You can follow a narrow path slightly downhill and discover the Sporkenburg, which is well hidden on a mountain ridge in the Emsbach valley in the heart of the Westerwald forest – it’s a real insider tip!

The ruins you will find date back to the late Middle Ages. There are a striking number of influences from French chateaux. For example, there was no castle keep. Instead, there was a five-storey shield wall with ‘tourelles’, or tower-like projections from the façade.

The window openings afford lovely views over the scenic valley.