The Rotenfels—a magma block—is the highest cliff face in Central Europe
Alpenfeeling im Naheland Der Rotenfels
The Rotenfels is a 200-meter-high and almost 1,200-meter-long steep wall that stretches from Norheim to Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg. The Rotenfels is the most prominent part of a massif of volcanic rock—rhyolite (formerly porphyry)—that ends at the Bad Kreuznach spa gardens. The rock formation was created around 290 million years ago when molten magma pushed its way to the Earth's surface and solidified. Over hundreds of thousands of years, erosion carved the river into the rock, creating a deep, narrow valley, the Nahe Gorge, with rhyolite formations on both sides of the Nahe River.
The Rotenfels plateau is partly a nature reserve. The dry, warm, Mediterranean climate and the rocky, nitrogen-poor soil favor a special fauna and flora: Peregrine falcons nest in the highest cliff face between the Alps and Scandinavia, which in turn is often preyed upon by eagle owls. Emerald lizards dart through rock crevices everywhere. Rock maple thrives here, and in April and May, countless small yellow flowers of mountain everlasting, also known as mountain gold, bloom. From March onwards, the purple star-shaped flowers of the pasque flower adorn the barren rock. Until June, you can admire the delicate pink “burning bush” (“Dipdam”), but don't touch it! It secretes essential oils that can cause skin irritation when exposed to UV radiation. The steep face is an extremely challenging climbing area, which is maintained by a section of the German Alpine Club, which has a base here and also takes care of landscape conservation. The 170-meter steep face of the Bastei has only been climbed once so far. Hikers particularly enjoy the trail along the ridge, which offers fantastic views along the entire route. At the foot of the Rotenfels, vineyards are cultivated on steep slopes. A thin layer of humus has formed on the rock – this terroir gives the wine a special flavor.
