Seven Castles Loop

Directions:

The starting point is at Lambsheim train station. From the station, head north on Stadtgrabenstraße and at the end of this street you meet the Salian bike path, which you follow toward Heßheim. When the well-signed Salian cycle route branches right toward Heßheim at the height of the landfill site, continue straight ahead to the L 520. Cross this main road and turn left onto the roadside bike path, and after 3 km you arrive at Gerolsheim.

In the center of Gerolsheim, turn right through Winzergasse toward Dirmstein. At the southeast entrance of Dirmstein, you first pass the Episcopal Castle, the summer residence of the prince-bishops of Worms and the seat of an office of the Worms bishopric. Then continue through Hauptstraße and Mitteltor street into the historic center of Dirmstein, where at Castle Square you find Sturmfeder's Castle, a Baroque manor house with early Classicist elements. Then continue through Obertor street. After the first left curve, you pass Quadt's Castle on the right. Since 1738 it belonged to the lower local nobility, the family of Amtmann von Quadt. Today, a farm estate is operated in the listed property. Just 100 meters further is the entrance to the castle garden and to the Koeth-Wanscheid Castle, mainly from the late Baroque and Classicism periods.

To continue after a possible rest in the castle garden, ride through Obertor street to Obersülzer Straße. Turn right here and cycle along the street to the Heppenheimer Weg junction, turn left onto it. After 150 m, turn right (Bahnhügelweg) out of Dirmstein toward Heuchelheim. Shortly before Heuchelheim, keep left and after the second crossroad (end of the paved road) turn right. The path crosses the motorway and leads to Großniedesheim. From Großniedesheim you cycle on L 456 to Kleinniedesheim, where you reach Propst Maudrai's Castle with its restored garden pavilion via Wormser Straße.

Then return the same way to Großniedesheim. Through Hauptstraße and outside Großniedesheim on K 29, head south. At the roundabout after crossing the motorway, turn left toward Beindersheim. Then turn right onto Schlittweg street in Beindersheim and at its end right onto Ernst-Roth-Straße. Ernst-Roth-Straße becomes a country road outside Beindersheim, meeting L 453 after about 1.5 km. Cross this country road and continue toward Ormsheimerhof. At the entrance to Ormsheimerhof, turn right and after 500 m left along the Schrakelbach brook to L 522. Turn right here in the direction of Lambsheim. 400 m after crossing the motorway, turn left to Lambsheim pond. After a possible rest at the pond, take Nachtweide 2 back to Lambsheim, arriving via Bollwerkstraße. At the third intersection, turn left onto Hirtenstraße and after about 300 m right onto Junkergasse. The former Meckenheimer Castle is located at Junkergasse 1.

To continue the route, go on to Hauptstraße. Here you meet the well-signposted Salian cycle path. Take it via Birkenheide to Fußgönheim and turn onto Im Kirchgarten street in Fußgönheim. Opposite the Potato Museum is Fußgönheim Castle.

After a possible visit of the castle and the Baroque garden, return the same way to the outskirts of Fußgönheim. After the railway crossing, turn right onto the paved foot and cycle path and ride along the railway tracks to Maxdorf. In Maxdorf, take Maxdorfer Weg, Westring and Markstraße to the center of Maxdorf. At the end of Markstraße, turn left onto Bahnhofstraße, at the first intersection right onto Maxstraße and after 300 m left onto Mittelstraße. At the end of Mittelstraße, cross Hauptstraße and then cycle straight ahead on Lambsheimer Straße northwards. At the outskirts of Maxdorf, you reach district road K 2. On the roadside bike path along K 2, you return to Lambsheim, the starting point of the tour.