Kleiner Wäller "Basalt + Water" - walking trail

Description

My way starts at the parking lot of the Ulmbachtalsperre. Over the dam I walk along the lake into the forest. Soon I discover a geological peculiarity: A comb quartzite cliff - originated from the formerly pure sandy beaches of the Lower Carboniferous period. I follow the Ulmbach over meadow paths and reach the village center of Beilstein with the beautiful basalt castle church from the 17th century. On the left side you will see Beilstein Castle. Once a count's residence, the restored basalt building is now privately owned. My way leads me over the splashing Ulmbach to the BASALT-PARKours, which shows me the many ways of using the stone. On the route of the former Ulmtalbahn railroad, which has been converted into the Ulmtal cycle path, I hike back to the Ulmbach dam, where I can enjoy the idyllic resting places and viewpoints.

Brief description

A varied tour from the reservoir through forests and meadows, past historic buildings, through the BasaltPARKours and over the Ulmtalradweg back to the starting point.

Approach

From direction Herborn on B 277 to Ehringshausen-Katzenfurt, then on L 3282 and L 3324 to destinationFrom direction Wetzlar/Limburg on B49 to Leun-Biskirchen, then on L 3324 to destinationBy bike from the Westerwald via R7 and Ulmtalradweg, from the Lahntal via Lahntalradweg and Ulmtalradweg

Public transport

VLDW line 120/125 from Wetzlar or Weilburg, stop: Beilstein, Ulmtalsperre (timetable 2020)

Parking

Parking at the Ulmbachtalsperre, Ulmbachtalsperre 1, 35753 Greifenstein (possibly with costs)

Directions

From the parking lot of the Ulmbachtalsperre the path leads over the dam. From 1963 to 1966 the dam was built to dam up the water of the Ulmbach and thus protect the 3 villages of the Ulmtal from flooding during high tide. In summer the Ulmbach dam becomes a bathing lake and also anglers get their money's worth. The adjacent camping site offers 4 mini houses for cyclists and hikers to stay overnight, in addition to tent and caravan sites. Around half of the reservoir you can walk along the Ulmbach into the forest, where you can admire a geological speciality: Following the course of the stream, you pass a bridge and then walk along meadow paths past gardens to the district of Beilstein. Crossing the Ulmbach again, you come to the castle church. In the style of the late Renaissance it was built from basalt from 1614 to 1616. Continuing on, you can catch a glimpse of Beilstein Castle on the left, whose walls have much to tell. Counts of Nassau-Beilstein and Nassau-Dillenburg were at home here. In 1612, the castle was extended to a castle. Today the elaborately renovated basalt building is privately owned. A war memorial can also be found in the small green area, which you leave to reach the BASALTPARKours - again over a bridge. In the small park, different ways of using the rock are shown and explained at several stations. At the end of the BasaltPARKour, you can take a look at the TuSpo Beilstein artificial turf pitch. Framed by basalt foundlings, the sports field was given the name "Basalt Arena". Once again, you cross the Ulmbach and then come to the route of the former Ulmtalbahn. Between 1921 and 1976 the legendary BALKAN-EXPRESS ran here. It transported the local raw materials to the factories on the Lahn and in the Rhineland for further processing. In addition, many thousands of people worked in heavy industry and the optical industry in Wetzlar, many of whom came from the Ulmtal valley. For these people, the Ulmtalbahn was an indispensable means of transport. Steam locomotives and rail buses transported passengers and goods over a difference in altitude of a remarkable 245 m from Leun-Stockhausen (Lahn) to Greifenstein-Beilstein (Dillkreis) and vice versa. In 2010 the municipality of Greifenstein began to expand the route to the Ulmtalradweg with the help of subsidies. It now connects Westerwald and Lahn Valley on a distance of almost 22 km. The rest areas along the cycle path are dedicated to the respective local mineral resources. At the Beilstein rest area, a replica of the former clay loading facility was built. On the information board there you will also find historical photos on the subject of basalt mining. Shortly behind the rest area, the renovated former bus stop "Wallendorf" also offers the possibility to take a break. Finally, one reaches a viewpoint of the tour. Built from basalt findlings and equipped with a sun bed, it offers a good view of the Ulmbachtalsperre and the Ulmtal. Before you leave the cycle path, you can admire the two basalt bridges, both of which are listed buildings and were renovated in 2019. At the end of the tour, back at the Ulmbachtalsperre, you can stop for a bite to eat in the local restaurant with beer garden.

Tips

Pack your swimsuit and take a bath in the Ulmbachtalsperre (fee required)!

Every 1st Sunday in July: "Markt im Park" around the BASALT-PARKours

Destination

Ulmbachtalsperre, 35753 Greifenstein

Starting Point

Ulmbachtalsperre, 35753 Greifenstein