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***image1***From the top of a hill outside Daun, racing a bobsled down an over-dimensional roof
gutter seems like the thing to do.
It’s thrill with no frills here: a ticket vending machine, a dozen or so wheeled sleds and a guy who, as he points to a stick between your legs on the bob, explains in German: “This is the brake. If you push it all the way down, you will get very fast.” As he releases you to the track, he calls out something along the line of “Good luck!”
It’s a typical summer luge track, or German “Sommerrodelbahn.” These tracks of welded metal half-pipes are scattered throughout Rheinland-Palatinate. They turn a traditional winter pastime into a year-round family fun activity.
Think of it as ice luging on wheels. Sleds usually have room for either one or two people, who sit with their legs facing forward. The track guides the bobsleds downhill through numerous steep curves. The only outside interference are warning signs that tell the sledders to slow down before curves.
Without using the break, the bobs easily reach scary speeds. It’s up to the
sledders to control whether they want to slide down at a child-friendly pace or in a near-Olympic rush. To get to the top of the track, the facilities usually have a lift system that pulls sleds and sledders uphill.
The Daun track is 2,600 feet long and features eight curves. It is situated outside the Wildlife Park, about an hour and a half northeast of Kaiserslautern. The top of the track is located near the parking area, so that the lift ride comes at the end of the trip instead of the beginning like at many other tracks.
While the Daun track is rather basic, others in the area feature additional amenities that turn them into perfect places for a full-day outing.
One of Germany’s longest tracks is the “Super-Sommerrodelbahn Peterberg” in Brauns-hausen, about halfway between Kaiserslautern and Spangdahlem Air Base. A lift takes sledders almost 2,000 feet up the hill, from where they start down the 3,000-foot track, passing through 15 curves along the way.
Visitors here also find a slide, trampolines, a bistro, a restaurant and plenty of outside seating.
Another track is located outside of the town Altenahr near Bonn. Its 1,600-foot track guides sledders through seven curves.
For those who don’t want to go down the slide, there’s a large playground, pony riding and a restaurant. Usually, kids can enjoy a petting zoo, but it is currently closed because of construction.
An hour and 20 minutes north of Spangdahlem, not far from the Belgium
border, is the Sommerrodelbahn Monschau-Rohren, which features a 2,500-foot descent. This track stands out because it offers a beautiful panorama view over the Rur valley. A playground, trampolines, kids race car track, restaurant, a historic
sawmill and informative hiking trails complete the offer for family entertainment here. A 2,200-foot-long track is located in Mechernich-Kommern, 90 minutes north of Spangdahlem along the A1.
This area is also worth a visit because of its surrounding activities: a miniature golf course, a playground with an electronic swing, as well as an off-road four-wheeler course. Rides on the summer luge tracks typically run around €2 per descent. Most are open during daytime hours Monday through Sunday in the spring and summer, and some may have additional evening hours.
