Last Sunday, I went on a short hike with my friends Jan and Zoe.
We started at the car park just above Rolandseck, a neighboring village.
It was overcast and a bit chilly, perfect weather for an uphill hike.
On the way up, we stopped to spy through the gates of a private property. Imagine living in a turret.
The hike was quite easy with a few hilly areas. Everything is finally green again. I love spring.
There are several longer hikes and bike trails which lead to the remains of the Rolandsbogen Castle. These paths are marked with different numbers and paint symbols which can be seen to the right of the arch above.
Cool root systems were enjoyed by all.
Before we knew it, we’d reached signage of the Rolandsbogen Restaurant.
Here’s a little history about the Rolandsbogen Castle, copied from this source.
Above Remagen and Rolandseck, near the island of Nonnenworth, is the former castle of Rolandsbogen. It is now in ruins, although offers magnificent views to those who climb up to see it. The castle was built by Charlemagne’s nephew, Roland. He supposedly returned from serious injury in Spain to find his wife had taken her vows as a nun on the island. So he built this fortress to be able to catch glimpses of her. The castle was built around 1040, and fell after an earthquake in 1673. Roland’s window still stands romantically in place.
Romantic even with the story rolling in.
Up a few more steps, we found the arch, cafe and restaurant. The building above is actually a Standesamt, one of the registered locations for the legal, civil union side of marriages in Germany.
The view over the Rhine was fantastic.
With the Seven Hills across the Rhine, and the convent turned school on the island, this castle once stood proud with an amazing view.
We had a coffee and shared a slice of cheesecake and apple cake while waiting out the storm before making the descent.
The walk back down was a bit more sunny and humid but still really lovely.
I’m so lucky to live in such a geographically interesting place. Just minutes from my home I have hills, dormant volcanoes, prairies, forests and one of the most important rivers in Europe.
I just need to get out and hike more often.
