After an eventful day with many great conversations and hundreds of historic motorcycles due to the racing event organized and named the Cologne Course on the Grand Prix circuit of the Nürburgring, combined with lot of memories of our own motorcycle experiences, it was time for the return trip to Essen.

We followed the course of the Ahr river, which faces southeast, through the glorious green meadows of the largely protected Upper Ahr Valley on the federal road 258 to Altenahr.

Ahr Valley and impressive viticulture

At Altenahr the Ahr valley bends to the east and initially has an unusually tortuous course. Here the river is accompanied by the B 267, which we continue to follow without, however, following each of the loops of the river. In Altenahr begins the largest Ahr turn; which is completely protected due to its flora and fauna and interesting rock formations. From here, the river valley is gorgeously cut with rugged cliffs of the Ahr mountains, steep vineyards characterize the picture. From Reimerzhoven, winegrowing is mainly practiced on the southern slopes north of the river, especially in the towns of Mayschoß, Rech, Dernau and Marienthal. The last bottleneck of the Ahr valley lies below the Bunte Kuh, a rock formation that almost reaches the river and leaves little room for road and rail. In Walporzheim, the valley widens abruptly, and the Ahr passes through the district town of Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler. At Heimersheim the viticulture of the Ahr valley ends.

High above the city - the ruins Are

Already at the entrance to the town of Altenahr you can see the mighty, listed ruin of Are Castle, a hilltop castle at 240 m above sea level, high above the community. It was built from 1095 to 1105 by Count Dietrich I von Are and first mentioned in a document in 1121.  A hiking trail, which allows wonderful views of the city of Altenahr and the river, leads up to the ruins, whose floor plan is a quadrangle. In addition to parts of the outer bailey and a gate - the so-called Gymnicher Porz - remains of the defensive wall are preserved. An old gate tower (also called Schell tower) stands on the south side of the plant, next to the ruins of the palace, which once owned a heated bishop's chamber. North of it are preserved extensive remains of the Romanesque castle chapel from the 12th century.

Somewhat below Are Castle you will find the remains of that Gymnicher Porz, Porz stands for gate. It was a lower gate on the way to the castle, which closed the castle hill in conjunction with a wall. The complex consisted of a gatehouse above the access road, a attached castle house with a basement and two floors with living rooms and a castle tower.

Please read as well:

Locks of Love at the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne
Passing lower Remstal to the medieval centre of Waiblingen

• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
• Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River Altenahr in the Valley of Ahr River
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