The Rhine is behind us - fortunately. Not that we have just travelled along Europe's busiest waterway with its coupling and pushing convoys, crossing ferries, blue boards and groynes. That's right, inland navigation could hardly be more exciting, in the truest sense of the word. On this trip, however, we are looking for the exact opposite: relaxation. Our goal is not the arrival, but the journey itself. And that's why our bow points away from all the hustle and bustle. Tranquillity lies ahead of us: a week on the Lahn. We want to make the most of it. Water hiking as a cure, you could say. Wellness instead of business.
Our first stage location already shows how serious we are about this: the world-famous Bad Ems. Even the Romans are said to have appreciated its healing springs. Whole dynasties of crowned heads honoured themselves here and strolled along the banks. It's a pleasure to join them. From Bad Ems, our week-long journey will continue upstream to the episcopal city of Limburg before returning to our charter base in Lahnstein, just above the mouth of the river. There should be enough time to get away from it all. After all, the Lahn is navigable for just seventy kilometres. And for this reason - unlike the Main and Moselle, the two major tributaries of the Rhine - it is hardly of any importance to the restless wheels of the modern market economy. Fortunately.
Deceleration on the way to Lahnstein
The deceleration has already begun - and we only set off a few hours ago. We reached Lahnstein around lunchtime. The base of Yacht charter Deißner in Lahnstein is located slightly above the town in the harbour Zum Schleusenhäuschen. The lock itself no longer exists. Our yacht, a comfortable Jetten 41 AC with a sky-blue hull, is already waiting for us on the jetty in the former underwater section of the chamber. We had already done the shopping by car shortly before our arrival, followed by the briefing and handover on board: "It's three hours to Bad Ems. If you leave now, you can still make it," said company boss Günter Deißner. That would mean that we would have to miss out on dinner in the historic inn on the Lahn (dating back to 1697). After all, Goethe had already visited there. On the other hand, we would certainly come across the poet prince's footsteps elsewhere along the way. So we cast off the lines, left the lock canal and pointed the bow of our steel displacer upstream.
As the twelve locks between Lahnstein and Limburg (eleven from the charter base) only rarely have waiting areas and the lock channels are sometimes narrow and difficult to see, you should register by telephone about twenty minutes before arrival - at least at the first barrage of the day. The staff will then pass you on.
Planned breaks should therefore be indicated. The operating times are just as important for the course of the day. The season runs from 1 April to 31 October. The operating hours are from 10 a.m. to 6.30 p.m., whereby the lunch break from 12 noon to 12.30 p.m. is sometimes flexible depending on the volume of traffic. Most of the chambers have a usable length of 34 metres, four of them are more than 40 metres long. The drop height varies and ranges from around two and a half metres in the Ahl lock - the first for us - to five and a half metres in the Hollerich lock at medium water levels.
The lock complex at Ahl is surrounded by a campsite - the first of many along the Lahn. Holiday atmosphere everywhere, parasols in summer colours and behind the hedges, barbecue smoke was already curling blue into the sky. Cyclists treated themselves to a refreshment in the small café by the lock. It was impossible to tell whether the glasses were filled with a sparkling shandy or real beer. After the exit and the long lock canal, it immediately became green on both sides, with wooded hills on either side of the river valley. The water level here is barely forty metres wide. A tranquil country road for shipping, not a motorway like the Rhine.
Barrage in Bad Ems
After the lock in Nievern, we soon reached the Bad Ems barrage. Once through, we passed the marina Kutscher's Marina on the starboard side, but it seemed quite full so we decided not to enter. Instead, we headed for the public jetty, which is closer to the centre anyway. It consists of a series of small jetties along the Carl-Heyer-Promenade on the southern bank of the river opposite the Emser Therme - a tantalising view. Moorings are made by mooring the boat so that the side exit is level with the jetty. The boat is then lowered there. The fore and aft lines are then brought ashore and tied up until the boat is moored. No sooner said than done! And that brings us to the beginning of this story.
