Well, that's going well. Our paddle time is just one minute and 25 seconds, and I'm already hanging belly down over my capsized board. Next to me is a cheering group of canoeists. "When fat people fall in, they laugh even harder," one of them tries to comfort me. "I know that from experience," says their leader, who is actually probably the strongest person in the boat and grins as wide as a paddle blade. A likeable chap, actually, but his words offer little comfort and don't help my situation. So I tug at the upside-down floating board with the strapped-on bags. Like a leaden keel, the packsacks hanging in the water below - stuffed with camera equipment, drone, barbecue sausages, beer and other essential gear - stabilise the board as it floats upside down down the river.
The water temperature, which is still not quite summery, is slowly becoming noticeable. All that had actually happened was - once again - what has now almost become our tour classic and is usually announced with a frantically proclaimed sentence such as "I'm just going to paddle over there and take a photo, give me a 30-second head start". Up until then, we had only paddled through the stagnant water in the paddling tunnel in awe, negotiated the lock on foot and hadn't even begun to get into river mode. And right at the start of the tour, the river was flowing faster than at most other places. Obviously, the current of perhaps four to five kilometres per hour at the side entrance to the river is enough to simply knock you over. I save myself by swimming and dragging myself to the bank, and for the planned photo in front of the lock, I press the shutter release from the other side of the river - with wet fingers and in dripping gear - photos take priority.
After arriving at our destination well steamed in thick wetsuits and drysuits when we first paddled this section last autumn, we opted for summer outfits this time despite the water still being fresh but no longer freezing cold - but with two sets of spare clothes in our luggage. With this back-up, you can continue paddling in a relaxed manner even after the first change of clothes - because with 25 kilometres to go, you can't really paddle in a relaxed manner without a spare set. Another pair of shorts and an extra T-shirt hardly take up any space. In addition to the spectacular capsize, we have already been impressed by the incomparably practical set-up for river tours. There are numerous campsites along the Lahn, and the railway line runs alongside the river with stations that are only five to 15 minutes away from the next entry point into the river in some places.
Perfect base camp
During our autumn tour, we had already found an ideal place as a base camp for our project: the Lahntours campsite, just 200 metres downstream from the castle in Runkel. Jochen, our logistician, who had already organised our Four-day tour on the Ruhr from Hagen to Duisburg with flying colours, the preparations were a complete success. The three criteria - living right on the water, a good pizzeria within walking distance and a rustic pub where you can watch the VFL game on Saturday - were ticked off. The campsite's large meadow is right by the river. In the evening, the view falls on the historic Schadeck Castle in the evening light. However, this former fortress opposite Runkel is inhabited and not open to the public. However, a climb from Runkel via a steep staircase to the viewpoint located there is still worthwhile because of the fantastic view of the town and Runkel Castle.
The Amuni pizzeria directly on the campsite is definitely recommended. Reservations are also recommended. Our totally objective reference for this: as regular visitors to Lake Garda who are spoilt by pizza, we ate there four times during our two stays in Runkel. Tents and camper vans mingle on the open camping meadow, and there is a permanently installed tipi village at the western end. Even in the low season - we paddled here at the beginning of May this year - the buses of the local organiser with their boat trailers come and go like a swarm of bees. At the height of summer, this is likely to be one of the canoeing strongholds on the Lahn with a correspondingly high level of paddling activity. We don't need any transport assistance for our inflatable boards.
VIP shuttle
We buy our tickets for the tour into paddling bliss from the Deutsche Bahn ticket machine. The route of the regional railway meets the river again and again on our chosen section of the route. Runkel railway station is just a ten-minute walk away. The station is the size of a bus stop and we are the only people waiting. The gate only opens when the train arrives, by which time you should have already shouldered your belongings. In addition to our normal paddling luggage, we haul extensive camera equipment and all the gear for a proper picnic, including a gas barbecue, into the compartment. The journey to Weilburg takes about 25 minutes, during which we can already get in the mood for the landscape we will be paddling through over the next five to six hours. In Weilburg, we take the path over a pedestrian bridge parallel to the railway tracks a little way back. There is a ramp at a canoe station, which we use for launching. There is probably a lot of canoeing activity here in summer. We generally recommend this tour outside the peak tourist season. This is because the spectacular start to the tour through the Weilburg ship tunnel that follows is also reported to be chaotic at busy times, but this will only affect stand-up paddlers to a certain extent, as there may be a huge number of canoes jammed in front of the first lock, but we have to climb round them anyway.
