In 2020, Jakob Engel walked his Way of St. James from Görlitz to Trier in 45 days. On his 1010 km long route, he set off from Görlitz in August in midsummer temperatures and arrived in Trier in the fall and in the rain on October 2, walking four official German Camino de Santiago routes in succession. We have therefore divided his pilgrimage report into these four articles:
Part 1: Via Regia
Part 2: Elisabethpfad
Part 3: Lahn Camino
Part 4: Mosel Camino (you are currently reading this part).
Moselle Camino – from Lahnstein to Trier
The Moselle Camino greeted me with gray autumn weather. Two minutes before I arrived at my accommodation in Alken, it started to rain. Good timing I would say. On the way to Alken, there was a highway rest stop on the way. It was funny and strange at the same time to stop there. A pilgrim and hiker on the freeway… The nice lady behind the counter recognized from the shell on my rucksack that I was on the Way of St. James and asked if I wanted a stamp for my pilgrim’s identity card. I hadn’t expected that on a highway. Sometimes two such different ways of getting around are so close together.
Finding accommodation for the first two days on the Moselle was the most difficult part of my entire trip. When I called guesthouses and hotels, some of them laughed at me for trying to find a room so late. By my standards, I started looking for something early, about 1 ½ weeks in advance. One hotel told me that they had been fully booked for two months. A nice lady from the tourist information office for Treis-Karden was then able to help me and found me a room in Pommern. Until then, I had geographically located Pomerania somewhere else, much further north-east. You never stop learning.
I was told that the Moselle Camino is the most popular German Way of St. James. I can confirm that I met more pilgrims here than on the previous three sections of my walk. After walking a good 800 km on my own, I have enjoyed meeting other pilgrims here, with whom I have walked some stretches together. Thank you for the nice company and the exciting and funny conversations!
It was very tasty that I passed meadow orchards every day, where I was able to pick very tasty apples. My hiking poles were a welcome help for picking apples that hung higher. Of course, I didn’t spurn the very tasty Riesling grapes either.
On the last day, I was able to see Trier Cathedral for the first time from the steep bank on the opposite side of the Moselle. This was a very nice and also a slightly wistful feeling. On the one hand, it was nice to have my destination in sight and on the other, it was a shame to know that my journey was coming to an end.
On my last day, it rained for the second time. The first time was on the very first day on the way from Görlitz to Melaune. Someone smiled down on me.
I had a memorable moment at the end of my walk when I arrived at Matthias Abbey, the official end of the Mosel Camino. The moment I set foot over the threshold of the church, the bell chimed. What a lovely way to be greeted after so many kilometers, experiences and impressions.
I spent the last evening with four fellow pilgrims. We treated ourselves to a delicious final meal in the city center of Trier. The four ladies went back home the next morning. I stayed in Trier for a total of three nights before heading back to Düsseldorf.
With regard to Corona, I can say that despite the pandemic, I didn’t have any restrictions along the way and I met a lot of very friendly and relaxed people. The journey is a lasting memory!
I wish everyone who wants to walk their Way of St. James: Have a good journey!
The outdoor pilgrim guides accompanied me on my four German Camino de Santiago routes. These were the right hiking guides for me. For the Via Regia, I also bought the pilgrim guide from the Ökumenischer Pilgerweg e.V.. This is very detailed and shows all the pilgrim hostels along the way. These are not listed in the outdoor guide. For someone who wants to stay overnight in the hostels, this pilgrim’s guide is therefore the better choice. I left this guide at home, partly for weight reasons.
In addition to the pilgrim guides, further information on the routes is also available on the Internet. The website of the Ecumenical Pilgrimage Route provides up-to-date information on accommodation, among other things. The website for the Elisabeth Trail also lists accommodation, including some that are only for pilgrims. I discovered some very nice places to stay. There is supposed to be a website for the Moselle Camino, but I haven’t used it, so I can’t comment on it.
The GPS data for all four Way of St. James can be found on the website of the publisher of the Outdoor Pilgrim Guide. I mainly used komoot for this data. I only downloaded AllTrails for the Lahnwanderweg from Marburg to Wetzlar, as the stages of the Lahnwanderweg are available here. The pilgrim guides were often very helpful in finding accommodation. Otherwise, I recommend Google Maps, where I looked for guesthouses and almost always found something. The reviews are also an advantage here.
Finally, I would like to write down a personal impression. I can say that 2020 was one of the best years for me! I had the luxury of a longer break and enjoyed this time to the full and made the most of it!
I would like to recommend everyone who is thinking about walking a Way of St. James to also consider the many beautiful German Ways of St. James! I had a wonderful time and an intense experience.
Conclusion of the Mosel Camino:
After times of being alone, it’s good to hike in company.
I only like Riesling in grape form, not as a wine.
Conclusion of my entire Way of St. James:
Thank you!
This journey has shown me new perspectives and opened my eyes and heart.
My stops on the Moselle Camino:
- Alken
- Pommern (I walked to Pommern because I couldn’t get accommodation in Treis-Karden)
- Bullay
- Traben-Trabach
- Monzel
- Klüsserath
- Schweich
- Trier
Have a good trip!