It's just before six in the evening when we set off for a walk ashore. It first takes us along Wilhelmsallee on the riverbank until we cross the river on the Kaiser Bridge and then shortly afterwards - and unsurprisingly - meet the monarch again in the Kurpark: at the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument. It quickly becomes clear that the glamorous Wilhelminian era was also the golden age of Bad Ems. Europe's intertwined royal houses recovered from the weight of their crowns here. There is the English court and the Russian court. Tsar Alexander II had his own church built directly opposite, dedicated to his namesake, St Alexandra, complete with an Orthodox cross on a golden onion dome. The list of illustrious guests who walked the colonnades of the Kurhaus reads like a who's who of the nineteenth century, including Victor Hugo and Nikolai Gogol, Clara Schumann and Bettina von Arnim, the kings of Saxony, Sweden and Belgium.
Interesting facts about the Gründerzeit
Speaking of the founding era: the founding of the German Empire is inextricably linked to Bad Ems. During the spa season in June 1870, the French ambassador confronted Wilhelm I here, who was "only" King of Prussia at the time. The bone of contention was the Spanish succession. The circumstances were complicated, but it is important to note that a Prussian official informed his superior in Berlin about the conversation: Chancellor Bismarck. He deliberately used individual passages from the Ems Dispatch for a press release that was intended to make a French provocation recognisable. The calculated reaction of the public: outrage. This in turn outraged the French. So much so that they declared war on the Prussians. This in turn ended ten months later with their defeat - and the founding of the German Empire. Wilhelm was Emperor, Bismarck remained Chancellor.
The Kurwaldbahn cable car now takes us up the Kurberg to the Bismarckhöhe, 132 metres above sea level on a steep funicular. And we're in luck: we even manage to get a table on the terrace of Bismarck's brewery (the brand is popular here) with a magnificent view over Bad Ems and the Lahn Valley. After a long day at the chancellery, the Iron Chancellor might have been able to relax with a glass of our own natural brew. Bismarck with foam on his moustache ...
Origin in the quiet Lahn valley
In the morning, we have the feeling that there was far too little idleness yesterday because of all the pithy men with beards. No problem, we will simply moor here again at the end of our trip - and then let the emperor be a good man. For now, however, we continue on to Nassau. This name also has a ring to it. No wonder! If you google it, a completely different place comes up at the top: the capital of the Bahamas. Its origins, of course, lie in the quiet Lahn Valley. Once again, old aristocratic wickerwork is responsible for the distant relationship. But more on that later.
Our Jetten leisurely pushes its way upstream, passing under the three bridges of Bad Ems (the middle one is the lowest and we just about fit through with the canopy up), passes a long loop with a campsite and (after registering again) the Dausenau lock, soon followed by the town of the same name on the northern bank. The river valley becomes ever narrower and deeper, with the Lahn reflecting the greenery on either side. On the left, there is just enough room for the main road that has accompanied us since Lahnstein, behind which the slope begins. Shortly after twelve, we arrive in front of Nassau lock - and see the green sign, despite the lunch break. "I'll do it as soon as you're through," says the lock keeper. "I've got time". That sounds relaxed. Exit, railway bridge, then the village lies ahead on the left. Nassau Castle towers high above the river on the right. But we can't make it to the jetty: the meadow bank is unsuitable for our boat, there is no public jetty like in Bad Ems (or in Dausenau in between), the individual jetties at the campsite are either occupied, too small or labelled "private". So Nassau disappears behind us.
