In this article I write about my second stage on the Rheinsteig from Rhöndorf to Bad Honnef. After a wild night with wild boars in front of my tent, my first destination for the day is the ruin of the Löwenburg. The article is part of my Rheinsteig series, here you can find the stage overview and here you go back to the 1st stage.
Day:
August 29. 2017
Start:
08:00 pm – Rhöndorf – clearing in the Siebengebirge
Goal:
05:00 pm – Bad Honnef – Youth hostel
Distance:
12 km/ 7.46 miles
Important notes for the 2nd stage
Are there shopping facilities on the 2nd stage of the Rheinsteig?
In Rhöndorf and Bad Honnef there are shopping facilities and restaurants, but not directly on the way. If you absolutely need new shoes due to blisters or something like that, you should go to 7G Runergy in Bad Honnef (opening hours: Mon – Fri: 9:30 am – 06:30 pm; Sat: 9:30 am -02:00 pm)! Here you get a great consultation and you can continue walking on the Rheinsteig with new shoes.
Is it possible to refill water on the 2nd stage of the Rheinsteig?
There is no refill directly on the stage. In the morning I filled up my water bottles in the bathroom of the bakery store in Röhndorf.
Where can I spend the night on the 2nd stage of the Rheinsteig?
Bad Honnef has a reasonably priced youth hostel right on the Rheinsteig.
To get a bed at Bad Honnef Youth Hostel, you must be a member of the German Youth Hostels (DJH). Membership (valid for all youth hostels in Germany) can be taken out locally, costs a one-time fee of approx. 23€ and is valid for one year. In addition there is the price for the overnight stay, which also costs about 20€. As there are several youth hostels on the Rheinsteig and these are therefore an inexpensive alternative (15 – 25€ per night) to the otherwise very expensive hotels (50 – 95€ per night), membership is definitely worth it. IMPORTANT: Cancel your membership after the hike, otherwise it will be automatically renewed for another year after the first year.
How is the marking of the route on the 2nd stage of the Rheinsteig?
The path is well signposted, so you can’t get lost.
Is the climb to the ruins of Löwenburg worth it?
Yes, definitely! In order to get to the Löwenburg, however, you have to leave the path for approximately 2 km. I recommend this small detour, because the view from the Löwenburg is breathtaking.
Map – From Röhndorf to Bad Honnef
May 31, 2018 9:55 pm
Distance12 km
Time2 h 57 min
Speed4.0 km/h
Min altitude89 m
Peak384 m
Climb705 m
Descent691 m
DistanceInstructions
Label
The morning after
What a night. Awakened by the sun’s rays on my tent and the rising heat, I notice that the last hours are in my bones. The horde of wild boars came to my tent several times during the night, which really got me down. Afterwards it was clear to me why the wild boars came to the tent. In the hustle and bustle of the twilight and the tent construction I forgot to hang my food in a tree, which the wild boars naturally smelled.
I take down my tent, pack my things and start walking. After a few meters I see a sign saying that it is only a few meters to Rhöndorf and I decide to throw my self-sufficiency plans for the next 7 days over the pile.
I walk to Rhöndorf, go to the bakery and get a delicious sandwich and a cappuccino. The bakery also has a bathroom I can use. A perfect opportunity to refill my water bottles and start the second day strengthened. First goal for the day: The ruins of the Löwenburg.
Ascent to Löwenburg Castle
On the way to the Löwenburg I notice more and more that my shoes are pinching and I decide to take a break at the Eulenhardt refuge to give my feet a break. As it looks a few blisters have formed again and I realize that my shoes are a number too small for this hike. After I’ve treated my feet, I continue on the way to the Löwenburg.
Note: In order to walk to Löwenburg, you have to leave the Rheinsteig for a few kilometres. However, I recommend everyone to make a detour, as the view from the Löwenburg ruins is fabulous.
Arrived at the top of the Löwenburg I take another break and enjoy the fantastic view. It is great hiking weather, the air is pleasant and you can see very far.
After the break at the Löwenburg it goes downhill and I notice that my shoes cause real problems. Two thick blisters develop on the small toes on the left and right and two smaller blisters on the left foot. I decide to take another break at the reservoir of the Ohlbach and treat my blisters.