Devout tunnel start
The entrance to the Weilburg shipping tunnel is on the right immediately after setting off on the boards. We paddle 195 metres through the mountain here. It is the longest and oldest navigable shipping tunnel in Germany. The tunnel was completed in 1847, shortening an approximately two kilometre long loop of the Lahn, which is also dotted with two weirs. We head reverently into the dark, cool and somewhat musty tunnel tube. Even the sailors from the hire canoe fleet, who are not usually whisper-quiet as they sail in with us, muffle their conversations as if they were visiting a church. Noticeably unsettled, we are asked "Are we in the right place?", "Is it really going in there?"
A dark wall rises up at the end of the tunnel, only a faint ray of light falls into it. We stop in front of the four metre high steel wall. The use of locks is prohibited for SUPs in Germany. This was the first obstacle we encountered on our first descent. With great effort and using all our experience of alpine via ferratas, we struggled up the yellow-rusty iron ladder with our luggage. This time we had a few metres of sturdy rope with us. This allows us to hoist board after board, bag after bag, to the top. Surprisingly, this goes even faster than the canoeists have used the lock. At other locks, too, we observe that there is not always a consensus among the boatmen as to the order in which the gates and the flaps in them should be opened and closed. This is done independently and by hand using the crank. Fortunately, physics prevents anyone from opening both gates at the same time and allowing the river to rush through unchecked.
Which brings us back to the beginning, because this unique and really exciting start was followed by the unfortunate capsize. After the tunnel, the route continues downstream through the Lahnauen nature reserve. Our photo drone therefore remains on the ground on this tour. We also enjoy the view of green nature and the hills from the frog's perspective. We barely notice the road that runs nearby, as it is not visible anyway. The banks are almost completely overgrown. The first perceptible sign of civilisation is the Odersbach campsite just before a sharp left-hand bend in the river. About a kilometre further on, the next lock awaits.
Transfer four times
A total of four locks block the free passage, but these are always clearly marked. The first lock on the open Lahn is the Kirschhofen lock. As with the following locks, it is too difficult to get out via a steep staircase with the loaded boards. So we load the luggage from the boards and walk twice. Fortunately, the carrying passages are not too long. It's also the best opportunity to sit down and enjoy the peace and quiet. Only a silent angler shares the relaxed atmosphere with us. Without many words, everyone bites into their apple, muesli bar or sandwich and tries to savour the feeling of deceleration. After the short, faster section, the Lahn had turned into a very calmly flowing river. On long sections, in addition to the two or three km/h flow speed, a lot of paddling is also required, which should be taken into account when planning your time. Only after lock number three does the flow speed pick up again for about a kilometre. However, the river is very easy to manage on all sections. On the contrary, we enjoy the short additional push, which requires less paddling effort. 28 kilometres can be a long time.
Just before Aumenau, the Käpt'n Flints Spelunke beer garden on the right bank at the Lahn rest area is a great place to take a break. From there, it is also just under 500 metres on foot over a bridge to the railway station. After just under two thirds of the route, Aumenau would also be a good opportunity for an early exit from the tour and a return journey to Runkel by train. The railway also runs regularly at weekends. However, we are not interested in Captain Flint's pub, as he has obviously not yet loaded his galley this early in the year and there is also a surprise waiting in our cool bag.
Father's Day feeling
In addition to the dismountable gas grill and cartridge, we've lugged along small porcelain currywurst bowls, stainless steel picks, three small Fiege Pils, a packet of toast and, of course, the only real curry sauce from Dönninghaus for us three former Bochum students. In addition to the experience of nature and the exercise in the fresh air, coupled with the light-footed progress on a SUP on the river, we enjoy looking back and savouring what a WLAN-free day has to offer: simply paddling alongside each other for hours, talking if you like, or enjoying each other in silence. So we just sit on the bank, let the river flow by unpaddled and only cover the last section on the road at dusk.
We had the foresight to leave a car here. We know the last few kilometres well from the previous autumn tour - when rugged rock faces protrude into the river on the left bank, it is still around 20 minutes to the first view of Runkel Castle. This was first mentioned in 1159, but is thought to be even older. It is possible to visit the castle, and from the main tower you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view.
Closing in front of the castle
Of course, we also want to take the classic photo in front of the castle the next day. The area above the weir is temptingly attractive but closed, which makes a lot of sense. Being washed over the weir here after falling into the water would be life-threatening. But even just before the exclusion zone, we still find a perspective that puts the Runkelburg in the right light. Lucy, who was of course not on the actual tour, is also allowed on board for a short time. For this view, we paddle our left arm a little further to the prohibition sign before the last lock. But even after paddling around the lock, there is still an opportunity for a final photo below the weir before you can moor your tent or camper just a few metres further along the left bank in the eddy behind a sill.
Summary of the river tour on the Lahn:
The Lahn is one of the most popular canoeing rivers and is paddled commercially by canoe operators over a length of 160 kilometres. The section presented here, 28 kilometres from Weilburg to Runkel, belongs to the category of varied challenges and is a very decent day trip on the SUP, which we paddled twice for good reason.
