European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Sas Dave Case campers relax under a Bridge at Neckar Gemind As the Alt Heidelberg tour boat works its Way up River. Sas Gus Schuettler Flowers fill the window boxes of a narrow half timbered House in bad Wimpfen. Narrow Steps up turrets and Tower walking along massive Castle Walls and exploring tunnels and dungeons. One of the beauties of the Neckar River Valley is the relative Lack of tourists. Unlike the Rhine River area there Are no crowds waiting in line to see the sights no hordes jamming the Cobblestone streets and no traffic jams except perhaps at Road construction Sites. There Are none of the ubiquitous souvenir stands if anything there la be a fishing gear or boat store along the River. The Valley s Only nod to commercialism is in the River cruises that shuttle visitors to and from Heidelberg. The first word that comes to mind about the Valley is peaceful especially after leaving the Bustle and traffic of Heidelberg. Hills of Lush Green forests suddenly appear out of nowhere High Rise office buildings Are replaced by half timbered houses and busloads of tourists All but disappear. It s no Surprise that the area is a favorite spot for campers campgrounds Dot both shores of the Neckar. Picnic areas offer plenty of opportunities to watch the occasional Barge float Down the River. Bicyclists can enjoy the wide Lane along the Road for leisurely Riding. The first Cluster of i Astles comes at Necka Steinach one of Many towns in the Valley that begin with the word Neckar. Dubbed Quot the town of four it Astles Quot Necka Steinach boasts four 12th and 13th-Century castles nestled deep in the Woods above the town. Two of the castles Vorderburg and Mittelberg Are occupied. The others Hinterberg and Burg Schadeck Are open to the Public at no charge. The latter is also called Schwa Bennest or swallows nest for the Way it s built into a Cliff. Although Only ruins Hinterberg and Burg s had Eck Are Worth a visit for the magnificent View of the Valley and the River from their watchtowers. Kids will love to climb atop the battered Castle Walls and Romp around the Moss covered courtyards. A word of caution visitors Are advised to enter the ruins at their own risk. The Steps leading up the watchtowers Are sleep and narrow and no lamps Light the Way. Necka Steinach was one of the Points where robber Barons stretched chains across the Neckar and forcibly extracted tolls from Barge Skippers. Across the River near the 1,000-year-old town of Neckar Gemind is the fortress Wilsberg. It too is now in ruins but it also offers a sweeping Panorama of the River Bend from the watchtower. Wilsberg saw a turbulent past. In the 11th Century the fortress was an stronghold along the River and during the thirty years War it resisted the armies of the Imperial general filly. Farther upstream irom net Kar Steinach is the 1 3th-Cenlury i Hirschhorn Castle which sits above the town of i first Hhorn. For list a Tew tents visitors can climb the watchtower for a View of the Valley. It s a fun climb but t an be difficult the Steps Here Tot it Are Steep dark and Narret it a. Hirschhorn has been rebuilt Over and Over through the centuries. A showplace of medieval arc Hite hire it is now a Castle hotel Complete with honeymoon suite and a Terrace restaurant. But prices like the Steps up the watchtower Are Steep. A bit farther Down the Road along the net Kar past the former free Imperial town of Eberharth is Burg Zwingenberg. Sitting High anti mighty above the Road Gist before the Village of Zwingenberg it is the Home of the Battenberg German relatives of a stains in not e in Phillip. Tourists can visit the Castle Only on of it Asiona guided Tours conducted in German. The next c Astle is Burg i it Urnberg silting in the midst it it vineyards near net Kai in Infin it is the oldest t Astle in i i my nun i on / age it h Tobor 17, /99/ script s Magazine 5
