The Pfälzer Weinsteig is a hiking trail following the wooded mountains of the Palatinate Forest on the western edge of the Rhine plain.
It alternates vineyards and forest roads, and it is officially about 172 km long Pfälzer Weinsteig – Wikipedia, connecting Bockenheim a. d. Weinstraße (in the northern part) to Schweigen-Rechtenbach (in the soutern part).
The route is well marked with a bunch white grapes on a white-red background and the writing “Pfälzer Weinsteig”. The detours to reach the city center or the station are on yellow-red background.
In 2021, continuining the explorations of long German routes initiated in 2020 (Rheinsteig South-North in five stages | EmigranTrailer), I decided to run it in four stages, still having with me the two flags of Italy and Germany and the Peppa Pig puppet.
The routes and the dates of Stage 2 and 3 are not yet defined as I write.
Stage 0
Grünstadt -> Bockenheim a. d. Weinstraße -> Grünstadt
- Date: 20.03.2021
- Distance: 32,23 km
- Profil: 916 m (+) and 922 m (-)
- Weather conditions: sunny with 4°C at start
- Starting time: 10:41 a.m.
- my GPS Move: https://www.suunto.com/move/andreadefilippo70/60561571afac085462b40046
- my GPX Track: https://api.sports-tracker.com/apiserver/v2/routes/export/K3FyVmpING92M3ZrM3Z6TDJsclRpdFA2SWJKb0hNWkttMVoyR0wrbXQ5cz0=?brand=SUUNTOAPP
Description:
I parked at the station of Grünstadt and from there I ran the first kilometer in the pedestrian zone. Once I left the city center, I headed for the Kreiskrankenhaus, towards the hills.
I took “Berggasse” street and finally I reached the official route of Pfälzer Weinsteig. I decided to run a loop to Bockenheim a.d. Weinstraße, one of the last section of the complete route to have been opened few years ago.
The track passes through a small forest and then across fields leads to Mertesheim (ca. km 5). The next part is uphill to the small airfield (ca. km 7). The following kilometers are a continuous passage between the vineyards with a beautiful view over the entire Rhine plain and the mountians between Darmstadt and Heidelberg.
Once in Bockenheim a.d. Weinstraße (ca. km 15) and arrived to the Tourist Information point, I started to go back from the same tracks of the outward run.
I crossed the starting point of the morning next to the Akropolis restaurant (ca. km 27,5). Then I continued the official route heading for the following city: Neuleiningen. However, about 2,5 km before reaching it, I decided to take the detours route (yellow-red background) and return to the train station, closing in this way the loop for today (ca. 32,2 km).
Stage 1
Grünstadt -> Neustadt a. d. Weinstraße
- Date: 16.04.2021
- Distance: 60,05 km
- Profil: 1818 m (+) and 1862 m (-)
- Weather conditions: cloudy with 5°C at start; partially windy
- Starting time: 10:35 a.m.
- my GPS Move: https://www.suunto.com/move/andreadefilippo70/6079b775d830c35279c4747d
- my GPX Track: https://api.sports-tracker.com/apiserver/v2/routes/export/dFRGUUpjYWxSZk1tSk54N2l2Yjc3NEE3YU9wRndiQ2V2aytUZUtZSnJDdz0=?brand=SUUNTOAPP
Description:
I parked again at the station of Grünstadt. I was ready to go when a car stopped and the driver started to ask where I was going to trail-running. In short, he too was a trail-runner and we talked pleasantly for few minutes. It was really a pleasant meeting and it convices me even more that those who do trail running with the right spirit can go beyond physical and mental borders. Thank you Michael and good luck for your Eiger Trail in July.
In Grünstadt I ran the first kilometer in the pedestrian zone, following the marks on yellow-red background, heading towards the hills.
After ca. 5 km the route passes through Neuleiningen, a very pretty village dominated by its castle. Then it goes back to running among the vineyards and it starts a gradual and continuous ascent, first next to the town of Battenberg and then through the woods. It finishes at the Bismarck Tower (ca. 17 km), at the Peterskopf (493 m).
The coming section is a nice downhill, heading to the Teufelstein (ca. 20 km). In the following kilometer towards Bad Dürkheim (ca. 23 km) it is possible to have a nice view of Limburg Abbey and to pass next to Kaiser Wilhem Hohe and röm Steinbruch.
After passing through the city center of Bad Dürkheim the route becomes uphill again. Short stop at the Flaggenturm (ca. 27 km) to appreciate the view and then back in the direction of the woods. After some short uphills and downhills, the route passes next to the Wachtenburg (ca. 32 km).
The passage next to the Michaelskapelle anticipates the descent towards Deidesheim (ca. 39 km). After passing through the town, the route returs to the woods, heading towards Königsbach. Here (ca. 43km), be careful because a small part of the official route is closed and it is necessary a short detour through the town.
The following kilometers run along a stream, along which there are a couple of Forsthause. Then it begins the longest and steepest ascent of the stage, until reaching the Weinbiethaus (ca. 51 km), next to Weinbiet (554 m).
At the Berstein (ca. 53 km) it begins a fun and technical downhill which finishes at the Wolfsburg Castle (ca. 55 km). The following three kilometers are runable and brings to the first houses of Neustadt a.d. Weinstraße. The route passes through the city center and with a small detour (0,2 km) it is possible to reach the train station, where to pick up the train (there is one every hour) to return to Grünstadt.
If you want you can skip the last 500 meters around the Saalbau: I just did to reach 60 km :-).
Stage 2
Neustadt a. d. Weinstraße -> Dernbach (ca. 54,5 km, date: TBD)
Neustadt a. d. Weinstraße -> Annweiler (ca. 69,5 km, date: TBD)
Stage 3
Dernbach -> Schweigen-Rachtenbach (ca. 60,5 km, date: TBD)
Annweiler -> Wissenbourg (ca. 51 km; date TBD)
Final Remarks
Please contact me or comment below if you need more information about the routes: I will be happy to give hints and suggestions.
Other informations or details about:
- my running projects: Running Projects | EmigranTrailer
- trail-running in Germany: Trail Running (and hiking) to explore Germany | EmigranTrailer
Enjoy the tracks!
Andrea De Filippo
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