Just north of Neuwied, the Westerwald begins to climb out of the Rhine valley, and the Roman frontier ran up through the woods from its starting point on the river, rising and falling over the low ridges. The Limes here is the Upper German section in its earliest stretch, where watchtowers 1/32 to 1/34 stood close together on the hillside above the Wied, a small river that runs through a pretty, wooded valley to join the Rhine. Melsbach, a village of two thousand people next to the point, lies in this valley, and the surrounding hills are a mix of beech forest, meadow and the fields of the Neuwied basin.
The three towers stood close together on the hillside, near enough that soldiers could pass messages by shouting or by signal. What remains is a series of low mounds in the forest, and the line of the old palisade ditch. The Rhine end of the Limes has an information centre in Rheinbrohl, with a reconstructed tower and a Limes museum, which makes an excellent starting point to understand the frontier, and it lies only a short distance downriver. The whole is part of the UNESCO site.
The riding is attractive and quiet. The Wied valley and the lanes of the Westerwald offer smooth roads with plenty of bends, steady climbs and descents, and frequent views over the hills and the Rhine plain. Forest roads in the area are narrow, with a thick cover of leaves in autumn, so grip can be poor. Rain is common, with fog on the heights in winter. Early morning rides give the best light and the least traffic, and the Rhine in the distance catches a silver haze.
Melsbach has a few shops and an inn, and the nearest large town is Neuwied, five kilometres away, with fuel stations, supermarkets and restaurants. Try a plate of Westerwald dishes, with potatoes and smoked sausage,, and a local beer if you are not riding. Neuwied also has a Rhine-side promenade and a zoo, which is fun for a break. Walk the last stretch to the tower sites, because most forest tracks are closed to motorised traffic.