I also notice slowly how I get hungry and decide to take another break, which is also somehow exciting, because now I can try out my new gas stove under hiking conditions for the first time.
There’s a Chana Masala from Trek’N’Eat to eat. This is freeze-dried food that is made edible with hot water. It seems a little bit less to me so I added some ramen noodles and some dried tomato soup to the mixture. Conclusion: eatable.
The decision
After the lunch break I go on strengthened, but struggle with the pain in my feet and with the persistent tiredness of last night. I have to make a decision on how to keep running and decide to reduce the speed to go slower.
I therefore walk differently than planned only up to the youth hostel in Bad Honnef in order to treat my feet and sleep in a warm bed. The blisters just hurt too much and I have to rest and sleep.
No way is too long for that one,
who slowly and unhurriedly
progresses.
Jean de La Bruyére
I didn’t get the idea to buy new shoes that were a few sizes bigger on the whole Rheinsteig… I would do that differently today.
First insight of the day: Those who exaggerate at the beginning will not reach their goal. Every hiking trail must be approached with respect, otherwise you will not reach your final destination. The old wisdom “The way is the goal” gets a new meaning for me.
Second insight of the day: If you notice on the way that your shoes are too small, you should try to buy new shoes in the next village. Tormenting is not worth it. In Bad Honnef there is fortunately the running shop 7G Runergy, which advises very well and can help further.
Here it goes directly to the 3rd Stage of the Rheinsteig.
I hope with this article I could give you a little insight into the second stage of the Rheinsteig. If you like this article, I’m happy about a Like, a heart or a smile on your face. If you have questions, suggestions or criticism, I’m looking forward to your comments.
Greetings, Martin
In this article I write about my first stage on the Rheinsteig from Bonn to Rhöndorf. I started at home in Bonn and landed in the Siebengebirge on a clearing in the forest. The highlights of the day: Wild boars in front of my tent and a creepy guy in the forest. The article is part of my Rheinsteig series, here you can find the stage overview.
Day:
August 28, 2017
Start:
11:00 am – Old City Hall Bonn
Goal:
09:00 pm – Clearing in Siebengebirge
Distance:
23 km / 14.3 Miles
Important notes for the 1st stage
Are there shopping facilities on the 1st stage of the Rheinsteig? On the first stage of the Rheinsteig, there are virtually no shopping possibilities behind Bonn except for the day’s destination Königswinter, Rhöndorf or Bad Honnef. For this you have to leave the Rheinsteig.
Is it possible to refill water on the 1st stage of the Rheinsteig? On the Petersberg there is a public toilet on about 2/3 of the way in the Steigenberger Hotel to refill water. Until then you pass two small streams from which you could also refill water with a water filter*.
Where can I spend the night on the 1st stage of the Rheinsteig? In Rhöndorf and Königswinter there are accommodations, but they are quite expensive. There are no campsites nearby. Emergency camping/ wild camping would be another alternative.
How is the marking of the route on the 1st stage of the Rheinsteig? The path is well signposted, so you can’t get lost.
Map – From Bonn to Rhöndorf
May 31, 2018 4:16 pm
Distance23 km
Time5 h 51 min
Speed4.0 km/h
Min altitude46 m
Peak347 m
Climb1153 m
Descent1102 m
DistanceInstructions
Label
The Rheinsteig – Start in Bonn
Today is the first day of my Rheinsteig hike. I am a bit excited because this is my first hike with ultra light equipment. With almost 6 kg (13.22 lbs) of basic equipment (backpack, tent, sleeping mat, sleeping bag, cooking gear, hygiene, first-aid and clothes), about 3 kg (6.6 lbs) of food for 5 days and 2 liters (67 oz) of water I set off and hope for a great hiking experience. I start directly from home – I live in Bonn 🙂 – and walk to the old town hall of Bonn. This is where the Rheinsteig begins.
During the first days it is always difficult to leave everyday life behind you and to find a walking rhythm. So I just walk on and let the path come towards me. After leaving Bonn I move directly in the Siebengebirge and I’m immediately surrounded by nature.
