Traumschleife Baybachklamm (Baybach Gorge Dream Loop)

The “Baybachklamm” Dream Loop tour starts at a portal near the hikers’ car park by Heyweiler. Just a few steps after this portal, we find the first bench in a forest clearing and shake off our everyday stress here, at the latest. The steep descent into the valley of the Buchbach stream that follows has safety ropes at the most difficult junctures. Having just reached the bottom of the valley, the path then climbs uphill again, calling for good stamina on our part. Once we are back at the top and out of the forest, an impressive panorama spreads out before us, which we can particularly enjoy at our leisure from the second bench or at a rest area.

We are now walking to the Steffenshof holiday farm, where a detour to the little chapel is worthwhile. Then we enjoy the magnificent views reaching far across the highlands of the Hunsrück in clear weather. Back in the forest, the path leads down into the archaic valley of the Prinzbach stream. The descent is interrupted by a short and demanding ascent that takes us to the Klöcknerskaul, an old mining tunnel in the shale. Then it turns back to the Prinzbach stream and deeper into the valley. An ever louder rushing appears to herald greater things, and then the trail indeed arrives in the actual valley of the Baybach stream after 4 km.

Things are getting adventurous for us now as we ned to climb up jagged rocks again and again. Safety ropes help us master this challenge in some passages. This section is not only enriched by cliffs, however, as a real rock cave rises up above the path to the right. And the mighty rocks overawe us again and again when we turn our eyes upward.

The Schmausemühle, a former mill concerted into a hotel and restaurant, next invites us to stop for a bite to eat, after 5.7 km. Newly fortified, we then continue through the wild and romantic valley. There are several climbs to master again before the route passes by the Heyweiler mill, whereafter a resting place right by the brook enables us to have a picnic. The rocky cliff coming just after this challenges our climbing skills once more before we follow the lively course of the water in a somewhat more relaxed manner. We leave the Baybach stream in a curve, turning right into the valley of the Frankweiler Bach stream. This is also attended by a wealth of nature, with the course of the stream, the rocks, waterfall and forest combining into the most enjoyable hike. 

But the ascent back to the Hunsrück plateau already awaits us soon. The path climbs up steeply past some rocks, demanding good stamina. Having reached a rocky ridge (incl. bench) very near the top, we are rewarded for our efforts by a breath-taking view onto the Baybach valley. A little later, the trail leaves the forest and goes through open fields offering further wonderful views. We return to the forest once more, however, where the Barreterlei cliff provides for another grand panorama. The trail now divertingly snakes onward to a mountain hut with a bird’s eye view of the Schmausemühle. This is followed by an almost level stretch through a mixed forest, leading us back to the portal, where this gorgeous tour comes to an end.