Building remains southwest of Saalburg and Watchtowers WP 1/21 to 1/22

Scenic road chapters

Waypoint introductions and full write-ups

1. 1. Building remains southwest of Saalburg

   If you want to know what a Roman fort on the German frontier really looked like, the Saalburg is the place, and these building remains lie in the forest just southwest of it, part of the civilian and military landscape that grew up around the fort. The Saalburg itself was rebuilt at the beginning of the twentieth century on the orders of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was fascinated by Roman history and keen to present the German empire as the heir of Rome. The walls, gates, headquarters building and granaries were reconstructed on the original foundations, based on the archaeology of the time, and today the fort houses a museum full of finds from the frontier, along with workshops, a Roman garden and regular events with reenactors.

   Read the complete Building remains southwest of Saalburg write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Building remains southwest of Saalburg is where the day begins. Next is Watchtower WP 2/31.

2. 2. Watchtower WP 2/31

   Holzhausen an der Haide is a small village on the high ground of the western Taunus, between the Rhine and the Lahn, and it has one of the better-preserved Roman fort sites along the Limes. The stone walls of Kastell Holzhausen still stand to a modest height in the fields just outside the village, outlining the fort's rectangle with its rounded corners and gates. Watchtower WP 2/31 belongs to the chain of towers that linked forts like this one along the frontier, and in this open landscape you can easily imagine the signals passing from hill to hill.

   Read the complete Watchtower WP 2/31 write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Watchtower WP 2/31 comes up about 88 km into the recorded legs. Next is Watchtowers WP 1/21 to 1/22.

3. 3. Watchtowers WP 1/21 to 1/22

   Above Leutesdorf, on the right bank of the Rhine between Neuwied and Bad Hönningen, the hills climb steeply from the river, covered with vineyards and forests, and the Roman frontier ran along their crest. Watchtowers WP 1/21 and 1/22 stood here in the early part of the Upper Germanic Limes, just a few kilometres from its starting point at Rheinbrohl, watching over the valley and the lands beyond. Today the tower sites are quiet spots in the woods, part of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site.

   Read the complete Watchtowers WP 1/21 to 1/22 write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   about 148 km into the recorded legs you reach Watchtowers WP 1/21 to 1/22. Next is back through Watchtower WP 2/31.

4. 4. back through Watchtower WP 2/31

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Watchtower WP 2/31 write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   back through Watchtower WP 2/31, late in the day. Next is Building remains southwest of Saalburg.

5. 5. Building remains southwest of Saalburg

   Return visit. Read the place description above.

   Read the complete Building remains southwest of Saalburg write-up.

   Recorded stop-planning note

   May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.

   Planning note

   Back at Building remains southwest of Saalburg. That is the ride.