In front of the magnificent facade of Schloss Biebrich, you can see the first blue and white Rheinsteig (RS) logos. Cross the Rheingaustraße at the pedestrian crossing and turn right into Uferstraße. Soon, the RS uses the old towpath along the Rhine. After the leisurely riverside passage, the RS turns off and leads beside the Schiersteiner Bridge to Rheingaustraße. You pass under the new bridge and then turn left into Hafenweg to the Schiersteiner harbor.

At first, you walk downstream on the densely overgrown mole, then use the airy footbridge to cross the harbor entrance. On the other side, continue along the riverside path until you say goodbye to Father Rhine. The logos sharply point right across the meadow to the edge of the harbor. There, you pass a few boat docks before a footpath leads to Kleinaustraße. Follow this through a residential area to Söhnleinstraße, where you turn right. Soon, the logos point left onto a footpath next to a stream. You go through a railway underpass and shortly afterward pass under the A66. Now the RS runs right through bushes and allotment gardens. Quickly, the bustle of the city is left behind, and after some fields, vineyards increasingly come into view in the Leierbach valley.

With some bends, the RS gently winds uphill to Nürnberger Hof, which offers a place to rest. You continue hiking on farm roads and can shortly afterward pay tribute to the poet prince at the Goethestein and enjoy the magnificent view.

The view accompanies the RS for a short distance more until it enters the forest. But soon, you find yourself again in the sea of vines and descend to Frauenstein. After crossing the main road, the RS climbs through a residential area, crosses Georgenborner Straße near Knopps' Alm, and leads back into the open countryside. Passing some allotment gardens, you soon walk down steeply through lush bushes on the snake path into the Erlenbach valley and the Sommerberg nature reserve. After crossing the stream, the RS follows it gently uphill, while orchards and bushes create a great atmosphere. After switching into the forest, the gentle altitude gain continues until you reach a small forest clearing and turn your back on the stream. Now it goes steeply uphill to the

hiking car park at the Monstranzenbaum. But since 2009, only the felled trunk remains of the tree.

The RS turns left into the forest, where soon the first small rocks appear by the path. Truly impressive is shortly afterward the mighty Grauer Stein, which rises like a stone giant. Right next to the quartzite rock, the Ludwig-Schwenk-Hütte invites you to take a break before you turn right into the valley. There, you cross the Rechtebach to soon climb uphill again. You walk along the forest edge, pass the sports facilities of Georgenborn, and briefly enter the forest again. After this bend, the last descent of the day starts at the edge of the village. You quickly lose altitude, leave the forest, and pass under the B 260. Not far from Lochmühle, you reach the Walluf valley and turn right. A lovely path passage follows, and once again, rugged rocks provide variety, with the stream coming into view repeatedly. Then the forest opens up, and you reach Schlangenbad on Georgenborner Weg. Here, you turn left and walk to Mühlstraße, which you follow to the nearby spa park. There, the RS uses a footpath to climb to the thermal baths and the Schlangenbrunnen, where this first stage ends.

Car park at Schloss Biebrich in Am Parkfeld street

Take the regional train to Wiesbaden-Biebrich station. From there, it is about 1.8 km to the starting point at Biebrich Castle.

Or from Wiesbaden main station, take one of the two bus lines 4 or 14 to Schloss Biebrich (about 30 minutes travel time).

www.rheinsteig.de