It’s a hot August day and I quickly realize that I’m trying to keep house with my water. In spite of thirst I drink very little, which is not optimal. After a few hours I reach the Steigenberger Hotel on the Petersberg. Fortunately there is a public bathroom and I can refill my water bottles and take a short break.
A look at my map reveals that my destination of the day, the Walter Guillaume hut on the Geisberg, is only 6 km (3,72 Miles) away. At the same time I realize that I have a small blister and the new shoes don’t seem to have broken in properly. On all my hikes on the Way of St. James I had maybe 3 blisters in total and now the first one after a few kilometres.
The blister points inwards, and I assume that I have chosen my shoes a number too small. Let’s see how that develops. Arrived at the Walter Guillaume hut I take off my shoes, enjoy the fabulous view and breathe deeply.
A creepy guy in the woods
Wisdom of the forest: “Believe me, because I’ve experienced it: You’ll find more in the woods than in the books. Trees and stones will teach you things no teacher can tell you.” BERNHARD VON CLAIRVAUX
The first day is done, I think and look up in amazement when an older gentleman stands in the hut and looks at me. He sits down and starts telling stories without breathing. He calls himself a homeless pensioner and he always sleeps in this hut, but I can sleep with him here.
The man warns me, I have to be on my guard, because the mice that live here always crawl into the sleeping bags and pants – but don’t worry, they don’t bite. Worse in his opinion is the marten with its huge teeth and the fox which is always fed by him. The fox is very sympathetic in comparison to the marten, so the old one.
He tells me one horror story after another and I don’t feel comfortable at all in his presence. He reminds me of the demon from Paulo Coelho’s book “The Pilgrimage”.
When the man starts talking from his titanium heart valve and praises the great wash place at the cemetery, I just want to leave. I say goodbye and be on my way. Now I have only one problem: it’s already 7:30 pm and begins to dawn.
The search: A place for my tent
All packed up I walk towards Drachenfels and hope to find a place to sleep. While walking I constantly look around and have a queasy feeling in my stomach. The old man really scared me and I don’t want to sleep at the sleeping places he recommended for me and my tent.
I reach Drachenfels and experience a beautiful sunset, but at the same time I notice how I start to panic a little. Still no place for my tent found. I leave the Drachenfels in the direction of Bad Honnef and enter the increasingly dark forest. Around 9:00 pm I find a place on a clearing and set up my tent.
The clearing is in the middle of the Siebengebirge and not the best place, because the terrain is a bit sloping and I can only keep my balance in a hollow with my right buttock lying diagonally in the tent. So I look for a pleasant pose and fall asleep very quickly despite this uncomfortable position.
The Wild Boar Disaster
In the middle of the night, I’m woken up by a grunt and squeal. There’s a horde of wild boars right by my tent. The pigs grunt, smack, puff, rummage around and chase each other from side to side. I’m lying in my tent and I’m just scared. Purely instinctively I pretend to be dead and hope that the wild boars have no interest in me and my tent.
After a quarter of an hour the horde runs away and returns to my tent two more times during the night. A first border experience, because you can’t joke with wild boars. The next morning I collect myself, I’m relieved and happy about the warming sunbeams. The first night cost a lot of energy.
My conclusion of the first night: I’ve slept maybe 3 hours, been scared to death, been lucky and found that wild camping in the Siebengebirge might not be the best idea. Maybe now I also have the members of a horde of wild boars as new friends. However, I’m happy the first night’s over. Here it goes directly to the 2nd stage.
I hope with this article I could give you a little insight into the first stage of the Rheinsteig. If you like this article, I’m happy about a Like, a heart or a smile on your face. If you have questions, suggestions or criticism, I’m looking forward to your comments.
Greetings, Martin
The Rheinsteig is a 312 km / 194 miles long hiking trail in western Germany and can be walked northbound (from Wiesbaden to Bonn) or southbound (from Bonn to Wiesbaden).
In this article you will find an overview of all stages of the Rheinsteig as I hiked it in late summer 2017.
I decided to go southbound, as I live in Bonn and wanted to enjoy the pleasure of starting directly from my front door.