Across the Lahn in the nature reserve
First up is the Hollerich lock, which not only has a waiting jetty but also a drop height of 5.20 metres, putting all previous locks in the shade. Behind it, things become more pristine: we now pass through a nature reserve whose wetlands are home to extremely rare dice snakes. And after Obernhof, which we also want to visit on the way back, it becomes even more beautiful. The Kalkofen lock is ticked off and the main road leaves the Lahn at Laurenburg. Instead, we now have the railway line on our starboard side, but its background noise is limited to the passing trains of the Lahntalbahn. Our surroundings in the Gabelstein-Hölloch nature reserve are almost like a primeval forest. We only encounter a few paddlers heading in the opposite direction, not a soul on the bank. Instead, a kingfisher flits across the river in front of our bow.
Now the Scheidt and Bramberg locks, then we have reached our destination for the day: Balduinstein - albeit a day earlier than expected. It is 5 p.m. when we moor alongside the guest jetty of the Schaumburg Motor Yacht Club, directly in front of the club sign. We pay one euro per metre here, the money is deposited in the envelope. The sun shines brightly as we stroll across the bridge, look at the defence tower and the ruins of Balduinstein Castle in the middle of the village (not accessible). This brings us to the railway station, where the Stellwerk coffee house is already closed, but we have luck at the Lahn snack bar. And we get an idea: Why don't we take the train from here to Nassau tomorrow morning? The journey takes less than twenty minutes. No sooner said than done.
Connection to Nassau
It takes the short railcar train exactly 18 minutes the next morning to show us the most beautiful part of our journey so far from a different perspective. It takes less than five minutes to walk from the railway station in Nassau to the chain bridge over the Lahn, and another five minutes to reach the foot of the castle hill, at the top of which the walls and keep of Nassau Castle rise out of the trees. The next 120 metres uphill through the forest are quite a challenge. It's not a path you want to cover in a helmet and chain mail, with sword and shield. But we make it. The building certainly deserves to be called a summit castle. Built before 1100, the remaining ruins were only restored in the last century.
The free exhibition in the defiant tower also sheds light on the tangled lines of the high nobility: Nassau Castle is the origin of the house of the same name. From progenitor Dudo von Laurenburg, the family tree leads through many branches to the latest scion: Catharina Amalia, Princess of the Netherlands. However, the current royal house of our neighbouring country has also had a monarch on another throne in the meantime: William III, born in The Hague in 1650, also ruled England, Scotland and Ireland as William in personal union. In his honour, the previously destroyed port of the pirate colony of New Providence, now the main island of the Bahamas, was given a new name in 1689 - and so Nassau found its way out of the forests of the Lahn Valley and into the wider world. Who would have thought it?
When the train from Koblenz to Giessen drops us off again in Balduinstein in the afternoon, we have almost reached the turning point of the journey. Almost. Because we won't make it to Limburg that day, that much is clear. Our trip across the Atlantic has cost us time. Instead, we head for Diez, but unfortunately we can't find a place at the guest jetty. So we head two kilometres back to the natural jetty in Altendiez, where we have no electricity but plenty of peace and quiet. Diez itself, with its count's castle from the High Middle Ages, which now houses a youth hostel and the Nassau Museum of Local History, is worth a visit by bike.
Last relaxed stage on the Lahn
After the Diez lock, the narrow Lahn valley ends and we cover our last relaxed kilometres upstream through a flat landscape of meadows and fields. The hills have receded to the horizon. We catch the Limburg lock before the lunch break, pass the lock canal in the shadow of the imposing Domberg and five minutes later we are at the jetty of the Nautic-Club-Mittellahn Limburg. Here, too, we pay one euro per metre of boat length. We take it easy and it is a good hour later that we are standing on the cathedral square in front of the double-towered west portal of the cathedral church. There are seven towers in total, a record in this country. With elements of late Romanesque and early Gothic architecture, St George's Cathedral is also one of the finest examples of the Rhenish transitional style. In addition to the magnificent sacred building, the Diocesan Museum next door tells the story of how rich the diocese became - and not just in terms of influence: The treasury displays gold-covered mitres and bishop's croziers adorned with precious objects. A splendid expression of a heavenly kingdom on earth. And the proud status of its governors.
