Why this ride
85 km from Langgöns to Langgöns, about 1 h 40 of riding. On the way it passes Signaltower Johannisberg, Fortlet Lochmühle and back through Signaltower Johannisberg.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the and Fortlet Lochmühle
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 85 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 1 h 40
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Signaltower Johannisberg → Fortlet Lochmühle
20 km on Signaltower Johannisberg → Fortlet Lochmühle.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 20 km
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the
The Taunus ridge rises north of Frankfurt like a long, forested wall, and the Romans did not try to cross it. Their frontier line swung around its northern slopes, through the Wetterau, and then down toward the Main, and this section lies near Langgöns, close to the valley of the Lahn and a short ride from Giessen. The five towers of the stretch numbered 4/40 to 4/44 followed the ridge lines in a sequence that let each one see the next, and a signal tower on the Johannisberg, a modest hill, linked them. Of all these only footings and mounds remain, but the surveying logic is easy to read once you stand on high ground and look toward the next rise.
Read the complete Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the is where the day begins. Next is Signaltower Johannisberg.
2. Signaltower Johannisberg
On a hill above Bad Nauheim, the Johannisberg, the Romans built a signal tower that could communicate with the frontier forts of the Wetterau, the fertile plain that bulges north of Frankfurt and was protected by a long loop of the Limes. The site, with a later medieval chapel and a modern observation tower, gives wide views over the plain and the Taunus hills, and it is part of the Upper German-Raetian Limes World Heritage listing. On a clear day you can see the towers of Frankfurt on the horizon.
Read the complete Signaltower Johannisberg write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Signaltower Johannisberg comes up about 22 km into the recorded legs. Next is Fortlet Lochmühle.
3. Fortlet Lochmühle
The Lochmühle is a small fortlet on the Limes in the Taunus, near Wehrheim and the famous Saalburg, and it guarded a spot where the frontier crossed the valley of the Erlenbach stream. Fortlets like this were small outposts, housing a handful of soldiers who watched the border and controlled traffic, and they formed a link between the watchtowers and the larger forts. Its remains are modest, but the location, in a quiet valley surrounded by forest, has a peaceful charm. The name comes from a nearby mill, now a popular leisure park for families with play areas and farm animals.
Read the complete Fortlet Lochmühle write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 42 km into the recorded legs you reach Fortlet Lochmühle. Next is back through Signaltower Johannisberg.
4. back through Signaltower Johannisberg
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Signaltower Johannisberg write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Signaltower Johannisberg, late in the day. Next is Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the.
5. Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the to Signaltower Johannisberg
Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the → Signaltower Johannisberg is 22 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Signaltower Johannisberg to Fortlet Lochmühle
Signaltower Johannisberg → Fortlet Lochmühle is 20 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Fortlet Lochmühle to back through Signaltower Johannisberg
Fortlet Lochmühle → back through Signaltower Johannisberg is 23 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Signaltower Johannisberg to Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the
back through Signaltower Johannisberg → Watchtowers WP 4/40 to 4/44 including the is 21 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.