Westerwald Motorcycle Loop: The Wied Valley, Hachenburg and the Lahn

The Westerwald is the upland east of the Rhine between the Sieg in the north and the Lahn in the south. It sits right next to some of Germany's best-known riding areas, the Sauerland to the north-east and the Eifel across the Rhine, and it is often overlooked in favour of them. That is its appeal: rolling plateau roads, deep valleys cutting down to the Rhine and the Lahn, and much less traffic. This loop of about 210 kilometres from Hachenburg combines the high plateau with two very different river valleys.

Planning a Westerwald trip

Hachenburg, a small town with a castle and a market square of half-timbered houses, is a good central base. Bad Marienberg and Westerburg are close alternatives; Limburg suits riders who want to concentrate on the Lahn. The A3 from Cologne to Frankfurt runs along the western edge of the Westerwald past Montabaur, so it is easy to reach from the Netherlands, Belgium and the Ruhr. From the north, the Sauerland is less than two hours away, which makes the two easy to combine.

The loop

Hachenburg and the Nister valley (about 20km). Start just outside Hachenburg at Marienstatt, a Cistercian abbey in the wooded Nister valley. The small roads along the Nister are a good warm-up: narrow and winding, with the river beside you.

The Westerwald lakes (about 25km). Ride south to the Westerwälder Seenplatte, a group of old fish ponds and small lakes between Hachenburg and Westerburg, the largest of them the Dreifelder Weiher. The roads around them are easy and open, with long views over woods and water.

West to the Wied valley (about 45km). Head west across the plateau toward the Wied, a river that winds south-west to the Rhine at Neuwied. The road down the Wied valley through Waldbreitbach is the best stretch of the day: a long run of bends following the river between steep wooded sides, with small villages and old mills. It is popular with riders from Cologne and Bonn on weekends.

Across to Montabaur and the Lahn (about 50km). From the lower Wied, cross the plateau east to Montabaur, whose bright yellow castle stands above the town, and ride south to the Lahn at Diez and Limburg. Limburg's cathedral stands on a rock above the river, with an old town of half-timbered houses below it.

The Lahn valley to Weilburg (about 35km). Ride upstream along the Lahn to Runkel, where a castle ruin faces a bridge over the river, and on to Weilburg, a baroque residence town in a loop of the river, with a tunnel for boats cut through the rock. The valley roads are winding and scenic, with the river and the railway alongside.

North over the high Westerwald (about 35km). Turn north from Weilburg and climb back onto the plateau toward Rennerod and the Fuchskaute, at about 657 metres the highest point of the Westerwald. Up here the landscape opens out into meadows and moorland with wide views and long, fast bends. Drop back to Bad Marienberg and Hachenburg to finish.

The roads

Surfaces are generally good. The plateau roads are open and exposed to wind and rain, and the high Westerwald can be noticeably colder and wetter than the Rhine valley below. Valley roads stay damp in the shade, and farm traffic leaves mud on the plateau lanes. Watch for weekend restrictions for motorcycles in the wider area: some roads around the Rhine and the Lahn valleys have been closed to bikes on weekends and holidays, so look out for the "no motorcycles" sign with days and times, and check with the district or the Rhineland-Palatinate road authority (LBM) if you are planning around a particular road.

When to go

May to October. The high Westerwald has a harsh climate for its height, with snow possible into April and fog common on autumn mornings. Summer is mild and pleasant; September and October bring autumn colour to the valleys.

Extensions

To the south-west, the Rhine valley between Koblenz and Bingen is one of the most famous river landscapes in Europe, with castles on every hill; cross at Koblenz for the Mosel valley or ride north-west to the Eifel. To the north, the Sieg valley and the Siegerland lead into the Sauerland.

A second day: the Middle Rhine

With a second day, ride south-west from the Westerwald down to the Rhine at Neuwied or Koblenz and follow the B42 upstream along the east bank. This is the Middle Rhine gorge, with vineyards on the steep slopes, a castle on almost every hill and the Loreley rock above the river near St. Goarshausen. There are no bridges over the Rhine between Koblenz and Mainz, but car ferries cross at several points, so you can ride one bank down and the other back. Climb away from the river on any of the side roads and you are back in quiet hill country within minutes. Return north through the Lahn valley at Bad Ems and Nassau, or over the hills to Montabaur.

Food, pottery and stops

The area around Höhr-Grenzhausen in the south-west of the Westerwald is known as the Kannenbäckerland, after its centuries-old tradition of grey and blue salt-glazed stoneware; you will see it in shop windows in every town. Village inns serve solid country food, and the plateau towns have plenty of cafés used to riders stopping in. Fuel is easy to find in the towns but sparse on the high plateau, so fill up before you climb.

Kit and weather

The Westerwald's weather is often a few degrees colder and noticeably wetter than in Cologne or Frankfurt, and low cloud can sit on the plateau when the valleys are clear. A warm layer and waterproofs are worth carrying in every month. In autumn, wet leaves on the shaded valley roads are the main hazard.

Where to stay

Hachenburg, Bad Marienberg and Westerburg are central; Limburg and Weilburg suit the Lahn. The nearest regions on our site are the Sauerland and the Eifel. See our riding in Germany page for the rules.