Above Koblenz, on the edge of the Westerwald, the potters of Höhr-Grenzhausen have been making grey, salt-glazed stoneware with cobalt-blue decoration for centuries, giving this corner of Germany its nickname, the Kannenbäckerland, the land of jug bakers. In the forest nearby, the site of Roman watchtower WP 1/60 on the Upper German-Raetian Limes is part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Site. The tower was one of hundreds along the frontier, a wooden or stone structure from which soldiers watched the land beyond and signalled to their neighbours.
Not much remains of the tower, but the line of the Limes can sometimes be traced in the forest as a bank and ditch, and signposted trails follow it. Imagine the frontier as it was: a cleared strip, a palisade, towers at intervals, and beyond it the territory of the Germanic tribes.
The stoneware tradition is alive and well. The Keramikmuseum Westerwald in Höhr-Grenzhausen shows the history of the craft, and many workshops sell their wares. The clay deposits of the region are among the richest in Europe, and the industry has evolved into modern ceramics and technical materials.
The riding in this area is enjoyable. The Westerwald is a land of rolling hills, forests and villages, with winding roads and little traffic. The roads down to the Rhine and the Lahn valleys are steep and twisty, with views over the rivers. Koblenz, where the Moselle meets the Rhine at the Deutsches Eck, is a short ride away, and the Rhine gorge to the south, with its castles and vineyards, is one of the most famous landscapes in Germany. Traffic can be heavy along the rivers, especially in summer.
Höhr-Grenzhausen, two kilometres away, has fuel and cafés, and the A48 motorway passes close by if you need to cover distance towards Koblenz. Several pottery workshops welcome visitors, and a salt-glazed beer mug makes a surprisingly robust souvenir if wrapped in a fleece in the top box.