Buchfinken-Gelbach-Tour (XII): enchanting region between the Buchfinken landscape and Gelbachtal valley

Description

It is worth planning more than the approximately three hours' drive. There is a lot to see right from the start. In Wirzenborn, for example, there is a motorcycle museum with rare models and, a little further on, a pilgrimage chapel. A detour is also recommended at Reckenthal, where there is a sculpture trail with wonderful wooden objects. I also enjoy a fantastic view of Montabaur Castle and the Gelbach Valley from here. I'll visit the Gackenbach Game and Leisure Park at another time, as I should bring some time for that. Now I have the choice of taking a break at the Landgasthof zum Wiesengrund in Gackenbach or a little later at the Hübinger Treff. I like the food in both restaurants. In any case, I visit the relaxing water treading pool between the two places. The route then takes me back to Wirzenborn via many stops, where I finish off with home-baked cake at Wirzenborner Liss.

Approach

• From Cologne: Take the A59 and A3 to Staudter Str. in Montabaur, take exit 40-Montabaur on the A3
• From Frankfurt: Follow the A66 and A3 to L318 in Nentershausen, take exit 41-Diez on the A3
• From Koblenz: Take the B49 to the L309 in Niederelbert, then take the L329 to the B49 in Montabaur
• From Siegen: A45 and B54 to Secker Str.in Waldmühlen, take L302, Hauptstraße, L288 and L300 to Hauptstraße/B8 in Herschbach(Oberwesterwald)From L300 take B255 in Moschheim, follow B255 to L326 in Montabaur, take B49 exit towards Holler/Montabaur/Wild-U., Take L313 to Kiefernweg
  Freizeitpark/Gackenbach/Gelbachtal
• From Limburg: Take Kapellenstraße, A3, K163, K161 and L313 to Kiefernweg in Montabaur,

Public transport

Take bus route 453 from Montabaur (ZOB, Konrad-Adenauer-Platz) to Wirzenborn

Parking

Coming from Montabaur, directly on the right on the L313 or at the Wirzenborn pilgrimage church in the center of the village

Directions

The tour begins at the junction of the L 313 and Kapellenstraße in Wirzenborn and thus in the immediate vicinity of the Gelbach stream, which gave the valley its name. The village lies at an altitude of around 200 meters. I follow Kapellenstraße to the west and cycle through the village to the north, then through the forest to the northeast. The route takes me on natural and gravel paths for ten kilometers on a relatively flat road until shortly before Gackenbach. Only here does the path begin to climb, reaching the highest point behind Hübingen in the southern forest of the Nassau Nature Park (449 meters). A pleasant descent begins to Oberelbert, then there is a second small climb and once again the route descends towards Wirzenborn. In good weather, I can see as far south as the Taunus and as far north as the Upper Westerwald from the many vantage points. I reckon it takes around three hours to cover the 33 kilometers of the circular route, not including sightseeing.

Safety instructions

Good basic fitness required.

Equipment

The back is not the only place for bags and rucksacks on a bike tour - the weight of the equipment should ideally be distributed over several parts of the body and bike. Wind, rain or sun can lead to very different temperature sensations on the bike - a cold can best be avoided with professional cycling clothing. On a multi-day tour, you should always have a suitable change of clothes to hand to be prepared for any eventuality. In addition to other important items of equipment, the necessary tools and repair utensils should not be forgotten. At high speeds, it is easy to take a wrong turn on a bike tour: Traditional and modern aids such as a cycle map or GPS device can help you find your way. You should also always have a small emergency kit with you.

Tips

The listed town center of Wirzenborn invites you to take a stroll. Numerous half-timbered houses, a war memorial, a station path and a running fountain are all part of it.

Literature

• Combined cycling/hiking flyer, available free of charge here
• KOMPASS cycling/hiking map Westerwald (South), 1:50,000, ISBN: 978-3-00-065929-4

Destination

Wirzenborn, intersection of Landstraße im Gelbachtal with Kapellenstraße and Kiefernweg

Starting Point

Wirzenborn, intersection of Landstraße im Gelbachtal with Kapellenstraße and Kiefernweg