Westerwald Lake District - Southern Loop 7-Ponds-Hiking-Path

Description

Varied, natural, and full of discoveries: The southern loop of the 7-Ponds-Hiking-Path leads through the charming high plateau of the Westerwald Lake District. The starting point is the parking lot on the B8 at Postweiher. From there, you hike past three idyllic ponds along the B8, over narrow paths, historic trails, and small bridges to the impressive Dreifelder Weiher – the largest lake in the region.

Along the way, you will encounter the source area of the Holzbach, a forest playground for families, exciting information boards about flora and fauna, and a detour to the old church in Dreifelden.

The Wölferlinger Weiher is circled from a respectful distance – to protect the rare birdlife.

Enjoy nature, history, and quiet retreats – all in one route.

Approach

From Hachenburg

We leave Hachenburg via Steinebacher Straße and follow it to the town exit. There we continue on L 292 to Steinebach. In Steinebach, continue straight on Hachenburger Straße until the town exit, where we follow L 292 again. At the end of L 292, we turn left onto B 8 and follow it for exactly 4.0 km. Then we turn right onto the large parking lot of the campsite at Postweiher.

From Selters (from southwest)

We drive on L 304 to Freilingen. There we turn left into Hohe Straße and follow it for 1.0 km. The parking lot of the campsite is on the left.

From Westerburg (from east)

We leave Westerburg via Langenhahner Straße and turn right at the end onto L 288. We follow this to Hinterkirchen where we turn left into Westerburger Straße. At the crossroads to B 255 (Koblenzer Straße), turn left, then slightly right into Freilinger Straße. We follow L 304 to Freilingen, where we turn right from Wölferlinger Straße into Hohe Straße. After 1.0 km, the parking lot of the campsite is on the left side.

Public transport

By bus line 463 from Bad Marienberg / Montabaur to Freilingen.

Taxi companies:

Taxi Schmidt: Hachenburg, Tel.: 02662/6119 or 02662/6688

Taxi Uwe Bischoff: Hachenburg, Tel.: 02662/944444

Taxi Kappi-Tullius: Hachenburg, Tel.: 02662/939390

Taxi Hetzler: Selters, Tel.: 02626/6445

Parking

Freilingen: Free parking lot at the campsite Freilingen, Hohe Str. 30, 56244 Freilingen.

Directions

Our hike begins at the parking lot on the B8, which is also used by visitors of the campsite and the beach at Postweiher.

From here, we follow the path northwest, passing the mini golf course. Soon we reach a historic trail that leads us around the idyllic Hausweiher with the Schönerlen campsite.

After crossing the B8, the dam path runs between the nature reserve at Brinkenweiher and the recreational area at Postweiher. Numerous information boards along the path provide insights into the special features and importance of the nature reserve.

Before reaching the K 138, we cross the source area of the Holzbach – a remarkable brook that feeds the three ponds along the B8 and only flows into the Wied 40 kilometers after its origin.

A special highlight for families is the forest playground near Dreifelden, which we pass through during the further course of the route.

At the opposite parking lot, we finally meet the northern loop of the 7-Ponds-Path. Together with the European long-distance hiking trail E1, the path leads us further via narrow paths and small bridges to the southern end of the Dreifelder Weiher, the largest lake in the Westerwald Lake District.

From there, we reach the village of Dreifelden, where the hiking trail takes us past the remarkable church – one of the oldest in the Westerwald. Afterwards, we cross the young Wied river and walk through a small park out of the village up the hill.

There we enjoy a magnificent view back to the Dreifelder Weiher before tackling the final section of our hike.

Safety instructions

• If you feel certain sections of the path are not passable for you, you should bypass them. Especially in adverse weather conditions, natural paths may have muddy and slippery sections.
• Especially in autumn, be aware that fallen leaves can cover unevenness, roots, stones, or holes on the path. You have to expect such path impairments when hiking.
• Although the path is very well marked, for safety reasons you should always have a suitable hiking map with you.

Equipment

• Wear sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate, functional clothing that protects you from cold and wet or heat and sun.
• Bring sufficient fluids. There are not everywhere opportunities to stop for refreshment.
• Please wear appropriate hiking boots on the path, which provide sufficient grip even on slippery, steep, rocky, and uneven tracks.

Tips

At the lookout tower at Dreifelder Weiher, we should take time to enjoy the view of the lake.

Literature

Topographic map 1:25000 Ferienland Westerwald Sheet 1, ISBN: 978-3-89637-253-6

Destination

Campingplatz Freilingen, Hohe Str. 30, 56244 Freilingen

Starting Point

Campingplatz Freilingen, Hohe Str. 30, 56244 Freilingen