Höhr-Grenzhausen smells faintly of kilns if you catch it on the right day. This small town on the western edge of the Westerwald, a few kilometres north-east of Koblenz, sits at the heart of the Kannenbäckerland, the jug-bakers' country, where potters have been turning the local grey clay into salt-glazed stoneware for centuries. The Roman frontier passed right through here too, and watchtower WP 1/62 was one of the posts on the Upper Germanic Limes as it ran across these hills, now part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site.
The clay is the real story. Deposits of fine white and grey clay lie just under the surface across the Westerwald, and from the sixteenth century onwards the potters of Höhr, Grenzhausen and neighbouring villages produced the blue-and-grey jugs, mugs and storage jars that were exported across Europe and beyond. You will recognise the style: grey body, cobalt-blue decoration, and that slightly pitted glassy surface that comes from throwing salt into the kiln at full heat. The Keramikmuseum Westerwald in town tells the story, and there are still working potteries where you can watch the wheels turn.
From a rider's point of view, the Westerwald is underrated. It is a rolling upland of forests, meadows and small villages, crossed by quiet roads with plenty of curves and few straight lines. The descents towards the Rhine valley, through steep wooded side valleys, are particularly good fun, with tight bends and quick changes of gradient. The A3 motorway passes right by Höhr-Grenzhausen, but you will want to leave it as soon as possible. Weather on the plateau can be noticeably cooler and wetter than in the Rhine valley below, and fog lingers on autumn mornings.
Back in Roman times, this was the edge of the known world for the garrison soldiers. Beyond the line of towers and the palisade lay the territory of Germanic tribes, and the watchtowers served as observation posts, signalling stations and checkpoints for trade. Today, little remains on the ground, but walking paths follow the line of the Limes through the woods, with information boards at key points.
Höhr-Grenzhausen, just over a kilometre away, has fuel, shops, cafés and a few restaurants. Koblenz, down in the valley, has everything else. Bring home a small salt-glazed mug if you have space in the panniers; it will survive the journey better than you think.