One of the reasons why I chose Luxembourg as a destination for my week-long vacation was because there was an opportunity to do socially-distant activities, such as hiking, yet there are also cultural alternatives, such as sight-seeing. I was researching the area and found out that the northeastern corner of the country is a perfect place for hiking. There is the Mullerthal Trail, which is 112 kilometres altogether, forming three loops of almost 40 kilometres each. There is a classic way to do it, which is what I followed.
For the first day, I went from Echternach to Moersdorf, via Rosport. The first half is what this post covers. Echternach is a very pretty little town that would be an interesting base for a hiker. That said, I opted to base myself in Luxembourg City as I preferred the amenities of the city. However, since public transportation in Luxembourg is entirely free, I was able to make good use of the buses and trains and it was very easy to reach the trailheads.
Echternach is a pretty town, as the above photos indicate. I got off the bus station, the Gare, and just walked all the way to the centre. That is where the trails begin. As I got there, I saw colourful old houses, such as those displayed by the above photos.
The tourist office is housed in a grandiose building, and in front of it, the trail heads indicate the various directions one can take if one wants to follow a particular trail. I was tackling the Mullerthal Trail, so the red M painted within a white background would be the symbol that would accompany me for the next four days.
Saint Willibrod's Basilica is right at the beginning. It is a majestic church. I wanted to check it out, yet as it was a Sunday, there was mass going on, and I didn't want to disturb people, so I just went ahead and continued on the path.
There is a abbey attached to it, so I passed by these austere buildings.
Behind the abbey is a peaceful little park, and within this park is a Rococo Pavilion, a fancy little building built at the side of the river. This is the Sûre (Sauer), a river that connects with the Moselle, and forms the border between Luxembourg and Germany in this area. Beyond the river on the other side is Germany already.
The trail follows the river for a little bit, but the moment it crosses the road, the terrain becomes more varied and adventurous.
As you can see, there's plenty of rocks. Comparing this trail with the Malerweg in Germany, this trail has less vertical ascents, so there's less ladders and more staircases. But what I find more challenging here is the fact that things are more muddy, and therefore more slippery. The trail has more moisture, and things are wetter. At some point, I had to cross streams using rocks strategically placed here and there over the water. So I definitely am glad that I had appropriate shoes with me.
At some point, I reached the village of Rosport. However, this is just the mid-point for my hike for the day. After a little break, I continued further. Stay tuned.
