Morgenbachtal

» Where the kingfisher fishes & spring water cascades down. A small nature reserve – also an adventure for walkers, hikers & climbers «

Wildly romantic. Lushly overgrown. It smells of moss. Ferns line the path. A fresh coolness fills the air, as it only comes from clear streams. The Morgenbachtal is of rare beauty. Since 1984, the 170-hectare area in the midst of the Binger Forest has been under nature protection.

The five-kilometer-long Morgenbach springs below the mountain Franzosenkopf. I have followed the source to the Rhine along shady paths, walking from west to east. Hence, probably also the popular name: Hikers walk along a natural stream towards the sunrise, towards the morning hours. What a beautiful picture!

A mystical play of light and shadow unfolds before me. The crowns of oak, beech, maple, lime, ash, alder, elm, and chestnut accompany me. I notice the quirky growth forms of the trunks on barren gravel and steep slopes. A truly virgin tree population. The oaks are over 100 years old. Mushrooms grow on trees and under small rock crevices. Here, quartzite soil predominates. An old bridge marks the lower course to the Morgenbachtal, the most beautiful part of the route.

The Morgenbach flows windingly and bubbling past massive rocks, forming small lakes and then cascading down several waterfalls. The stream carries water year-round. One of the most colorful forest inhabitants fishes here with a pointed beak for small fish or tadpoles: the kingfisher. The water ouzel loves to bathe at the riverbank. I take off my hiking boots, balance over damp stones, refresh myself ankle-deep in the cool water – and feel like I’m in the jungle.

An old sandstone wall, densely covered with moss, catches my eye. Such a massive fortification for such a small stream? The appearance is deceptive, the stream can become raging. It gets warmer and lighter. Blackberry bushes and elderberry line the path.

The Rhine with its warm slate rock comes closer. I slowly leave the silence and coolness of the Morgenbachtal. On a rock, surrounded by stone walls and vines, the castle Reichenstein majestically towers in the sun. The warmth of the Middle Rhine Valley surrounds me, and I feel like having a glass of wine.