The Moselsteig side trail “Kirchspiel’s Tälertour” offers a specific reason to discover Kleinich as a hiking destination. The circular route is 13.1 kilometers long, moderately difficult, and takes about 4.5 hours. The start and finish are at the parking lot by the Protestant church in Kleinich. This gives you a clear timeframe: plan to set aside a large part of the day for the hike rather than treating it as a short walk around town.
Open Uplands and Wooded Valleys
The route’s landscape includes open upland fields, wooded stream valleys, and flowing water. Other features include quartzite boulders, Bildstein rock formation, entrances to slate caves, and the remains of a mill. The alternation between open terrain and wooded valleys shapes the character of the tour; along the way, the route connects different landscape features with geological and historical traces.
Plan Your Journey and Provisions
Traveling by car is recommended, as bus services to the settlements in the parish are limited. There are only a few parking spaces by the church. There are no places to get refreshments or supplies along the hike, so bring provisions with you. Before setting out, check the latest route information and find out locally about travel options before you leave.
Church History in Kleinich
Kleinich’s distinctive church is documented as far back as 1318. Its surviving bell tower was incorporated into a replacement church, which was built by 1790. Finds from a later construction phase also point to the town’s earlier history: Roman artifacts discovered during demolition work suggest that an ancient cult site once stood here.
More Options in the Wider Bernkastel-Wittlich Destination
The volcanic Eifel, the Moselle Valley, and the Hunsrück, rich in forests and meadows, meet in the wider Bernkastel-Wittlich destination. The destinations below are part of this larger travel region and are not features of Kleinich. They offer additional ideas for planning your trip, from hiking and winter sports to culture and wine.
Another circular hike in the wider travel region is the Manderscheider Burgenstieg in Manderscheid: this moderately difficult route is 5.4 kilometers long and is listed as taking two hours. Its duration and distance differ from those of the 13.1-kilometer Valley Tour in Kleinich. Both are rated moderately difficult; the stated distances and times give you a concrete basis for comparing them as you plan your day.
The 816-meter-high Erbeskopf offers hiking opportunities and a wide range of winter sports. At the National Park Gate there, an interactive multimedia exhibition provides information about nature and the environment, with a focus on forests and moors. This means that, in the wider Bernkastel-Wittlich region, nature-related exhibits are another option alongside the hiking trails.
Wine enthusiasts can enjoy tastings of wines from the Moselle, Saar, and Ruwer at the vinotheque in the historic vaulted cellars of St. Nikolaus Hospital. The selection includes 100 wines, from quality wines to ice wine. This makes it possible to complement your stay in the wider travel region with a wine tasting; for Kleinich itself, the Valley Tour remains the specific hiking option described here.
Discover more destinations: Kommen, Lieser, Papiermühle, Zeltingen-Rachtig, Longkamp, Veldenz, Monzelfeld, Neumagen-Dhron.
See the wider travel overview: Bernkastel-Kues.
