Soonwald: Pristine forests and natural habitats preserved

The Soonwald is one of the largest contiguous areas of forest in Germany. Its altitude (400-600m; the highest peak is Ellerspring at 657m), its low population density, and its distance from the large transportation routes of our time make it an ideal recreation area for people seeking peace and quiet. This wooded area is well developed. It has over 800km of circular hiking paths with observation towers at the most beautiful spots, which afford spectacular panoramas.

You can hike here for hours without ever meeting another human being, although traces of more than two thousand years of human history can be found everywhere. On the high mountain ridges, there are ancient Celtic hilltop forts keltische Fluchtburgen, surrounded by gigantic stone walls of more than several hundred metres in length; there are ancient Roman long-distance roads römische Überlandstraße, constructed some 2,000 years ago at a standardized width of 5 to 6 metres and protected by watchtowers at regular intervals; and there are the remains of luxurious Roman villas römischer Villen. In addition, we find medieval fortresses and castles Burgen and Schlösser from the glory days of the political might of Sponheim and Kurtrier. There are churches and monasteries in the architectural style typical of Hunsrück with ingeniously painted surfaces and galleries; evidence of a very special race of people, who despite difficult living conditions and scant resources created their own works of art over hundreds of years. A race of people who, incidentally, you still encounter today on the farms of the elevated plains or in the village guest houses.

• Rheinböllen
• Stromberg —home of the 'German Michel'
• Pilgrimage Church Spabrücken
• Simmern
• Kastellaun
• The ruines of Castle Balduinseck
• Gemünden
• Kirchberg
• Nunkirche Church —landmark of the Hunsrück
• Rochusfeld nature preserve
• Ravengiersburg and the Hunsrück Cathedral
• The old Roman road near Dill
• Ellerspring (657 m) and Wildburg Heights (629 m)
• Alteburg (620 m) with Celtic hilltop fort
• Flora and Fauna
• Geographical Location

A picture book worth looking at: Uwe Anhäuser, Kultur-Erlebnis Hunsrück; Idar Oberstein: Dr. Gebhardt & Hilden, 2000
Hiking guides: Wolfgang Bartels, Hunsrück; DuMont Buchverlag, 1996 and Norbert Forsch, Hunsrück; Deutscher Wanderverlag, 2000
Supplementary literature: Landesgeschichtlicher Exkursionsführer Hunsrück; mit Beiträgen von A. Bauer, B. Lipps, W.H. München, E. Schaaf und K.H. Weichert, Herausgeber: Hunsrückverein e.V., Arbogast Verlag Otterbach, 1993