Gallimaufry Set: Boppard – the Rhine Valley Romantic Route

Confluence of the Rhine and the Mosel Rivers

The Lady

In 2015 we used a free day in our schedule to take a ferry down the Rhine River from near Wiesbaden to Loreley – a rock in Saint Goarshausen – where there is a statue of the legendary woman who tempted sailors to their demise in this dangerous stretch of river.

Rather than take to the water again, this time we travelled by train to Boppard which we used as a base to explore the river and its environs – the Romantic Rhine as it is known. Romantic as in the philosophy rather than Mills and Boon.

The Location of the Adventure

The region has had a chequered history, changing hands many times over the centuries between conquerors, all of whom were keen to participate in the riches generated by the collection of tariffs for goods transported along the river. They probably also enjoyed the wine that is produced in great volume on the surprisingly steep slopes on each side of the river. The first settlements in St Goar were established by monasteries led by Irish monks who were happy to collect the offerings made after the river boats made it through the dangerous section of the river. That explains the Celtic names of the non-German sounding Boppard, St Goan and other towns along this stretch of the Rhine.

Boppard is located strategically at the tightest bend on the Rhine and has sat in this position since the Romans though it was a good place to settle while going about their usual business of dominating the world. Only some of their work remains, but what was lost in old buildings was made up for in site selection, given that many of the key features – including churches, fountains, squares and transport routes – all remain exactly where the Romans chose to put them.

Boppard Roman Remains

A Ride on the River

We spent the first day riding back down the river – and for Dominique that was literally what she did -to see St Goar and to climb up the hill to look around the old Rheinfels Castle, which has transformed itself into a hotel.

Rheinfels overlooking St Goar

Clock Maker

It gave us the opportunity to see the self proclaimed oldest Cuckoo Clock maker in Germany and to look down on the old City of St Goar.

St Goar from Rheinfels Castle

From up on the hill, it becomes obvious that historically, security was a big issue, with castles on every available vantage point, and also that the Rhine, in this area at least, still serves as an important transport corridor.

One of the defensive vantage points across the river

One of the many transport boats

And the trains which run both sides of the river

12th Century Church at Spay

A bike ride (on free bikes supplied by our AirBnB hostess) up to Koblenz allowed us to stop off at Spay to see a 12^th century church with a free guided tour by a local who was intrigued by the fact that two Australians knew that Spay was a twin city with Spay in France (just down the road from Mamers – Dominique’s home town!).

We also made our way to Koblenz to see the confluence of the Mosel and Rhine Rivers. I was first (and last) here in 1979 at 7am on a cold December morning to see the confluence, having walked from the station between trains. Since then they have replaced the statue on the top of the monument which was destroyed in World War 2. Panoramas have also become possible in a hand held camera, so I now have a picture of the confluence featured in the banner photo of this post, which undoubtedly looks better in real life.

I think the statue we saw along the way was meant to be illustrative of some man verses nature romantic notion, but all I could think of is the kid calling out pick me during team selection for playground sports.

Pick Me! Pick Me!

Speaking of sports, they are many and varied in the Boppard area. We saw two in full colour while looking for the four lakes view of the Rhine from the top of the chair lift (or armchair lift as it is in German). We also tried our first (and last) German Bratwurst which comes with the compulsory fries; took in the reaction to the German elimination form the World Cup and found front row seats in the almost empty café showing the France Brazil game the next day.