Boating across Europe: ‘The sun was illuminating the hillsides with familiar names of Moselle wines’
Given the wonderful weather we’d been enjoying, it was an unpleasant surprise to wake up at 7am on 29 May feeling perishingly cold. This was meant to be prime cruising season. But perhaps what had stirred me so early was the thrill of anticipation. We were 13 days into our voyage from the South of France to Amsterdam and after one night in Luxembourg, were now leaving the French Moselle to enter Germany.
All that I had read indicated that while this might be the same river, there were subtle differences in the navigation rules and customs. My first act when I woke up was to take down the faded French courtesy flag and hoist a fresh new German one.
As I cast off and pulled out into the stream, I reflected on what lay ahead. We were 240km from Koblenz, where we would join the Rhine, and I anticipated making four overnight stops along the way.
This German section of the Moselle was only opened for navigation in the 1960s and the 12 locks which made this possible were designed to accommodate 1,500-tonne barges.
With this emphasis on large commercial craft, marinas for small craft were few and far between, meaning careful planning was required.
A German friend who knows the river had helped me identify possible stopping places and advised me to make advance reservations. My plan was to reach Schweich, a small town just downstream from Trier, a city we would have loved to visit but had no suitable moorings for us.
The resort town of Remich in Luxembourg
Barge queuing
We set off in bright sunshine but with a biting north wind on our bow. For the next 35km the river marked the border between Luxembourg and Germany so we were keen to take in as much of this unique little country while we had the chance.
Just a short way downstream, we passed Remich, a lively holiday town with a couple of campsites. There was even a party boat moored there but no sign of small craft moorings. A few minutes later, approaching our first lock of the day, we met a barge loaded with scrap metal.
The lock gates were open but a red light indicated we must not enter.
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I called the lock keeper on our VHF but got no response, so we simply had to wait. After a frustrating 25 minutes delay, we finally got the green light to enter. It was only when the bottom gates opened and we saw a laden barge coming upstream that we understood the lock keeper had been waiting for this commercial customer to arrive.
The Luxembourg side of the river was relatively hilly and lined with vineyards, including the splendidly named Wormeldange Vineyards Cooperative, while the German side was notably flatter and dedicated to conventional agriculture.
Reaching Grevenmacher, our second lock, we had the same experience but this time we were kept waiting for 45 minutes before the lock keeper finally relented and allowed us through. We passed Mertert, Luxembourg’s commercial port, then 2km further downstream, we spotted the river Sauer, which marks the end of Luxembourg’s border with Germany.
Heading towards Trier lock behind a Moody 38
Minutes later, we came to the junction with the Saar, a major tributary which enables 1,500-tonne barges to access the Saar coalfields. Upstream of the mining area, a canalised and heavily locked section of the river climbs through the Vosges, allowing smaller craft through navigation to the Rhine/Marne canal and a more attractive route to Strasbourg and the upper Rhine.
Due to the delays at locks, it was nearly 2pm as we approached Trier Lock, squeezing in behind a coal barge, alongside a Moody 38 yacht on passage from the Med.
Leaving the lock, we found ourselves in a narrow valley, with a hotel ship and several smaller craft queuing to pass upstream. We tucked in behind the other boats and watched with bated breath as a vast barge squeezed between the ancient stone piers of the Romerbrucke. Dating from Roman times, this bridge was the first recorded Moselle crossing and although the arches had been rebuilt a few times over the centuries, the piers themselves were 2,000 years old.
The famous vine-clad slopes of the Moselle river
Sleepless in Schweich
The weather, which had been deteriorating all day, finally turned to rain as we negotiated the tortuous twists and turns of a deep valley, carved out by the river over millennia. The south-facing valley sides were now covered with vines, planted on slopes so steep the grape pickers have to rope themselves on like mountaineers.
After an hour of slow progress, we were relieved to reach Schweich marina and moor at the first berth we saw. It was only after we’d paid a very reasonable 19 euros for our berth including electricity, that I discovered our mooring was too far from any power supply.
I found another vacant berth a few boats away but in the fresh wind had to moor bow first once again. With only a very short jetty and no possibility of getting stern ropes ashore, I had great difficulty securing the boat satisfactorily. As if that wasn’t bad enough, Marjorie told me the couple in the neighbouring boat had been watching my antics disapprovingly. I went over to speak to them and was advised that my boat was not secure enough to cope with the wash from passing barges.
The Wormeldange wine cooperative in Luxemborug
Quite why they hadn’t offered to lend a hand when they saw me struggling was beyond me. Even now they were not offering any actual assistance so I was left to solve the problem myself with extra lines ashore and pegs in the ground.
When I finally settled down below, it was to an uncomfortable night, as much due to the unwelcome feeling our neighbours had created as to the rocking from the passing barges.
Valley of Vines
After a restless night, we were happy to be up and underway early. It was a grey morning but the forecast seemed promising and the interesting-looking town of Bernkastel-Kues was only 48km and two locks downstream, so I hoped we would have time for some sightseeing.