On the way back to Lahnstein, we let ourselves drift - figuratively speaking, of course. After many walls, we now surround ourselves with nature, hike up to the Goethe Point in Obernhof, where the poet "indulged in contemplations of the near and far" in 1772, and on our last day, once again in Bad Ems, climb the Concordia Tower high above the town: built in 1861 by the Beautification Association. A nice way to end the day - if it weren't for the evening, which we spend in the cosy warm healing waters of the thermal baths. Wellness right at the source. The cure is complete!
Cruise stages
- Start in Lahnstein - Bad Ems: 10 km
- Bad Ems - Balduinstein: 35 km
- Balduinstein - Altendiez: 5 km
- Altendiez - Limburg: 10 km
- Limburg - Obernhof: 35 km
- Obernhof - Bad Ems: 15 km
- Bad Ems - Lahnstein: 10 km
- Destination: Lahnstein
Total distance: 120 km
Climate/weather
Literature
"Lahn travel guide 2024" area guide. Brochure for pleasure boaters on the navigable Lahn from Lahnstein to Dehrn, updated annually by the ProLahn association. With overview maps, all nautical and lots of tourist information. ProLahn: A4 format, stapled, 36 pages, with photos and overview maps, free of charge. Download via the Internet portal.The ProLahn internet portal also offers a wealth of other up-to-date information on navigation on the river: www.prolahn.de
River guide "The Rhine" by Manfred Fenzl. Standard work on Europe's most important river; covers the entire course to the North Sea and the Neckar as well as the continuously navigable Lahn to Limburg. Edition Maritim: 208 pages, 289 photos, 140 maps and plans, format: 21.6 x 30.3 cm, hardcover. ISBN 978-3-667-12160-8. Price: 59,90 €.Further information: www.delius-klasing.de
Nautical information
The federal waterway: Lahn has a total length of 137.3 kilometres from its beginning at Giessen to its confluence with the Rhine at Lahnstein. However, only the stretch from kilometre 70.0 at Dehrn is fully dammed and navigable throughout. The fairway width is 12 metres, and with a normal water level of 180 cm at the Kalkofen gauge, a fairway depth of at least 160 cm is maintained. Twelve barrages with single-chamber locks regulate the Lahn, the usable chamber length is at least 34 m, the drop height is between 2.58 m and 6.29 m depending on the barrage. Lock traffic is regulated with folding panels (horizontal red-white-red, vertical green-white-green) and/or light signals in red and green. The operating hours are from 1 April to 31 October from 10 am to 6.30 pm (last entry: 6.15 pm, lunch break: 12 noon to 12.30 pm). The maximum permitted speed from the shore is 12 km/h. The Mosel-Saar-Lahn Waterways and Shipping Authority is responsible for operation and maintenance.Further information: www.wsa.mosel-saar-lahn.wsv.de
Our boat:Jetten 41 AC (steel displacement) - Length: 12.50 m - Width: 4.40 m - Clearance height: 3.85 m - Draught: 1.10 m - Berths: 6 (in 3 double cabins) - WC/shower: 2/2 - Motorisation: 1 x 170 hp (Deutz diesel) - Consumption: approx. 7-8 l/h - Special equipment: hot water heating, TV with DVD and semi-automatic satellite antenna, converter for 220 V, Weekly prices: 2390-3290 euros
The companyYachtcharter Deißner operates a fleet of five steel displacement yachts between 11 and 12.50 metres in length, with four to six fixed berths depending on the model, whereby the yacht chartered by us is the flagship. From the charter base in Lahnstein (Emser Landstraße 20, car parking available), it is not only possible to cruise on the Lahn, but also on the Moselle and Saar. If you hire the yacht for several weeks, you can even go on the so-called Sauerkraut Tour. Contact: Yachtcharter Deißner, Holzheide 10, 46348 Raesfeld-Erle (office address). Tel. 0176-38 80 00 18.Further information: www.my-charter.net
