Hunsrück Motorcycle Loop: the Hunsrückhöhenstrasse, Geierlay and the Mosel

The Hunsrück is the wooded upland between the Mosel, the Rhine, the Nahe and the Saar. Most riders know it from the other side of the river: it is the high ground you see from the Mosel road, and the place the vineyard lanes climb to. Up on top it is a quieter world of forest, farmland and small villages, crossed by one of Germany's best-known touring roads, the Hunsrückhöhenstrasse. This loop rides the ridge, drops into the valleys on either side and comes home along the Rhine.

Planning a Hunsrück trip

Kastellaun, Simmern and Morbach are good bases on the plateau; Boppard on the Rhine and Traben-Trarbach or Bernkastel-Kues on the Mosel suit riders who want a river town in the evening. The loop below starts and ends in Koblenz, but it is a circle, so join it wherever you sleep.

Koblenz is easy to reach from the Netherlands on the A61 or A3 and from Belgium on the A60 through the Eifel. Danish riders usually come down the A7 and A45 through the Sauerland, which is a good stop on the way (see the Sauerland loop).

The route

Koblenz to Kastellaun on the B327 (about 45km). Leave Koblenz south-west and climb onto the Hunsrück on the B327. The Hunsrückhöhenstrasse was built in the late 1930s along the ridge and runs south-west toward Hermeskeil. It is not a twisty road: it is a long, open ridge road with wide sweepers, big skies and views over the forest, the kind of road that suits a touring bike and a steady pace. Kastellaun, with its castle ruin above the town, is the first stop.

Kastellaun to the Geierlay (about 15km). Turn west to Mörsdorf for the Geierlay, a long suspension footbridge slung across a deep wooded valley. It is a short walk from the car park and a good leg-stretch.

Down to the Mosel (about 35km). From Mörsdorf the small roads drop north and west toward the Mosel. The side valleys, the Baybach and the Ehrbach among them, are where the Hunsrück has its corners: narrow, twisting roads through forest and over streams, with steep climbs out. Come down to the river near Treis-Karden or Zell and follow the Mosel upstream (see the Mosel valley guide for the river road itself) to Traben-Trarbach or Bernkastel-Kues for lunch.

Bernkastel-Kues to the Erbeskopf (about 40km). Climb south out of the valley toward Morbach. The Erbeskopf, at about 816 metres the highest point in Rhineland-Palatinate, stands in the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park; a small pass road under the summit links the B269 near Morbach with the B327. There is a lookout tower at the top, a short walk from the car park.

Idar-Oberstein and the Nahe (about 45km). Drop south to Idar-Oberstein, a gemstone town with a church built into the cliff above the river. Then follow the Nahe valley east past Kirn, with the river and railway close by and wine villages on the slopes.

Back across the plateau to the Rhine (about 50km). Turn north from the Nahe and cross the plateau through Simmern or Rheinböllen, then drop to the Rhine at Bacharach or Oberwesel. The descents to the river are steep and wooded.

The Rhine Gorge to Koblenz (about 50km). The B9 follows the left bank of the Rhine past Oberwesel, St. Goar and Boppard to Koblenz, with castles on almost every hill and the Loreley rock across the water. It is a slow, scenic road with heavy traffic in summer, and a good way to end the day.

Extension: the Saar loop

From Hermeskeil at the south-west end of the Hunsrückhöhenstrasse, it is a short ride to the Saar and the Saarschleife at Mettlach, where the river turns back on itself in a tight bend. The Cloef viewpoint above it is one of the best-known views in the region. From there, Trier and the upper Mosel are close.

The roads

The B327 is wide and well surfaced, with long straights where speed checks are common. The side valleys are another matter: narrow, patched in places, damp in the shade and shared with tractors. Wind can be strong on the open ridge. Expect slow traffic and coaches on the Mosel and Rhine roads on summer weekends, and stay alert for deer on the plateau at dusk.

Pack a warm layer: the Hunsrück plateau is often several degrees cooler than the Mosel valley, and the wind across the open ridge of the B327 makes it feel colder still. On a hot summer day the opposite applies, and the shaded side valleys are a welcome relief from the heat of the river towns.

When to go

April to October. The plateau is cooler and windier than the river valleys, and can stay grey when the Mosel is sunny. Spring is quiet and green; September and October bring the grape harvest and wine festivals on both rivers, with slow farm machinery on the vineyard lanes.

Crossing the Rhine

There is no road bridge over the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz, so riders who want to switch banks in the Rhine Gorge use the car ferries. They run at Boppard, St. Goar, Kaub, Lorch and Bingen, among others, and they take motorcycles. A ferry crossing turns this loop into a figure of eight: cross at St. Goar or Boppard, ride the B42 on the right bank past the Loreley, and come back on another ferry. Timetables vary by season and the last crossings are in the evening, so check before you count on one.

A two-day plan

Day one: Koblenz along the Hunsrückhöhenstrasse to Kastellaun and the Geierlay, down to the Mosel and over to Morbach for the night. Day two: the Erbeskopf, Idar-Oberstein, the Nahe valley and back north across the plateau to the Rhine Gorge. Riders with a third day can add the Saar loop and Trier, or cross the Mosel into the Eifel.

Where to stay

Kastellaun, Simmern and Morbach suit riders who want the plateau; the Mosel towns suit those who want a river terrace and a glass of Riesling. See all Mosel and Hunsrück biker hotels. The Eifel is directly across the Mosel to the north, and the Nürburgring is about an hour from Cochem.