The Wendelinus Chapel on the village square is regarded as the centre of the community and offers a starting point for a walk through Ney. The village was first mentioned in 1225 in the will of the knight Simon von Schönecken. The landscape is also part of the experience: hikes through Ney’s forests and valleys offer opportunities to stop for refreshments and stay overnight.

Village History, Mills and the Steel Spring

The Schönecker Mill and the Hieren Mill are among the special destinations in the Ehrbach Valley. The Ehrbach gorge leads towards the Moselle; the Schönecker Steel Spring is another notable feature of the valley. Its water contains iron. Visitors can drink it in the former cellar of the house; check on site whether access is available before relying on it.

A hike from Schönecker Mill leads to Schloß Schöneck. The option of hiking to the castle is separate from visiting it: the castle is privately owned and can only be visited on the Day of Open Monuments, on the second weekend in September. As this access restriction may change, check whether visits are possible before travelling.

Hikes with Different Destinations

Another named hiking option is the Saar-Hunsrück Trail stage between Morshausen and Emmelshausen. It runs through the Ehrbachklamm and Preisbachtal and close to the Schönecker Steel Spring. You can also hike towards the Moselle in the Baybach Valley. These routes offer different landscape experiences; when planning, it is worth keeping the respective start and end points in mind.

The Wider Rhein-Hunsrück Landscape

The wider travel destination of Rhein-Hunsrück spans large areas of the Hunsrück, which is part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains, to the left-bank section of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. It includes large parts of the Hunsrück plateau and the quartzite ridges to the south, such as the Soonwald. In the Middle Rhine Valley, the Rhine also forms the district’s eastern boundary. Parts of the Hunsrück-Mittelrhein collective municipality and the town of Boppard are part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was recognised in 2002.

Further along the Middle Rhine Valley, sunny slopes offer views towards the World Heritage area. The regional landscape also includes the Loreley Rock, a bend in the Rhine and numerous castles. River cruises offer views of the narrow Rhine Valley, vineyards and castles. This provides a different perspective on the region from a hike through Ney’s own forests and valleys.

Cycling, Rail and Regional Cuisine

For cycling, the Rhein-Hunsrück district offers extensive, well-developed and signposted routes along the Rhine and through the Hunsrück; conditions on individual routes may change. A loop on the Rhine Cycle Route can be combined with the region’s many ferries. The wider Rhine-Moselle triangle also offers cycling opportunities.

The Hunsrück Railway runs along a scenic, steep route from Emmelshausen to Boppard. If needed, it can provide a return journey to the Hunsrück heights. Check the current timetable for planned journeys. In the wider region, local cuisine is linked to wine grown there; the Rhein-Hunsrück district also highlights regional specialities and Middle Rhine wine from high-quality vineyard sites.

Discover more destinations:

Damscheid, Pfalzfeld, Morshausen, Heyweiler, Schlierschied, Bickenbach, Boppard, Alterkülz

For the wider travel overview: Rhein-Hunsrück.