Morshausen: Trails, Panoramic Views and Local History
Accommodation in Morshausen
Morshausen is situated on a hill and offers views in every direction. To the northwest, the view extends to the Moselle Valley and far into the Eifel. There are also hiking stages, a cycling route and stories to discover at the wells, school and historic sites. This means the village brings together landscape and local history, without limiting your stay to just one way of getting around.
Panoramic Views and Hiking Trails Around Morshausen
The Saar-HunsrĂĽck-Steig runs from Idar-Oberstein to Boppard and also passes through Morshausen as a long-distance trail divided into stages. Stage 22 runs from SchmausemĂĽhle to Morshausen, through the Baybach Gorge and over the Murscher Eselsche. In one rating, it received 102 experience points and ranked first among 27 stages. Stage 23 runs from Morshausen through the Ehrbach Gorge to Oppenhausen and received an average of 85 points. The two stages therefore offer different routes to consider when planning your hike.
The Murscher Eselsche Dream Loop also combines scenery with traces of the region’s mining history. Large sections of the historic mining trail have been incorporated into the route. It leads to a spoil heap, where you can learn about ore mining at the Theresia mine. The Dream Loop is rated at 86 experience points; in 2013, it placed fourth in Germany’s selection of hiking trails. The Murscher Aussichten opened as Germany’s first certified hiking trail.
Other reminders of the past lie along the trail: the Heiligenstock shrine is below the Murscher Eselsche Dream Loop and was restored in 1982. The ore mine’s Zechenhaus was built around 1860. The wooden figure Hampit represents the main character in a novel by Jakob Kneip and was erected before the Murscher Eselsche trail opened.
Cycling Through Morshausen
The 22-kilometre Schinderhannes-Untermosel cycling route passes through Morshausen on its way from Emmelshausen to Burgen. Along the way, wide views open up across the HunsrĂĽck towards the volcanic cones of the Eifel. You can explore it as a cycling route in its own right, while the Saar-HunsrĂĽck-Steig focuses on hiking stages and other trail routes.
The Heiligenkreuz, built in 1741, lies between Beulich and Morshausen along the Schinderhannes-Untermosel cycling route. It offers a specific historic stopping point along the route. If you enjoy combining scenery with architectural history, it offers a different perspective from hiking to the remains of the ore-mining industry.
Wells, the School and Jakob Kneip
The Schwengelbrunnen was built in the 15th century in the style of Hungarian Puszta wells. Historically, women from Morshausen gathered here for washing days. Today, the well stands on Brunnenstraße as a reminder of the village’s past. The old village school was built in 1882; the writer Jakob Kneip began attending school there in 1887.
The Jakob Kneip Museum in Morshausen displays works by the writer, part of his study, specialist literature, paintings, contemporary documents and works by artists in his circle. Admission is free, but visits are only possible by appointment in advance. If you are interested in Kneip’s life and work, you can combine a museum visit with exploring the village’s other historic sites.
The Stutzweck is part of local tradition: it is handed out each year on Good Friday after the midday church service. If you would like to take this tradition into account when planning your trip, check in advance whether it is taking place this year before arranging your visit around it.
Another Place to Head Outdoors
At the Jakob-Kneip-Eiche, there is a playground with a sandbox, carousel, slide, bee hotel, and a picnic bench with seating. It is also a starting point for the Murscher Eselsche and Murscher Aussichten trails. So one place offers both somewhere to take a break and two trails for further exploration. Check the playground’s current conditions before visiting.
When choosing your accommodation, consider which of these themes you would like to shape your stay: hiking a trail stage, cycling the 22-kilometre route, exploring local history or taking in the views from the hill. Morshausen offers a variety of ways to do this, without requiring you to choose just one activity.
Discover more destinations: Sankt Goar, Mannebach, Sabershausen, BĂĽchenbeuren, Rohrbach, Beulich, Braunshorn, Schlierschied.
Back to the main travel overview: Rhine-HunsrĂĽck.
