Little Wäller Wolfstones - Bad Marienberg

Description

The Little Wäller Wolfstones is a great circular hike for families and all hikers who love variety.

The start of the route is at the Bad Marienberg Wildlife Park, from where it goes on forest paths to the Little and Great Wolfstone. Here you should take the time to read the legend of the Wolfstones on the information board.

The path leads over the Marienberg Heights into the town center. The spa park with pharmacy garden and barefoot path is definitely worth a stop.

In the town center, there are many dining options, so you can start the last third of the hike well-fueled.

It continues towards Basaltpark. Here display boards inform about basalt quarrying in earlier times. The path leads past the basalt lake and the impressive basalt wall of the park steeply uphill towards the wildlife park.

Before reaching the wildlife park, you pass the Hedwig tower. Here, at the end of the hike, you can enjoy the view over the Westerwald.

Approach

- From Cologne: A3 exit Hennef/Sieg via B8 and B414 to Bad Marienberg

- From Frankfurt: A3 exit Limburg via B54 and B414 to Bad Marienberg

- From Dortmund: A45 exit Haiger/Burbach via B54 and B414 to Bad Marienberg

- From Gießen: A45 exit Herborn via B255 and B414 to Bad Marienberg

- From Koblenz: A48 and A3 exit Montabaur via B255 to Bad Marienberg

Public transport

By train to the Nistertal or Westerburg stop. Continue by bus to Bad Marienberg, Neuerweg stop.

Bus lines 116 and 483

www.rmv-bus.de

Parking

Large free parking lot at the Bad Marienberg Wildlife Park.

Directions

From the parking lot at the Bad Marienberg Wildlife Park, I hike past the adventure playground of the wildlife park and the climbing forest straight into the woods. After 500 meters, I keep right and walk a short way uphill to the first basalt formation, the "Little Wolfstone." There I take a short break on a rustic oak bench in the forest church, a place of worship in the open air, and enjoy the nature. Then I follow a narrow path uphill for 100 meters, winding between basalt stones and trees. At the crossroads I reach, I turn left and follow the path for almost a kilometer further through the forest to the natural monument "Great Wolfstone." An information board tells me about the legend of the Wolfstones, which the devil supposedly lost in flight. Climbers, which I am not, can try their skills on the huge basalt blocks.

I continue hiking on a wide forest path to the Marienberg Heights and the juniper heath, from which I enjoy the view over Bad Marienberg. Then I follow a field path downhill, turn right after 400 meters, and head towards the town center. I briefly bypass a residential area to the street "Unter den Eichen." There I turn left and walk about 300 meters to Kirburger Straße. I follow this to the right and straight ahead over a roundabout. Then I turn right into Büchtingstraße and follow it for 200 meters. From there, my path leads me right through the spa park, past the listed half-timbered house of the Tourist Information, to the "Park of the Senses" with a barefoot path and a pharmacy garden. I take off my hiking boots and treat my feet to a detour along the circular route with 16 different surfaces. Then I briefly explore the pharmacy garden with 100 different plants before continuing my way through the market square into Bismarckstraße with its shopping and dining options.

The last third of the path takes me along Bismarckstraße and Rauscheidstraße to the Basaltpark open-air museum, where display boards provide insights into the volcanic activity of the region about 25 million years ago. From there, I hike steeply uphill in the direction of the wildlife park and use the remaining energy to enjoy the Westerwald panoramic view from the Hedwig tower.

Safety instructions

Especially in autumn, attention should be paid to the fact that fallen leaves on the ground can hide unevenness, roots, stones, or holes in the path.

Such path impairments are to be expected on every hike.

Equipment

Wear sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate, practical clothing that protects you from cold and wet or heat and sun.

Tips

In spring, the wildlife park welcomes new animal offspring, and visitors can observe young goats and sheep, among others.

Literature

The brochure "Kleine Wäller - Großer Genuss" is available at the Tourist Information or online here.

Destination

Parking lot at Wildlife Park, Wildparkstraße, 56470 Bad Marienberg

Starting Point

Parking lot at Wildlife Park, Wildparkstraße, 56470 Bad Marienberg