finished and a quick photoshoot with the kids with the Hubertus-Viadukt as a backdrop.

Lunch finished and a quick photoshoot with the kids with the Hubertus-Viadukt as a backdrop.

Having lost track of the time we hadn't realised another train was due, this time with two carriages, but we managed to get an unplanned snap.

Back on our way and one of the many stick-based imaginative play distractions from walking!

But we eventually managed to make it to the bottom of the Hubertus-Viadukt and the viewpoint Hubertusschlucht for the return of the two carriage train to Boppard (photo by Matt).

But we eventually managed to make it to the bottom of the Hubertus-Viadukt and the viewpoint Hubertusschlucht for the return of the two carriage train to Boppard (photo by Amber)

Whilst the walk was mainly downhill from Buchholz to Boppard there were a few hard slogs up hill, one being to reach the Talberg-Tunnel viewpoint. We were lucky to time it that a train passed whilst having a snack (photo by Matt).

Whilst the walk was mainly downhill from Buchholz to Boppard there were a few hard slogs up hill, one being to reach the Talberg-Tunnel viewpoint. We were lucky to time it that a train passed whilst having a snack (photo by Amber).

Not an official viewpoint, but a much needed bench for a water stop (that was rapidly running out) on another of the slogs up hill.

Not an official viewpoint, but a much needed bench for a water stop (that was rapidly running out) on another of the slogs up hill. Paloma has finally made it to join the boys.

All legs were getting tired by now, but especially the littlest ones, so it was back on daddy's shoulders for Paloma.

At last we can see the Rhine, but still quite a way to go to Boppard. The viewpoint Kurt-Alich-Blick was on a rocky outcrop, so only Amber went and took a photo as it didn't feel safe for the kids to be up there.

Paloma pulling mama along for a change!

A very similar view, but a few hundred metres further down towards Boppard at the Heinz-Bach-Eck viewpoint. By now the path was downhill all the way, but quite narrow and windy in places.

Paloma practising her photo poses may have just been a way to delay the restart of the walking.

A panorama at the Heinz-Bach-Eck viewpoint. The incentive of a ice cream once back in Boppard was now introduced to help to keep the kids focused!

The final viewpoint on the walk and another one that by chance coincided with a train passing. This viewpoint is aptly named Einfahrt in die Steilstrecke, or Entry into the Steep Section when translated into English! Fortunately for us it was the end of the steep section and we were back in Boppard.

Right, enough photos. Now it's time to find those promised ice-creams.

Forrest enjoying an eisschokolade. This is like a chocolate milkshake but less milky and with a scoop (or two) of ice-cream added.

Paloma's Micky Maus ice-cream. I think she liked the gummy bears and smarties more than the actual ice-cream!

Amber's ice-cream. The waiter asked if we were Chelsea or Tottenham fans, but didn't go completely blank when we said Norwich City. Apparently a friend of his from Croatia played for Norwich in the 80s, we didn't catch the name but believe it was likely to be Dražen Mužinić.

Travelling back to Koblenz two hours later than planned on a regional express train with the views of the Rhine whizzing by outside the window. We will leave exploring Koblenz until tomorrow morning instead of this evening as we orignally planned!

Forrest can usually manage having a pizza of his own but this one was ginormous and unsurprisingly beat him in the end. Matt didn't even finish it off as he was so full up from his own one.

The Hunsrückbahn provide a really useful guide to the trail, for anyone who would like to read more please take a look here: Hunsrückbahn-Wanderweg Guide. All of our travel today was using a Verkehrsverbund Rhein-Mosel (VRM) Minigruppenkarte ticket costing 24 Euro and valid for up to five people to travel together off-peak.

Blogged by Matt and Amber.