Walking the Rhine Valley - Concerts and hikes through woods, fields and vineyards

Fly at c. 11.30am (British Airways) from London Heathrow to Düsseldorf. Drive onwards to Bonn, where the first of two nights are spent.

A morning walk rises steadily passing wood-timbered houses, fields and then through woods before reaching Kloster Heisterbach. Continue on woodland paths, zigzagging up a waymarked route to Petersberg (c. 5km). Lunch is included, then return to Bonn for some free time before dinner and an evening recital in the Beethovenhaus with Isabelle Faust (violin), Alexander Melnikov (piano): Brahms & Schumann sonatas. Second and final night in Bonn.

Drive south into the picturesque Rheingau. Lunch here before a moderate afternoon walk on the so-called ‘Riesling Route’ from Schloss Vollrads to Am Rebhang: 10km, c. 2hours. This walk traverses vineyards and follows marked woodland paths above the Rhine, where the vines of prestigious wine producers cover broad, south-facing slopes. Late afternoon Lieder recital with Sophie Bevan (soprano) and Ryan Wigglesworth (piano) in Schloss Johannisberg: Strauss & Schumann songs. Overnight in Mannheim.

Drive to Speyer for a morning concert in the Dreifaltigkeitskirche with the Barocksolisten München, Dorothea Seel (director, flute) & Marie-Sophie Pollak (soprano): ‘Und meine Seele spricht’ (‘And my soul speaks’), includes arias by Bach and Handel. The afternoon is spent walking along part of the Alsace wine route, beginning in Bergheim and ending in Ribeauvillé. The path here is mostly level (c. 5km). Drive to Colmar (France) for the first of three nights here.

Drive from Colmar to Breisach, where starting from the Minster there is a moderate circular walk down to the riverside and along on woodland paths. (c. 5km). Lunch here before travelling to St Peter for an afternoon concert with the Consone Quartet & Kristian Bezuidenhout (harpsichord): Mozart, Piano Concerto No.13 in C, K.415; Mozart Wind Quintet in E-flat, K.452 (arr. Naumann). Overnight in Colmar.

A challenging walk in the foothills of the Vosges. Beginning with a steep climb from Munster Haut-Rhin, this is a circular route on country lanes, farm tracks and woodland paths, which passes through picturesque villages and farms: c. 9.5km, c. 3 hours. Drive to Basel for an afternoon concert in the Don Bosco Hall with the Basel Chamber Orchestra: Strauss, Serenade in E-flat, Op.7; Brahms, Symphony No.3 in F, Op.90. Final night in Colmar.

Fly from Basel, arriving at London Heathrow at c. 1.00pm.