Castle Ruin Ehrenfels
4 meter thick and 20 meter high walls with two towers, each 33 meter high are the remains of this impressive castle ruin...
Built in the 10/11th century Ehrenfels was an important toll station in the 13th and 14th century in connection with the "Mäuseturm" (mouse tower) in the rhine.
In the 30-years-war Ehrenfels was sieged and occupied quite often.
During the "Pfälzische Erbfolgekrieg" it was destroyed in 1689.
Later the prussians got the castle ruin and today it is the property of the federal state Hesse.

Great viewpoint and picnic place "Rossel" between Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen.
This artificial ruin was built by "Graf Ostein" in 1774 as a part of a romantic theme park.
Walking up the stairs in the round tower you reach a small platform, from where you have a fantastic panoramic view down into the "Binger Loch" with the "Mouse tower" and castle ruin "Ehrenfels". Unfortunately the Rossel is open and accessible quite seldom...

Ruin "Nollig" near Lorch
Probably not a castle ruin but a habitable watch tower, built in the 14th century as a 3-storied half-timbered building that was surrounded later with thick walls. Until today it is highly controversial if the Nollig belonged to the former fortification of Lorch.
Today it is private property and so can not be visited.
You will pass the Nollig on your hiking tour between Lorch and Kaub.

Castle Ruin Fürstenberg above Rheindiebach
Fürstenberg was built from "Erzbischof Engelbert von Berg" to protect the cologne properties around Bacharach. During the 30-years-war Fürstenberg was captured first by the spanish in 1620 and then by the swedish in 1632. Finally the french destroyed Fürstenberg 1689 as well as most of the other castles on the left side of the river. But unlike most of the other castles, Fürstenberg was not rebuilt in the 19th century, so that today you can see some original medieval remains.

Castle Ruin Stahlberg is situated a a side valley above Bacharach-Steeg.
Probably built in the 12th century by the "Erzbischöfe" from Cologne to secure their properties. Both castles, "Fürstenberg" and "Stahlberg" were released to the "Wittelsbacher Pfalzgrafen" in 1243. During the 30-years-war the castle was damaged by swedish troops in 1631. Later, in 1689 Stahlberg was destroyed completely by the french troops during the "Pfälzische Erbfolgekrieg".