Grafschaft combines hiking trails through orchard landscapes with striking traces of local history. Along the Pear Circular Trail, you’ll come across old lanes, half-timbered houses and a garden with many pear varieties; other sections of the route highlight historic waymarkers and viewpoints. There are also chapels and regional products. This lets you choose what to focus on during your stay: more time outdoors, an interest in history, or both.
Hiking trails among orchards and viewpoints
Rolling hills, forests, meadows and extensive orchards shape Grafschaft and provide the setting for hiking and cycling tours. Making use of the fruit is also part of the local character: fruit is used to produce spirits and liqueurs.
The family-friendly Pear Circular Trail starts at a car park on the Red Wine Hiking Trail and leads along the historic sunken lane SchwallhĂĽll to Lantershofen. Along the way, you pass old lanes and half-timbered houses before the route reaches the pear-variety garden. More than 30 pear varieties can be seen along the trail between Ringen and Lantershofen. Carved wooden rest areas offer places to picnic, take in the views and relax. From the Fliegendes Dach viewing platform, you can look across fields and vineyards towards Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler.
Those who would like to follow another historic route can find a former sunken lane on the Grafschaft section of the Aachen-Frankfurt military road, passing orchards and an old wayside cross. The route reaches Fritzdorfer Höhe at an elevation of 260 metres, where there is a former windmill tower and an information board. On the Hochkreuz section near Leimersdorf, a pasture, a cross, a bench and an information board are located along the trail. The two routes have different highlights: the Pear Circular Trail combines half-timbered architecture and pear varieties, while the military road foregrounds historic route traces and notable stopping points. Check local trail conditions before setting out on a hike.
Local history and notable buildings
The name Grafschaft derives from the historic County of Neuenahr. From the 12th century onwards, the Counts of Are held extensive estates and wielded power in the Ahr region. Gelsdorf later saw two notable political milestones: the village briefly held town rights in 1359, and in 1737 it became a free imperial lordship.
The first documented mention of Lantershofen is dated 1 July 1019. The document names the place as Lanterishoffe and lists fields, meadows, forests, pastures, vineyards and waterways, as well as dependent people. The small St. Joseph’s Chapel at the northern entrance to Lantershofen was built in 1900 beside state road 83. Since 2009, it has been listed in the Rhineland-Palatinate register of monuments as a Neo-Gothic hall church. The wooden Blankart Cross is the only cross of its kind in the municipality of Grafschaft.
The Marienkapelle auf der Heide is considered a pilgrimage site and is also visited by hikers. A procession takes place there every year in May; if you would like to plan your visit around it, check the exact date in advance. The St. Lambert study house is situated on the grounds of an old castle that once belonged to the Blankart family. Men without a high school diploma can begin their studies at the study house; the institution is considered unique within the Catholic Church in Germany.
Regional products
Brogsitter in Grafschaft-Gelsdorf offers red, white and rosé wines, as well as sparkling wine and Champagne. The selection also includes spirits, wine-tasting packages, wine gifts and fine foods. As the range may change, check the current selection before visiting.
Obsthof Sonntag processes fruit grown on its own farm in its own press to make direct-pressed juices and apple punch without preservatives. The orchard also offers contract pressing of customers’ apples or pears, subject to a minimum quantity. Ask in advance about availability if you would like to have fruit pressed. Konditorei Lennartz offers fresh products from regional producers, including flour, eggs, fruit and vegetables. The selection of regional products may change; check the current range if you are interested.
Discover more destinations: Lantershofen, Vettelhoven, Barweiler, Adenau, Harscheid, Sinzig, Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Brohltal.
Back to the main travel overview: Ahrweiler.
