MOSEL SUNDAY AND THE SUN CAME

Up early and there was a fab view across the town of Trittenheim to the slopes on the other side of the river. Vines clearly in view. Birds going gangbusters with morning songs and aside from an occasional vehicle noise the place was Sunday-quiet. Every hour and quarter mark the church clock bought me closer to breakfast.

Super-sized Sunday view

Each day there was the great German breakfast including creamy bierwurst. We were away in good time along the river, tracks and trees a feature and we crossed from the West to East banks of Ms Mosel several times.

Lunchtime stop has us in Bernkastel. Bernkastel-Kues (Kues is its other brother, a borough on the West bank). Now we are about 50 km (31 miles) upstream from Trier. Within this area, vines are managed strenuously and precariously on steep-slopes. 

A stop for Currywurst

Vertiginous slopes heavy with vines were the leitmotivof our travel along the river. 

The afternoon, post – Currywurst– was a charm of churches, small towns, tall spires, wild flowers and sun toasting slate roofs.  We arrived at TRABEN TRARBACH (it sounded like the name of a car from the former DDR).

Traben is in fact a delightful town on the river. My room looked over a confection of steep slate and the bells from Peterkirche (visited the next day early morning) rang a lovely peel for ten minutes, which I caught and now hold tight on my iPhone.

Supper in the museum Traben Trarbach

Supper was taken in a curious barn-like place strewn with many many old farm antiques, gadgets of all description covered in dust and strips of vine leaves. It was a curious cross between a restaurant and agricultural museum.