Ton van Zutphen and Biya Han on a long weekend trip to the Moselle valley in Germany

21-24 August 2020.

Puenderich village with campsite and ferry 

We had been here also last year and because of the absolute charm of its geography we had months ago decided to return. As we kept busy this corona-summer with writing a book together we only could spare a few days. Man plans but God decides is an old saying. For us God made this 4 days trip pefect. We had wanted to go to a campsite in Ediger-Eller but that was fully booked; then to Zell, also completely booked out. Then the campmanager suggested to try Puenderich a few kilometres upstream and there it was: next to to Moselle river, a spacious lot, providing an ecstatic view of the Moselle, the vineyards and the old Marienburg  monastery.  All a pleasure to the eye with its various tones of green; even the river reflected green from the vineyards, the orchyards and the grassy banks. And it all came with a restaurant and Bitburg beer, plus clean showers and toilets for a price so small I am ashamed to mention it. Haha we even got a 3 nights weekend  discount. Then the village itself, although tiny with perhaps 500 hundred houses alltogether turned out to be a historic site with beautifully crafted and maintained 'Fachwerk' houses. These picturesque half-timbered houses in the center date back to as early as 1600 and are kept immaculately clean with their walls and timber brightly painted. Many show details of who had built them or who had lived in them such as Napoleon's troops who resided here early 1800. Then the Puenderich area is known for its excellent white wines and the farmers have done well in combining revenue from grapes / wine and the building of guest rooms for the thousands of tourists that pass every year. The flat east side in Puenderich has the village and flooded areas where the river spills over its banks every year during the winter. The hilly west side shows the endless vineyards and on top the deserted but well kept Castle/Monastery dating back to the 12th century. We went for a walk one morning and crossed the river with the ferry and did the 200 steps to the restored buildings of the monastery. Unfirtunately there was no mass these corona times and the Youth Hostel was closed. We walked another km. to a viewpoint, kind of tower, where we could see the meandering of the Moselle river which was a breathtaking sight. No wonder every German and his dog has been to this part of Germany at least once! 

Our cycling took place around Zell. The village of Puenderich is only 7 kms. South of Zell.

We had brought our bicycles and Biya got on her old 'Trek' which nevertheless has 24 gears. She really got into cycling this time. On my birthday 22nd August she and me cycled more than 50 kms and she did not fall down and even started to use the gears! 'Hut ab', they say in German / I take my hat off for that. That day we started at our campsite where also the famous Moselle cycle path passes and we cycled to Briedel, Zell, Bullay, Neef, crossed the river into Bremm, Ediger-Eller, Nehren (where we camped last year!) and to Senhals. Then back all the way to Alf where we crossed the Moselle again to Zell. Here again a crossing with 3 kms of rough cycle path and then onto Reil where we crossed again and drove back to our camping.  A full day of ten hours with many stops to take pictures, and we were all smiles. By the way Biya was so amused to see hardly anybody cycling in the sun wearing a hat. Only the racers and we had put on our helmets. I guess, although clealry skin cancer is on the rise, most people do not really care. Surprising or not?

Werner Lay / his vineyards

Anton  in front of the Moselle

Camping Moselblick / our site

E-bikes everywhere...even the younger couples use them extensively. And campers dominate the scene now. People like us with a small tent have become the exception. These days campsites seem to be for 95% occupied by caravans with attached bungalow tents, and luxurious campers.

That evening we ended up for dinner at a local  restaurant on Main Street (haha) called 'Zum Dorfkrug', meaning 'In the village jug'. We waited to be seated as the manager, 74 years young Gudrun saw us and approached muttering loudly 'I have no place as yet but can you wait perhaps half an hour'? Immediately a German couple seated at the best table offered to pack up and go and hurriedly finished their wine. Man plans but God decides. From the menu Biya selected chicken liver in red wine sauce and I went for smoked pig and Sauerkraut. We struck up conversations with Gudrun and we went back the next eve; same nice table and by then she had started to call Biya my 'Mausi', which in German is a name that shows affection and is normally used for children, meaning 'my little mouse'.  She refused to believe that Biya was 62 and she kept saying to me that I had a young wife. Meanwhile she  jumped over to one of her 9 tables in her garden restaurant: busy as a bee with serving large Bitburg draught beers and the local white and red wines in  traditional glasses. What a sight and pure pleasure to be in that garden and eat and drink so well. 

At night we slept in our cosy tent with a sighting of the stars above and hearing the soft passing of the river. I even had a short swim in the afternoon with the water I guess having a temperature of 20 degrees. In the morning I resumed my breakfast service and went to the bakery that opened at 6.30 am (!) bought brown bread and salted small long breads (Salzstangel) and made coffee before my queen of Bulgwang opened her eyes. I now know that although our tent weighs only 2,5 kgs. and is built for 2 adults and  is quite spacious but...being able to do a good stretch your own way is simply not possible with a husband who measures 185 cms. I know Biya relished the moments I went to the bakery and I always found her deep asleep when I returned after 15 minutes. She then was stretched out across all 4 corners in the tent; only to wake up for good when she smelled the coffee.  

All in all over the 3 days we cycled more than 100 kms. From time to time Biya rode first and we said hello to everybody and always received a nice response. We met constantly nice people like a couple (man 74 and lady 68) who cycled with luggage, including their tent from Luxemburg to Koblenz, where the Moselle runs into the Rhine (260 kms). And our neighbors, a Dutch family of 3 with the man wearing clogs. They had been to this same camping, same spot for the past 30 years.  And we met Werner Lay, a master winegrower 'Winzer' who took time for us and showed us his wine making business. We stocked up on white and red wines and I bought a special bottle of the German gin 'Weinbrand / Schnapps'.  But most of all we felt good to be as a couple; the whole day through; consulting each other where to go, what to do, where to eat and what; who does what around the tent and so on. Good team work and couple-ship. And we are improving our collaboration and understanding  when pitching the tent as well. 

3 pics. above show the beauty of the Moselle and its villages

Moselle river we shall come again. Biya now wants to also cycle from Perl/Schengen at the German/Luxemburg border to Koblenz ...all along the vineyards, for cyclists only, everywhere food and drink and nice and easy lodgings to have. And we have started to dream of cycling along the Han river in Seoul, or from Seoul to Busan...or on Jeju island. Perhaps with friends Cor, Anja and Gerard in October next year?

Basically there are two significant Moselle routes:

1. From its source at Col de Bussang in France to Perl in Germany  all the way through Epinal, Nancy and Metz and Thionville  totalling 280 kms. And 2. from Perl to Koblenz totalling 260 kms. I cherish a secret wish to start at its source although in France more than 150 kms is not a cycle path.

Paradise on Earth this Moselle cycling path. Strongly recommended and everyone can do this preferably during the period May until late October...summertime!.