Tag: Rhine

Tour the Saffron Kingdom: Burg Rheinfels

Burg Rheinfels is the next stop in our Tour of the Seven Kingdoms! The Saffron Kingdom!

The Seven Kingdoms fairy tale world is inspired by real castles in the Rhine and Mosel River valleys in Germany.

Stone castle walls with skinny steep wooden staircase (half-covered with wooden roof)
Burg Rheinfels (Fortress Rhine Boulder) is the inspiration for the Saffron Kingdom. ©Laurel Decher, 2020.

Clip the map below to find all the tours:

Cartoon drawing of the Seven Kingdoms with locations on Rhine and Mosel Rivers marked by colored towers
Click the map to tour the Seven Kingdoms: Cochem, Marigold, Magenta, Indigo, Saffron, Rose, and Blackfly.

Feel like playing hide and seek? Take a mini-tour of Rheinfels castle in Germany. Extensive tunnels, ruins, and a gorgeous view. It’s the inspiration for the Saffron Kingdom in the #SevenKingdomsFairyTales.

  • A barge on the Rhine River (but not carrying coal–whew!)
  • Part of the castle is a hotel.
  • This castle and its ruins go on and on in all directions.
  • This way to the castle.
  • If you don’t want to walk up the hill, take the shuttle.
  • How fast could you go up and down this staircase? How about if a dragon was chasing you?
  • Waiting to go into the tunnels under the castle
  • Someone is always watching!
  • Which window would you like?
  • Lots of room for archery or tag
A terrible video by me. You can watch a more professional one below. (Mine is better than it was–I cut out a passing family’s long argument about ice cream cones. :)) It shows the Rhine River from the top of the Saffron Kingdom. Burg Rheinfels means “Castle Rhine Boulder”. ©Laurel Decher, 2020
If you want the feeling of flying over the Saffron Kingdom on a dragon–like Princess Saffy or Prince Magellan–here’s a professionally made video with twinkly music :). The first 3 minutes and the ending show close-ups of the castle and the part in the middle shows all the houses in the valley.
New book cover for TROUBLE WITH PARSNIPS ebook and Kindle editions. Print coming soon. Princess with toolbox on top of burning tower.

If you’re a fan of Rheinfels castle, you might enjoy the next Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale: UNDER PRESSURE WITH A SQUASH

For eleven-year-old Princess Saffy, tests ARE the point. Her twin, Prince Magellan, thinks tests are pointless.

But when their beloved dragon gets them into trouble with the Fairy Kingdom. . . the Saffron twins must face the ultimate test–together!

How can they beat the pressure? Get on board the Hubbard submarine and find out!

Preorder or sign up to my Reader’s List, so you don’t miss it!

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If you’d like to stay in touch, sign up for my Reader’s List. Once a month, I share a new book recommendation for readers ages 9 to 12, story-related freebies, and/or related blog posts. If it’s not your thing, you can unsubscribe at any time.

Click here for more about the Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tales (for ages 9 to 12).

Tour Cochem Kingdom: the real home of TROUBLE WITH PARSNIPS

Steep vineyards up to Reichsburg Cochem, the inspiration for the Cochem Kingdom in the Seven Kingdom Fairy Tales series. © Laurel Decher, 2020.
  • The Reichsburg Cochem inspired Cochem Castle but it’s never had a moat.
  • Rooks fly over the tower. Every fairy tale should have some.
  • Blooming pink cherry tree with castle on a hill in the background
    Cochem castle
  • castle with towers and rooks, blooming pink cherry trees, tower with windows and door that make a funny, surprised face, Mosel river valley
    The high water tower in Cochem. The inspiration for the beloved Palace Agricultural Library.
  • It’s steep!
  • Can you find the tower with the funny face?
  • Tower marks where the stairs start.
  • Downtown Cochem.
  • Don’t you love those half-timbered houses?
  • If you built a fountain, what would it look like?
  • This is the REAL library in Cochem. The sign says: City library, opening times Monday through Thursday 3 PM to 5 PM. Thursdays 10 to 12 PM. ©Laurel Decher, 2020.
Downtown Cochem. 🙂 The tower that inspired the Palace Agricultural Library and the real city library of Cochem “Stadtbücherei” ©Laurel Decher, 2020.
  • Even the fence has a sense of humor!
  • View from the castle!
  • The Mosel River
  • Grapes getting ready!
  • A bend in the river
  • Stairs, stairs, stairs 🙂
  • Almost there!
Going the “back way” behind the castle and vineyards and up the stairs, stairs, stairs. 🙂 Views from the top because you need a reward, right? ©Laurel Decher, 2020.
Want to take a mini-cruise on the Mosel River? I still have to learn how to delete the noisy audio so you get authentic boat cruise sounds and me getting my camera explained to me. ©Laurel Decher, 2020.
The trailer for TROUBLE WITH PARSNIPS, the Seven Kingdoms Fairy Tale that starts all the trouble in Cochem Kingdom! ©Laurel Decher, 2020.
cover image for Trouble With Parsnips shows girl with toolbox on top of burning tower

If you enjoy visiting Cochem castle as much as I do, you might like the story of this inventor princess.

It’s save-the-kingdom time. . .

Can she finally use the one tool that’s never worked. . .her quiet voice?

It’s a way to spend a little more time in the Seven Kingdoms.

Happy reading!

Click here for more about the book.

Cartoon drawing of the Seven Kingdoms with locations on Rhine and Mosel Rivers marked by colored towers
Click the map to tour the Seven Kingdoms: Cochem, Marigold, Magenta, Indigo, Saffron, Rose, and Blackfly.

_______________

If you’d like to stay in touch, sign up for my Reader’s List. Once a month, I share a new book recommendation for readers ages 9 to 12, story-related freebies, and/or related blog posts. If it’s not your thing, you can unsubscribe at any time.