(Comments from Trip Report) ...The Liptau family just couldn't have been nicer. Excellent double room with private bath and balcony for the price of an Einzelzimmer (20 Euro per night). Nice backyard terrace with a bubbling brook running alongside the property. Frau Liptau even volunteered to press the packing wrinkles out of a few shirts and a pair of trousers when I asked if she had an iron I might use.

Explored Brodenbach by foot (fairly small village) and caught a bus north to the next town on the river - Alken. From previous research I already knew Brodenbach had no bicycle rental shop but Alken does. The friendly Ammann family run a bike shop out of their home at Mittlestraße 9, 56332 Alken (Email: ammann@alken-mosel.de).

...Larry and I spend the early afternoon visiting one of our favorite German castles - the Burg Eltz. I had originally intended to take a boat to Moselkern and hike the 2 miles through the forest to the Eltz. But that was before Larry changed his itinerary and decided to join us on the Mosel. Instead we take the Münstermaifeld road route and are at the upper parking lot in just a few minutes.

...After another outstanding breakfast at the Haus Christiane - Larry swings by to pick me up and we head in the direction of Ehrenburg castle which is located up in the hills behind Brodenbach. Eventually we find some signs and arrive shortly before opening hours. This ancient castle has been around for almost 900 years in various stages of repair and disrepair. These days the castle is alive (especially on summer Sundays and Holidays) with handicraft exibits, plays, historic castle characters, festivals, banquets, etc. On this particular day there are no special activities and just a smattering of visitors (self-guided tours) so we snoop about for awhile, take a few pictures and reflect on what it must have been like to have been a resident here. I discovered one hallway off to the side with numbered rooms and didn't realize until later that the castle has five double rooms available to anyone who would care to spend their nights here. A far cry from a large castle hotel such as the "Auf Schönburg" above Oberwesel on the Rhine but I think the Ehrenburg would give you more of an old castle atmosphere (especially at night and early mornings when no tourists are around).

So after a nice little uphill hump back to the parking area we are off again for a nice lazy day of sightseeing along the Mosel. Crossing the bridge at Alken you get a nice view of another 12th century castle in this area that offers accommodations.