The Upper German-Raetian Limes began at the Rhine, at Rheinbrohl, and climbed into the hills on the east bank, and towers WP 1/23 and 1/24, near the wine village of Leutesdorf, are among the first along its route. They are now marked by foundations or mounds in the forest above the river, and they are part of the World Heritage listing. From here the frontier ran for more than five hundred kilometres to the Danube, and it is fascinating to stand at the very beginning of such an enormous undertaking.
Across the river, Andernach is one of the oldest towns in Germany, with a well-preserved medieval centre and walls, and it is famous for its cold-water geyser, which erupts to a height of around sixty metres and is said to be the highest cold-water geyser in the world. Further west, the Laacher See, a volcanic crater lake, is surrounded by forests and dominated by the Romanesque abbey of Maria Laach, one of the finest in Germany. The Eifel volcanic landscape stretches beyond, with craters, lakes and mineral springs.
The riding here is excellent. The roads along the Rhine, on both banks, offer views of castles, vineyards and river traffic, although they are busy at weekends. The roads up into the hills, through the Westerwald and the Eifel, are winding and fun, with forests and villages, and the routes around the Laacher See and the Eifel volcanoes are popular with motorcyclists. Ferries cross the Rhine at several points, offering a pleasant break.
Andernach, four kilometres away across the river, has fuel and shops, and Leutesdorf has wine taverns and inns where the local Riesling is poured generously. The cold-water geyser at Namedy, reached by boat from the Andernach waterfront, erupts at intervals and is a spectacle worth seeing. In the Eifel, try Reibekuchen, crispy potato pancakes with apple sauce, and trout from the clear streams. Maria Laach abbey, with its Romanesque church and lakeside setting, is a peaceful place to stop, and its bookshop and café are excellent.