Ediger-Eller, Mosel, Germany
Tuesday’s sweltering heat did not make it a perfect day for wine walking. Nevertheless, I did walk some 16,000 steps or 9 km, and drank litres of water. Not bad for an old fella who just turned 72..
The other day while I was walking in Alsace, I met a German couple who gave me some good tips on walking in the Mosel vineyard areas. Ediger-Eller is the place to go to, they said.
Ediger-Eller is 73 km northeast of Trier, and can be readily reached by train from Trier, a major city in the Mosel region.
Behind the railway bridge rises the steepest vineyard in Europe, the Calmont, with a slope of 65%. It is stunningly beautiful.
I walked from the train station up to the town of Ediger – in reality Ediger and Elder are two conjoined towns. Ediger in particular is a lovely Germanic town, with a collection of half-timber houses, former cloister grounds and noble estates.
One problem though. In Ediger virtually everything was closed. I was told by a local passerby most businesses are closed on Mondays and/or Tuesday.
That reminded me of a Chinese businesswoman who once told me that Germans work very hard during official working hours, but not a minute longer. Above all, she said, never telephone on a Friday afternoon. (Fortunately, I did find one cafe that served lunch and an excellent Riesling wine, the speciality of the region.)
Ediger-Eller has a history that, according to a documentary mention, stretches at least as far back as the year 639. There is also evidence that the municipality may have existed during Roman times, as early as the 2nd or 3rd century AD, and there are even older traces of possible settlement from Celtic times
To cope with hot weather and/or reduced mobility, there is an excellent local bus service that follows the Mosel from Bullay to Cochem, enabling the visitor to view the beautiful scenery. I took it in both directions which was well worth it.
Cochem is a very attractive and somewhat bigger town with numerous cafés and restaurants, and walking opportunities. I am already planning a return trip, and I will stay in Cochem.