Roman Trail or Römerpfad

Car park below Burg Ramstein in Kordel, before or after the bridge over the Butzerbach.

Römerpfad signposting: ancient coin on a White Rectangle

(S/E) Take the forest path near the hiking signs at the far end of the^first car park, running alongside the Butzerbach. Ignore the bridge on your left and set off along the forest path, with the river on your left. Walk past Silversterhöhle. Ignore the ford on your left and walk a few steps to take the steps leading down to the river.

(1) Cross the river over the stones. Continue to the right and, at the railing, turn right. Follow the path along the river, crossing from one bank to the other via stones, footbridges and a 30-metre-long suspension bridge. Finish by crossing a metal footbridge and head back up to a forest track.

(2) Carry straight on and, at the bend, take the path on the left.

(3) Take the sharp left-hand bend. Further on, you’ll see some barracks on your right. At the Fork in the road, head left downhill. Take the steps on your right and explore the top of the Roman mine. Walk around the site, explore the extraction shafts, head down to the cave entrance and then towards the information boards. Head back up the steps to the left of the gate closing off the cave. Ignore the path on the right and continue uphill.

(4) Leave the woodland and turn left. Ignore the path leading back into the woodland on the left and stay on the edge of the woodland, following the cultivated field. The path bends to the right and, at the junction, carry on straight ahead. You’ll have a view of the villages of Butzweiler and Beblich on your right. Emerge into the open and carry on straight ahead. Leave the farm track and head left to rejoin the path running closest to the woodland. At the edge of the woodland, ignore the path leading off to the left and carry on straight ahead until you reach a crossroads.

(5) Turn left. Take in the view of the reconstructed Roman wall, go past the low wall and follow the path into the woods. At the edge of the woods, turn right.

(6) At the junction with the road, head straight on along the grassy path. Pass under the high-voltage power lines. At the corner of the plot, ignore the path to the left and carry on to the right.

(7) Further on, ignore the path continuing to the right and carry on to the left. Enter the forest. Stay on the most clearly marked path, which bends sharply to the left. Then ignore the path on your left and you’ll reach a Fork in the road with a shelter.

(8) Turn right. At the next junction, turn left for a round trip to the Hochburg viewpoint. Along the way, you’ll come across an information board explaining how a Celtic fort was built. On your return from the viewpoint, turn left towards the picnic table. Turn left onto the path leading down towards Genovevahöhle. Descend the stone steps carefully. Walk past the entrance to the huge cave. Go down the next flight of steps and continue straight on. Look out for the other Hochburg caves in the rocks in the distance to your left.

(9) At the crossroads, turn left. At the next crossroads, turn left and, at the Fork in the road shortly afterwards, keep to the right. Stay on the most clearly marked path, which curves sharply to the right. After the spring crosses the path, take the path leading through the tree roots on the left or wait for the next junction.

(10) Turn left towards Klausenhöhle. Follow the winding path uphill to the entrance to the hermitage. Then continue to the right and take the steps. At the top, carry on to the left. At the forest track (not shown on the map), beneath the high-voltage power lines, turn right. Ignore the path on your right (not shown on the map) and carry on to the left to reach the junction with the picnic table.

(11) Turn right for a round trip to the Geyerslay viewpoint, where you can see Ramstein Castle in the distance. After retracing your steps, carry on straight ahead to the multi-way junction (not all branches are shown on the map) and take the path furthest to the right. You’ll come across a waterfall crossing the path. Then ignore the forest track on the left and stay on the main path.

(12) Take the path on the right just before the wide track. Once back on the road, continue downhill. Head towards the hotel-restaurant. The entrance to the castle is behind the building on the left. The path crosses the terrace and continues to the right of the castle. Follow the wide, winding path downhill, ignoring the paths leading up the embankments, and head back to the car park (S/E).

Best done in an anti-clockwise direction.
Waterproof shoes and non-slip soles are recommended as there are a few stone fords when walking upstream along the river and stone steps to descend near the caves and hermitage.
(3) It is possible to start the walk from a different car park.
Convenience shop in Kordel.
Hotel, restaurant, café and brasserie at Burg Ramstein.
Ramstein Castle is open to visitors. The castle is privately owned by the Moll family (hotel and restaurant) but is nevertheless freely accessible to visitors.

Waterfalls: in the romantic Butzerbach Valley, the route takes you over rocks, across footbridges and up ladders along the stream. Several waterfalls line the path. The highlight is a 30-metre-long suspension bridge.

Pützlöcher: This Roman mine is one of the largest and oldest Roman mines in Germany and means ‘water hole’. Copper, azurite and malachite were mined here from^{the 1st} century to the^mid-2nd century, with the mine being dug to a depth of 20 metres. As the ore deposit was not significant, the Romans ceased to focus on the quarry. It supplied stone blocks for the construction of the Porta Nigra in Trier. A coin of Emperor Maximinus Thrax (235–238) proves that the quarry was still in use in^{the 3rd} century AD. Cubes bearing Roman numerals and inscriptions can still be found in the mine today. In the^18th century, the latest blasting technology was used to search once more for ore and copper and to create new tunnels to a depth of around 114 metres. However, the main tunnel collapsed.

Langmauer: a long wall dating from the late Roman period, a reconstructed section of a 72 km-long defensive wall, part of an imperial district covering approximately 220 km². Dating from 364–375 AD.

Hoschburg: a Celtic stronghold and castle with caves on the southern side of a rocky outcrop nearly 50 metres high.

Genoveva Cave, situated above the Kuttbach Valley on the south-eastern slope of the ‘Elterlei’. It was formed by the erosive action of the River Kyll. In addition to Roman and Franconian shards, flint fragments and a Stone Age scraper have been found in front of the cave, suggesting human presence over 7,000 years ago. Stone axes and spearheads dating from the Early Stone Age have been found. The cave was probably used as a shelter by hunters and gatherers at the end of the Palaeolithic period.

Legend of the cave: Genoveva was the fiancée of Count Sigefroid, who had to go off to war. During his absence, the steward, known as Golo, tried several times to seduce the beautiful countess, who remained virtuous. To take his revenge, Golo accused the countess of being unfaithful, of cheating on her husband and of lying. Furthermore, he claimed that the child she was expecting was the cook’s and not the Count’s. Sigefroid, deeply shocked by this news, ordered his wife and child to be killed, but the hunters took pity on them and let Genoveva escape with her newborn on condition that she hide in the forest. She found shelter in a cave. The Count soon regretted his decision and went into the forest, where he followed a doe that led him to his lost wife and son.

Klausen Cave: the steep slopes and protruding walls, shaped like ribs and formed from red sandstone, which have been sculpted by the erosive power of the river, are characteristic of the lower Kyll Valley. In the northern wall of the fortress lies the Klausenhöhle natural monument. This hermitage, inhabited by hermits until around 200 years ago, with ‘grimaces’ carved into the rock to ward off evil in the Klausengrund region, enabled the hermits to lead a pious life here for centuries, following the great example of Saint Anthony.

Ramstein Castle: the ruins of the former feudal castle of Kurtrier stand on a sandstone outcrop. The curtain walls, parts of which are still visible, reveal the remains of alcoves, fireplaces and spiral staircases. On the western side stands a 25-metre-high residential tower, originally four storeys high, which served both defensive and residential purposes. Since 1798, Ramstein Castle has housed an inn (now a restaurant and hotel), located in the former castle house. In 1689, the castle was destroyed by an explosion.