Lazy days on the Lahn

Explore medieval villages on this scenic waterway by boat or bike

By Karl Weisel

U.S. Army Garrison Hessen Public Affairs Office

There’s nothing quite like paddling quietly past cormorants and swans on a lazy afternoon on the Lahn River. As medieval villages come into view and slide slowly past, conversations stretch between canoes like the string connecting two paper cups of a child’s homemade walkie-talkie.

The locals have long known about the charms of the Lahn River which starts as a trickle northwest of Marburg before welcoming tributary streams and winding its way down past the university towns of Marburg and Giessen, on to Wetzlar and Weilburg, Limburg, Diez, Bad Ems and eventually flowing into the Rhein River near Koblenz at Lahnstein.

At medieval towns and villages all along the course of the Lahn, one finds boat rental facilities, restaurants with gardens overlooking the river and bike paths that follow the course of the sinuous waterway. Visitors will also find plenty of campgrounds along the river. A train also connects the many smaller villages giving bikers, hikers and boaters another option for travel along the waterway.

As kayakers and other paddlers make their way down the river they must navigate through various locks every several kilometers. Some are electronic and run by the river authorities while smaller locks require assistance from the boaters who must climb up to crank open the vents allowing water to flow in to the appropriate level for safe passage.

All along the way bikers and boaters can stop to explore castles, churches and monasteries set overlooking the Lahn River. In the town of Runkel, east of Limburg and west of Weilburg, one will encounter a fortification from the early Middle Ages, the Runkel Castle. Open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, the massive fortress is said to have been founded by one of Charlemagne’s knights in 778. Over the centuries it was expanded, destroyed, built upon and served as protection for a crossing over the Lahn River.

Runkel is only one of many picturesque towns, full of narrow streets with half-timbered houses, ice cream cafes and stunning churches that line the Lahn. Hiking trails lead up and away from the river offering visits to other historical sites and buildings. When passing the town of Weilburg by boat one must paddle through a long tunnel built especially for boats in the 19th century.

Canoe and kayak rental facilities on the Lahn provide boats, personal flotation devices and containers for keeping backpacks, food supplies and clothes dry. Various outfits offer this service and can be found online by searching for the Lahn, boat tours on the Lahn or Lahn Kanu (canoe) or something similar.

Outdoor Recreation centers in Giessen, Wiesbaden, Hanau and Baumholder can supply canoes, paddles, personal flotation devices, bikes, camping gear and advice needed to explore nearby rivers.

“We offer canoe and kayak trips on the Lahn, Main, Rhein, Mosel and Nahe Rivers,” said Joseph Harris III, director of U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden Outdoor Recreation.

The Wiesbaden Dexheim Outdoor Recreation Centers also offer whitewater rafting trips.

“If people want to rent canoes, we charge $15 per canoe including one paddle and one life jacket per seat. Customers are responsible for all the car tie-down materials,” Harris said, adding that customers are welcome to call or stop by Outdoor Recreation for information and advice on exploring rivers in the area by bike or boat.

Wiesbaden Outdoor Recreation is located in Building 1046 on Wiesbaden Army Airfield. Dexheim Outdoor Recreation is located in Building 6320 on Anderson Barracks. Call mil 337-5760 for Wiesbaden or mil 334-5818 for Dexheim’s Outdoor Rec.

In addition to offering various outdoor gear for rent ranging from tents, stoves, roller blades and fest tables to canoes (for certified paddlers only), Giessen’s Outdoor Recreation Center also features a small area behind the center where people can camp, according to Andre Herren, assistant director of Giessen’s Outdoor Rec. The center is located in Building 58 on the Giessen Depot. Call mil 343-8207 for more information.

Hanau’s Outdoor Recreation is located in Building 459 on Old Argonner Kaserne. Call mil 322-8891.

Baumholder’s Outdoor Rec is in Building 8167 on Smith Barracks. Call mil 485-7182 for assistance and information.