Rheinsteig from Bonn to Wiesbaden in 13 stages
I hiked the Rheinsteig in 13 stages. You can also walk the Rheinsteig in 12 stages (approx. 26km / 16.2 miles per day) or in up to 18 stages (approx. 17km / 10.5 miles per day). The planning of the individual stages thus allows plenty of scope for people of all abilities. For the Rheinsteig I recommend you the hiking guide from Conrad Stein Verlag*, which officially runs northwards, but is also suitable for the southward version.
This hiking guide prepares hikers for their journey on the Rheinsteig. Many pictures, maps and altitude profiles round off the detailed route description. The hiking guide is in German.
Last update on 2024-05-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Rheinsteig has many ascents and descents, so you should not overestimate yourself and your performance. Along the entire length of the Rheinsteig you have to climb up to approx. 10,000 m /32,808 ft and descend approx. 10,000 m / 32,808 ft.
The first stage of the Rheinsteig takes you from Bonn through the Siebengebirge mountains past the Drachenfels to Rhöndorf. I had an encounter with wild boars here the first night. Read more.
The second stage of the Rheinsteig takes you from Rhöndorf to Bad Honnef. The stage is again impressive and my first goal of the day is the ruin of the Löwenburg. Read more.
The third stage goes from Bad Honnef to Linz am Rhein. Even though the stage is only 17km long, I come to the conclusion that the Rheinsteig is damn hard to walk! In the evening I’m just looking forward to a warm bed. Read more.
The fifth stage of the Rheinsteig starts in Leutesdorf and goes to Rengsdorf. This was the first stage on which I got lost. However, I noticed it soon enough and found my way back to the Rheinsteig. Read more.
The sixth stage takes you from Rengsdorf to Sayn, past the Nonnenley viewpoint and through many forests. In Sayn I met an old colleague who didn’t have good news for me.Read more.
The seventh stage leads from Sayn to the Ehrenbreitstein fortress in Koblenz. On this day I have to struggle with a real low, but a friend manages to make me feel better via Skype. Read more.
From my point of view, the eighth stage is one of the most beautiful of the Rheinsteig. It goes from Koblenz through the Ruppertsklamm, along the Lahn through beautiful nature to Braubach. Read more.
Rheinsteig Stage 9: Braubach – Oberkestert, 28km
Article will follow.
Rheinsteig Stage 10: Oberkestert – Kaub, 28km
Article will follow.
Rheinsteig Stage 11: Kaub – Rüdesheim, 33km
Article will follow.
Rheinsteig Stage 12: Rüdesheim – Am Rebhang, 20km
Article will follow.
Rheinsteig Stage 13: Am Rebhang – Wiesbaden, 31km
Article will follow.
I hope this overview will make it easier for you to plan your stages for the Rheinteig. If you like this article, I’m happy about a Like, a heart or a smile on your face. If you have questions, suggestions or criticism, I’m looking forward to your comments.
The Rheinsteig is a hiking trail in western Germany and connects the two cities of Bonn and Wiesbaden. With a total length of approx. 312 km / 194 miles, the Rheinsteig leads through the states of North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse.
This page is intended to help you prepare for the Rheinsteig, be an information platform or simply for entertainment if you want to read a few stories about the Rheinsteig. I have written down my experiences here and hope that they will help you.
The site will be kept up to date and as soon as there is new informations or articles about the Rheinsteig, they will be added here. If you have questions, just use the comment function and I’ ll try to answer them as soon as possible.
My Rheinsteig Hike
I hiked the Rheinsteig in late summer 2017 from Bonn to Wiesbaden and had beautiful but also hard experiences. The Rheinsteig is mystical, leading through many forests and gorges over vineyards and partly untouched nature along the Rhine.
In addition to many great views and breathtaking nature, it has to be said that the Rheinsteig is challenging and should not be taken lightly. I had this realization more than once.
If you hike the Rheinsteig alone, the loneliness can be exhausting as well as the demanding profile. In two weeks, I’ve met four hikers in total. If you are looking for solitude and a nature experience, the Rheinsteig is just the thing for you.
One of the most important questions in advance: Do I need a hiking guide?
I actually walk all my paths with a hiking guide and also had one with me on the Rheinsteig. The Rheinsteig is very well signed in itself, but in order to be able to plan the stages better, I recommend taking a hiking guide with you. I had the hiking guide from Conrad Stein Verlag* with me and was very satisfied with it.
