Kastanienweg - Hiking in Kesten on the Moselle

Village square in the centre of the village, 54518 Kesten

The starting point for the hiking trail is in the centre of the wine village of Kesten. From here the path leads you slightly uphill, through the street "Eiermarkt". Together with the paths "Schiffswanderweg" and "Napoleonweg" you turn left into the vineyards. Above the cemetery and the church St. Georg you walk slightly uphill to the acidulous well.The acid well reminds of the Romans: Julius Caesar is said to have drunk here. The acid well is an indication that Kesten has excellent conditions for the growth of chestnut trees. Chestnuts prefer acid, sandy soils with small amounts of clay minerals and lime.From the Acid Fountain you walk along the chestnut forest towards Osann-Monzel. Along the hiking trail there are always chestnut trees to discover. The European sweet chestnut belongs to the beech family. Sweet chestnuts are the nut fruit of a tree that grows up to 30 m high and has a broad crown. The chestnuts sit in a fruit shell which is initially closed, but which at last springs open irregularly and is densely covered with long spines.The chestnut path turns off to the left. Walk through the vineyards towards Kesten, back to the acidulous well. The recreation area around the Sauerbrunnen, with barbecue area and benches, is ideal for a rest. Walk downhill in the opposite direction to the original route. Above the Kestener cemetery, a narrow staircase leads to the village. Cross the street "Am Herrenberg" and walk straight on into Moselstraße to the house where Napoleon is said to have spent the night. Next to it is the Himmeroder Klosterhof, a branch of the abbey of the Himmerod monastery in the Eifel. The former monastery vineyard of the Cistercian order in Kesten also served as a wine bar for pilgrims on their way to Cologne. Following this tradition, overnight stays in the privately owned monastery estate are still offered here today.