Alterkülz: Cycling Routes and History

Alterkülz lies on both sides of the Alterkülzer Bach in a small valley at the edge of the Simmern-Kirchberg plateau basin. When planning your stay, you can choose between cycling, longer hikes, and regional history as different areas of focus. Alterkülz is located directly on the 38-kilometer Schinderhannes Cycle Route.

Cycling and Hiking

The former Hunsrück Railway line through Alterkülz is paved; the Schinderhannes Cycle and Hiking Trail now runs along it. This makes both a cycling route and a former railway line used by cyclists and pedestrians important points of reference for your planning. The local trail network is also suitable for inline skaters, skateboarders, and walkers.

For longer hikes in the surrounding area, you can use the signposted Traumschleifen premium circular trails, the Saar-Hunsrück-Steig, and the Soonwaldsteig. This gives you a choice of local trails and more extensive hiking options. Check the current conditions on the relevant route before setting out.

The Erbeskopf recreation area also offers summer and winter activities in the wider region around Alterkülz. Regional attractions include Kastellaun Castle and the Bell Wildlife and Adventure Park. Other attractions include the Geierlay suspension bridge in Mörsdorf and the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. These places add further regional destinations to the focus on cycling and hiking.

Roman Remains and Mining History

A Roman settlement site is located near Alterkülz. Traces of buildings are still visible there as features in the landscape. To get there, park in Neuerkirch and follow the cycle path toward Alterkülz–Kastellaun; the site is signposted along the way.

Another historical trace is the Eid mine between the Alterkülzer Bach and Osterkülzerbach. Zinc, lead, and copper ores were mined there from 1780 until the First World War. This timeframe makes the mine part of Alterkülz’s documented mining history, without implying that it is a current visitor attraction.

Rhein-Hunsrück as the Regional Context

As a broader travel destination, the Rhein-Hunsrück district includes extensive areas of the Hunsrück, part of the Rhenish Slate Mountains, as well as the left-bank section of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The district also includes large parts of the Hunsrück plateau and quartzite ridges to the south, such as the Soonwald. In the Middle Rhine Valley area, the Rhine forms the district’s eastern boundary.

The UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley is also part of this regional context: parts of the Hunsrück-Mittelrhein collective municipality and the town of Boppard in the Rhein-Hunsrück district lie within the World Heritage Site, which was inscribed in 2002. This information describes the wider regional context, not additional features of Alterkülz.

A regional cultural attraction is the Museum of Regional History in Kastellaun. Through themed exhibitions, information panels, and original documents, it presents the region’s development from the Middle Ages through the Cold War. From April 25, 2026, the museum will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 12:00 to 17:00, and Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 11:00 to 17:00; check the opening hours again before traveling. Check the opening hours before your visit.

Discover more destinations: Dillendorf, Unzenberg, Klosterkumbd, Hollnich, Hahn, Kappel, Kastellaun, Morshausen.

See the wider travel guide: Rhein-Hunsrück.