From the Moselle to the Erbeskopf

This route starts in the pilgrimage town of Chiusa, which is only a few kilometers from the Moselle. The route leads into the Moselle valley and from there into the Hunsrück. The Hunsrück is a low mountain range with the highest peak at 816 meters above sea level (the highest point in Germany west of the Rhine), called Erbeskopf, and that is also the purpose of this route. Since the Moselle valley is located at an altitude of 110 meters, this means an absolute difference in altitude of about 700 meters on this route. The route runs in such a way that most of the busy state roads and the main roads are avoided, and you cycle on often quiet roads (partly closed to car traffic: along the Moselle near Piesport, the ascent to the Erbeskopf via a forest path and the road between Osann-Monzel and Klausen).

You follow the route counterclockwise, because the ascent to Erbeskopf is via a moderately paved dirt road, which is very doable in the direction of climbing, but in the descending direction you should really pay attention to it. The climbs on this route are (following the route counterclockwise):

- Piesporter Berg from Klausen with 130 meters of altitude difference (i.e. already ascending at the start of the route, so no warm-up). The descent is via the panoramic road, which offers you one of the most beautiful views of the Moselle valley.
- Zummethöhe from Papiermühle (100 meters in altitude), the route leads 100 meters over the ridge so that you can enjoy the panorama of the Moselle,
- Ascent to the Heidenburg. Near Thalfang you can also reach a busier unavoidable road (L150).
- Erbeskopf from the Röderbach forester's lodge (approx. 400 metres in altitude at 11 km). The ascent is mostly on a moderately paved forest path through beautiful wooded areas: you hardly meet anyone here. Please note: In August 2021, there was a warning that a bridge over a stream was closed, but the roadblock signs were set aside. I don't know what the situation is here.
- Ascent from the Dhrondal between Weiperath and Merscheid to the Haardtkopf (approx. 240 metres in altitude). The descent from the Haardtkopf into the Moselle valley is almost 10 km long and you descend 500 meters in altitude!
- The steep Brauneberg from the Moselle valley. Once at the top you also have a beautiful view of the Moselle valley.

If you take the route in the opposite direction (i.e. clockwise), you will get more climbing challenges because the climbs are longer and have more altimeters. This is followed by the 10 km long ascent of the Haardtkopf (500 m), the 7 km long Erbeskopf (partly on a busier main road) and the Piesporter Berg from Minheim (6 km ascent).