The skies brightened as the morning wore on, helping us appreciate the beauty of this spectacular river. Just 12km downstream, we came across our first lock and were pleased to see the gates open and the Moody we had been following yesterday, tied up as if waiting for us. The lock operated as soon as we arrived and we were on our way again in 15 minutes.
Now the clouds were clearing and the sun was lighting up the hillsides with familiar names of Moselle wines picked out amongst the vines, the most recognisable being Piesporter.
Detzem lock is extremely deep
We were now meeting a steady stream of hotel boats, working their way upstream and perhaps because of this, we also found our second lock open and happy to operate, just for our two little boats. With this good fortune, by 1pm we were turning into the lovely sheltered Kues marina. Other boaters were already queuing to be allocated moorings, so we were pleased that we had reserved a place.
It was only a short walk from the marina to the bridge across the Moselle to Bernkastel, so we decided to wander into town for lunch. Bernkastel is famous for its ancient timber frame buildings and narrow streets, climbing up the steep valley side.
Finding an attractive Gasthaus in the town square, we ordered flammkuchen (a pizza-like dish) and sat outside in the sun, sipping our wine and watching the tourists go by. It felt almost like being on holiday!
Pre-booked berth in attractive Kues marina
Twists and turns
Feeling nicely refreshed, we spent the rest of the afternoon exploring this quaint town. We didn’t have the time, or energy, to make it all the way up to the castle but we did admire the neat rows of vines leading up to it before retiring to the boat for dinner on deck and spot of forward planning.
From here I reckoned we could reach the Rhine in just two days or we could take an extra day and explore Cochem, recommended as one of the main tourist attractions on the Moselle. I thought that we might be able to reach Cochem the next day but was concerned to learn that it only had a sportsboat moorings and it wasn’t possible to book a place, so a late arrival could be dodgy. We agreed the best plan was to start early and see how we got on.
Despite the fine weather, we woke to another chilly morning, setting off at 8am into a fresh northerly wind. We were now following a particularly sinuous stretch of river, winding through deep valleys with endless twists and turns. On one occasion we motored 13km to return to a point less than a kilometre from our starting point as the crow flies.
A deep wooded valley just north of Piesport
Our pleasant morning cruise was interrupted when, nearing the first lock of the day, the river widened out into open water, exposing us to the full force of the wind. Our bimini was acting like a sail, making it hard to control the boat, and the bollards were set so far back from the quay wall that it was impossible to throw a line. This meant that Marjorie had the dangerous challenge of climbing down onto the quay while hanging onto a stern line.
After a very similar experience at the next two locks, we decided against pressing on to Cochem. Instead, we had an hour’s cruising through deep rocky valleys and because there were no more locks to worry about we could relax a bit and enjoy the scenery to the full.
Shortly before Senheim, our alternative overnight stop, the valley opened out revealing the roofless ruins of Stuben Abbey, a 12th-century monastery. It was now just before 4pm and we were still 25km from Cochem when we turned off the river into Senheim marina, which had been touted as being in a beautiful setting, with an authentic restaurant serving good-quality and traditional German food.
Negotiating our second exposed lock
Like many Moselle marinas it shared facilities with a busy camping and motorhome park. Sadly for us, the bustling restaurant had no vegetarian option for Marjorie, but we were happy to spend some time exploring the beautiful village and prepare a meal on board, enjoying a relaxing evening in very pleasant surroundings.
The big question for the next day was should we go the short distance to Cochem and spend a day there or continue on to Winningen, our last stop before joining the Rhine?
Thinking of the challenges that still lay ahead for us, we made the wise decision to press on, seeing what we could of Cochem as we passed through.
Castle country
The next day was 1 June and as if recognising it was now officially summer, the weather was much calmer. We were delayed for 30 minutes at the first lock but once through we quickly reached Cochem with its dramatic setting and 1,000-year-old castle perched 300ft above the town.
The picturesque village of Zell
The sportsboat moorings were centrally located and, being early in the day there was space for a couple of boats, but we resisted the temptation and headed onwards.
Despite the constant stream of barges, we did find time to enjoy the constantly changing scenery. In this flatter, more open countryside, there were a lot of pretty little towns, almost always with a castle on the hillside above.
By 3pm we were mooring, at Winningen, just 121km from Koblenz lock and recommended as a better launch point for the next phase of our journey, running down the Rhine.
It was a small marina but with excellent facilities, supported by an extensive caravan and camping site. There was even a swimming pool, but sadly, the persistent north wind meant we could not be tempted to take the plunge.
Senheim marina’s picturesque location at the end of a short valley
We contented ourselves with a walk round the village and then, before dinner at the restaurant, filling the water tank and carrying out engine and filter checks, conscious of the very real danger of losing an engine in the Rhine current.
The Moselle had been fascinating – full of interest and crying out for more time to explore than our circumstances had allowed. Tomorrow was no doubt going to bring a very different boating experience for us both but as always we were excited by the challenge of what lay around the next bend.
Read the first part of Donald and Marjorie’s journey across Europe by boat
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