Palatinate Almond Trail
| Palatinate Almond Trail | |
|---|---|
 Pavilion on the almond path in Gimmeldingen during the almond blossom |
|
| Data | |
| length | ≈ 100 km |
| location | Hairline |
| Starting point |
Bockenheim an der Weinstrasse |
| Target point |
Schweigen-Rechtenbach |
| Type | Themed trail |
Map with all coordinates: 
The Palatinate Almond Trail is a 100-kilometer regional hiking trail in the Palatinate in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate .
Course of the path
The main route of the path, designed as a themed trail, runs from north to south through the Front and South Palatinate , right through the vineyards along the German Wine Route in the Palatinate wine-growing region. He starts at Bockenheim on the wine route and runs over Green City , Kleinkarlbach , Bobenheim am Berg , Weisenheim am Berg , Kallstadt , Bad Durkheim , Wachenheim , Deidesheim , Königsbach , Gimmeldingen , Neustadt on the Wine Route , Maikammer , Edenkoben , Gleisweiler , Klingenmunster and Gleiszellen further to Bad Bergzabern . The path finally ends at the German Wine Gate in Schweigen-Rechtenbach .
History of the Palatinate almond trees
The main distribution area of the almond tree in Europe is the Mediterranean area. In the south of the Palatinate, there is a mild, almost Mediterranean climate between the Upper Rhine and the Haardt , similar to the climate in South Tyrol . Therefore, the most exotic plants thrive here. In addition to kiwis , lemons , apricots , peaches , figs and chestnuts, there are also almond trees that bloom here in March / April. It is believed that the Romans brought the almond tree with them and, like the wine, systematically cultivated them here. It is at least guaranteed that in the 16th century the Bishop of Speyer had almond trees planted here as the most important fruit tree species. Even today, many field names such as Gimmeldinger Almond Garden, Maikammerer Almond Height, Edesheimer Almond Slope or Birkweiler Mandelberg testify to the long tradition of almond cultivation. Today, the pink flowering “Pearl of the Wine Route” and the white flowering “Dürkheimer Krachmandel” dominate the cultivated varieties. The almonds are used in many regional products, including a. with almond bread, almond pralines and almond ice cream.
The almond blossom
From the beginning of March the landscape on the German Wine Route is colored pink. This is the famous almond blossom that lasts around two to three weeks. The first flowers can appear as early as the beginning of March, but the weather and temperature-dependent main flowering time is usually between March 20th and April 10th. There are also guided tours for visitors to the area at this time. At the time of the almond blossom, the famous almond blossom festival is celebrated in Gimmeldingen . Thousands of visitors come every year and of course an almond blossom queen is chosen every year. This festival is also the first wine festival of the year in the Palatinate . In Gimmeldingen there is also the Almond Blossom Panorama Trail and the Almond Blossom Nature Trail , both of which, although older, make up part of the Palatinate Almond Trail.
Since 2010, historical sights along the German Wine Route have been illuminated in the white-pink hues of the almond blossom at nightfall, including the Wachtenburg in Wachenheim, Hambach Castle , Trifels Castle near Annweiler , Landeck Castle in Klingenmünster and the German Weintor in Schweigen-Rechtenbach .
Circular routes and other paths
There are a total of three larger circular routes along the main route of the almond path (at Maikammer, at Rhodt and at Birkweiler ). In addition, there are other paths along the route, such as the Muscatel circular hiking trail in Gleiszellen through one of the largest German growing areas for yellow Muscatel . Finally, at the German Wine Gate in Schweigen-Rechtenbach is the oldest educational wine trail in Germany.
Web links
- The Palatinate Almond Trail
- Gimmeldinger Almond Blossom Festival
- Website of Gimmeldingen
- The Palatinate Almond Trail on the Southern Wine Route
- Hiking portal Pfalz - hiking trails