This hiking guide prepares hikers for their journey on the Rheinsteig. Many pictures, maps and altitude profiles round off the detailed route description. The hiking guide is in German.
Last update on 2024-05-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Unfortunately there is no english hiking guide for the Rheinsteig, but with the GoogleTranslator App you can also use the german travel guide very well.
Arrival and Departure
Bonn: Depending on the distance, you can travel to Bonn by bus, train, plane or a car-sharing opportunity.
Take the train to Bonn main station. Afterwards, you can reach the starting point of the Rheinsteig at the old Bonn Town Hall on foot in a few minutes.
Take the bus (for example Flixbus) to the long-distance bus stop “Museumsmeile” on Joseph-Beuys-Allee. From there it is a few minutes to the stop “Heussallee/Museumsmeile”. Here you can take the tram lines 66 direction “Siegburg Bf” and 63 direction “Brühler Str” to the stop “Universität/Markt” and walk from there to the starting point at the old town hall.
By plane you fly to the airport Köln/Bonn (CGN) and take the shuttle bus SB60 direction Bonn to the stop “Markt A”. Here you get out and stand directly at the old town hall.
With a car-sharing opportunity you can also travel comfortably to Bonn. This is where BlaBlaCar comes in.
Wiesbaden: Depending on the distance, you can travel to Wiesbaden by bus, train, plane or carpool.
Take the train to Wiesbaden main station. From there it is just 4.5 km / 2.8 miles on foot to Schloss Biebrich, the southern starting point of the Rheinsteig.
Take the bus (e.g. Flixbus) to the bus station, which is located directly at Wiesbaden main station. From here it goes then also on foot to the castle Biebrich.
By plane you can fly to Frankfurt airport and take the S8 or S9 to Wiesbaden main station. The journey takes between 49 and 56 minutes. From there it goes again on foot to the castle Biebrich.
You can also travel comfortably to Wiesbaden by using a carpool. This is where BlaBlaCar comes in.
Shopping
There are shopping possibilities on almost all stages of the Rheinsteig, even if you have to leave the Rheinsteig. However, with a few metres of detour, one finds in most small towns an Aldi, Rewe, Netto, Edeka or other supermarkets. On Sundays all shops are closed and it is advisable to have enough water and food on the stages.
Best Hiking Time
Many hiking guides say that the Rheinsteig can be done in all seasons. However, since there are also climbing areas that are wet and slippery even in the summer, I would advise against hiking the entire Rheinsteig in the winter. The Rheinsteig can be completely walked in spring, summer and autumn.
Accommodations
Hotels: At the end of all stages there are accommodations, guesthouses and rooms, but most of them are very expensive. Here you should plan 50 – 95€ per night.
Youth hostels: Alternatively, there are youth hostels which are particularly recommended in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate. In this case, a membership at the German Youth Hostels (DHJ) is necessary. Membership (valid for all youth hostels in Germany) can be taken out locally, costs a one-time fee of approx. 23€ and is valid for one year. In addition there is the price for the overnight stay in the youth hostel, which costs about 15 – 20€. As there are several youth hostels on the Rheinsteig, this is an inexpensive alternative. IMPORTANT:Cancel your membership after the hike, otherwise it will be automatically renewed for another year after the first year.
Camping: There are a few campsites on the Rheinsteig, which also cost around 15€ per night. Wild camping is not officially permitted in Germany. But if you ask people or a hotel nicely if you can use their garden for camping, they usually won’t mind. If you don’t make the daily stage and have to camp in an emergency, tolerance should be shown if someone finds you. Again, don’t leave any garbage behind and leave the place if possible better than you found it in.
Waymarking
The Rheinsteig is very well signposted, so that one cannot get lost. However, since it can happen that you are lost in thought or in a conversation, you should always look out for the Rheinsteig symbol. A white winding line representing the Rhine on a blue background. There is also the symbol with a yellow background – these are the paths to the Rheinsteig.
I hope I could give you with this article a small insight to the Rheinsteigs. If you liked this article, I’m happy about a Like, a heart or a smile on your face. If you have questions, suggestions or criticism, I look forward to your comments.
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