I checked into the Holiday Inn Express in Troisdorf on Friday evening again for this weekend trip. On Saturday morning, I drove to Unkel and parked at the station. It was a hot Summer day and I resumed my journey along the Rheinsteig. This time I managed to find the direct and short walk to the trailhead. Unkel marks the end of the Siebengebirge and now I was entering the Unteres MittelRheintal.

On the way to Linz, there is an outstanding viewpoint over the Rhein from Erpeler Ley and the trail traverses through some nice forests. Linz is another picturesque town with many half-timbered buildings and was very busy when I arrived late morning. I sat in the Marktplatz enjoying coffee in the sunshine.

The terrain this weekend was much easier going than in the Siebengebirge and I made quick progress to Leubsdorf. Instead of ending the day at Leubsdorf as planned, I carried on through the vineyards to Schloss Arenfels then descended through H�nninger Schlossberg vineyard to Bad Hönningen. In this section, I noticed the sign posting was a little haphazard. It was just like London buses, none when you need one and plenty around when you don't. Just past Leubsdorf, I took one wrong turning which was an unexpected bonus because it led me into an uncultivated field which was a blaze of colour with wild flowers. After exploring Bad Hönningen, I caught the train back to Unkel, then drove back to Troisdorf.

On Sunday morning, I parked my car at Rheinbrohl station and caught the train to Bad Hönningen. I didn't have a full day available because I was booked on a Eurotunnel train from Calais in the early evening. This was quite a short walk and I was finished in just over 2 hours. Nearing Rheinbrohl, I was entering an area with many vines on the steep hillsides and worked my way down to the town. As I'd finished early, I decided to have lunch in Bad Neuenahr on my way back to Calais, so crossed the Rhein using the nearest car ferry and drove up the A61 to the Ahr valley.

Linz Marktplatz	View from Ockenfels
Burg Dattenburg	Summer flowers
Forest near Leubsdorf	Leubsdorf
Schloss Arenfels	Bad Hönningen