A 48, Wittlich-Mitte exit; take the B 49 toward Alf and continue on to Sankt Aldegund
A 48, take the Kaisersesch exit, take the L 98 to Cochem, then continue on the B 49 along the Moselle to Sankt Aldegund
A 61, take the Emmelshausen exit; take the B 327 toward Kastellaun; continue to the Blümlingshof exit, then take the B 421 to Zell (Mosel); take the B 53 along the Moselle to Sankt Aldegund
Bus routes 710 and 711 (Bullay – Cochem, Sankt Aldegund Römerstraße stop)
For more information, visit: https://www.vrminfo.de/.
Stay Hydrated
Bring plenty of drinking water and drink regularly. Especially during hikes and bike rides along the Moselle, the heat can be intense in the summer.
Ticks
Check your body thoroughly after your trip and use a suitable insect repellent if necessary.
Oak processionary moth
Avoid contact with oak processionary moth caterpillars and their webs. The fine stinging hairs can cause skin irritation and allergic reactions.
Check the Weather
Check the current weather forecast before starting your hike or bike ride. In case of thunderstorms, heavy rain, or strong winds, you should postpone the trip or end it in a timely manner.
Stay on the marked trails
Stay on the marked hiking and biking trails. This helps protect nature and yourself, and avoids unnecessary risks.
Forest Fire Risk
Pay special attention to the current risk of wildfires, especially during the summer months. Avoid open fires and smoking in the forest and in areas with dry vegetation.
Dogs
Please keep dogs on a leash whenever possible and be considerate of wildlife, grazing animals, and other visitors.
Emergency
In an emergency, you can reach emergency services throughout Europe by dialing 112. Provide your location as precisely as possible and, if possible, use your cell phone’s location feature.
Wear sturdy, non-slip footwear on hiking trails. Nature trails, slate paths, and steep vineyard trails can be slippery, especially after rain.
Headwear
Wear a hat in warm weather. There are very few shaded areas, especially on the open trails through the vineyards.
Sun protection
Apply plenty of sunscreen with an appropriate SPF and protect yourself from intense sunlight.
A small chapel serving as the final resting place of a great art collector: Peter Ludwig’s grave in the mountain chapel of St. Aldegund
The premium hiking trail “Felsen.Fässer.Fachwerk.” leads hikers to an ancient Celtic sacred site above Sankt Aldegund. There, in 1144, a small Christian chapel was built in honor of the Merovingian saint Aldegundis. Now known as the Old Church, the chapel stands in the middle of a garden that was once a cemetery. A few old grave crosses still serve as reminders of that time. In 1872, a new parish church was built on the banks of the Moselle, and the condition of the small mountain chapel was so poor at the time that the diocesan authorities ordered the parish to demolish the nave. Fortunately, the parish lacked the funds to do so; they sold part of the furnishings and made a makeshift repair to the roof. After 1948, the local Marian Society took charge of the old little church, repaired the roof, installed new windows, and began searching for the sold furnishings. The wrought-iron pulpit from 1663 was acquired through an art dealer in Cologne. The sandstone burial altar by Master Hans-Ruprecht Hoffmann from 1602, commissioned for the electoral bailiff Nicolaus Rultz, was discovered in the collection of Peter and Irene Ludwig, a married couple of collectors from Aachen. At first, the couple did not want to sell the artwork, but after visiting the Bergkapelle, they decided not only to donate the tomb altar but also to financially support the restoration work. In return, they requested a burial plot associated with the church. Thus, Peter Ludwig found his final resting place in Sankt Aldegund on July 30, 1996, and Irene Ludwig on December 4, 2010.
Peter Ludwig, together with his wife Irene, had amassed thousands of valuable works of art. Since 1957, the couple—who were well-to-do by birth—had explicitly collected for the public; as a result, their donations and permanent loans can be seen in over twenty museums. The “Ludwig Museums” and institutions bearing the Ludwig name either stem from initiatives by the couple or have been significantly shaped by their donated artworks, for example in Cologne, Oberhausen, Aachen, Koblenz, Saarlouis, Bamberg, Basel, Budapest, Vienna, St. Petersburg, and Beijing.
In stark contrast to these magnificent monuments that Peter and Irene Ludwig erected for themselves during their lifetimes, their final resting place in the small burial chapel is devoid of any sense of patronage. The Senheim sculptor Christof Anders was commissioned to create a simple, unadorned tomb, one in which even the artist’s own personality largely takes a back seat. The burial site can be viewed from the outside, but anyone wishing to visit the small chapel from the inside must obtain the key (from the von Essen family, Auf der Teusch 4).
All trails in the Zeller Land region are carefully maintained. However, trail conditions, closures, or weather conditions may change at short notice. Use of the hiking and biking trails is at your own risk. Please check the current conditions before starting your tour and choose a route that matches your personal fitness level and experience.
Mosellandtouristik GmbH
Kordelweg 1, 54470 Bernkastel-Kues; Phone: 06531/97330
www.moselsteig.de
Zeller Land Tourismus GmbH, Tourist Information
Balduinstraße 44, 56856 Zell (Mosel); 06542/96220
www.zellerland.de
