Westerwald-Steig Stage 10: Limbach - Marienthal Abbey (East - West)

Description

From Limbach, the trail heads along the Heunigs Höhlenweg path to the viewing point on the Hohe Ley rock, where you can visit a small slate mine. The trail continues to follow the River Nister, passing Astert and Heuzert to reach Heimborn, where the Kleine Nister and Große Nister meet. It continues to the Spitzen Ley rock, with its view of Steinwingert. The highlight of this stage of the trail is the narrow Weltende ('World's End') path, which is a difficult climb. The trail then continues on more gentle paths past Racksen and the state forest at Altenkirchen down to Marienthal Abbey.

Brief description

The trail follows the Kleine Nister River past the 'Deutsches Eck der Kroppacher Schweiz' in Heimborn, where the Kleine Nister and Große Nister rivers meet, and through alpine terrain to Marienthal Abbey.

Approach

From Hachenburg (south east): via the B414 until the end to Betzdorf/Nister and then continue on the L288 to the Limbach exit
From Altenkirchen (south west): via the B414 until the Gebhardshain/Limbach/Mörsbach/Heimborn exit and then continue on the L265 to the Limbach exit
From Betzdorf (north east): via the L288 to the Limbach exit
From Wissen (north west): via the L289 or L265 to the Limbach exit

Public transport

Oberwesterwaldbahn train from Au-Limburg to the train stop at Hattert and then by taxi to Limbach
Return journey from Marienthal Abbey to Limbach: with the Oberwesterwaldbahn train from Au-Limburg once again to the train stop at Hattert and then by taxi to Limbach
www.vectus-online.de

Parking

Limbach, Haus des Gastes (Hardtweg)

Directions

The Westerwald-Steig trail leaves Limbach on a meadow path along the Kleine Nister in the direction of the Heunigs Höhlenweg path (an educational river trail) to the viewing point on the Hohe Ley rock. Walking on natural forest paths, you can enjoy the legendary silence of the Westerwald to the fullest. You can also visit a medieval slate quarry. The trail then descends 200m on some uneven steps to the River Nister. You need to watch your step here. The trail continues to follow the river, passing Astert and Heuzert to reach Heimborn, one of the most beautiful places in the Westerwald, where the Kleine Nister and Große Nister meet – the so-called 'Deutsches Eck der Kroppacher Schweiz'. Here, the two river valleys widen onto a beautiful plain, where you can take a well-earned rest. Both rivers have their source in the High Westerwald and flow at first through a wide undulating plateau, before they carve their way deep into the steep Devonian slate rocky ridges of the Rhenish Massif, giving the landscape of the Kroppacher Schweiz its particular charm. The trail continues past the hikers' car park at Heimborn and across meadows as far as Ehrlich, where there is a restaurant by the river. It then leads over the Spitze Ley rock, with its view of Steinwingert, to another highlight of the Westerwald-Steig trail, the Weltende (World's End') path. This path is a nature trail which leads through one of the most beautiful parts of the Kroppacher Schweiz and through the romantic silence of unspoilt forest. It gets its name from a gift – in 1451, Wilhelm, Lord of Reichenstein, left Marienstatt Abbey to the village of Flögert. As there was only one path to the village, it became popularly known as 'At the end of the world'. Today, the 'World's End' path is an attractive, challenging hiking trail, where sure-footedness is a must. For less experienced hikers, there is an alternative route on the less spectacular Marienwanderweg path, which continues past Racksen and leads downhill on easy paths through the state forest at Altenkirchen to Marienthal Abbey.
Access paths (marking: green W on a yellow background)

Safety instructions

Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate, weatherproof clothing that protects you from cold and wet or heat and sun.Take enough liquid with you. There are not always places to stop for refreshments.Please wear walking shoes appropriate for the trail, which will give you sufficient grip even on slippery and steep or rocky and uneven paths.If you are of the opinion that certain sections of the trail are not passable for you, then you should avoid them. Especially in adverse weather conditions, muddy and slippery passages can occur on natural paths.Especially in autumn, you should also be aware that leaves lying on the ground can hide uneven surfaces, roots, stones or holes in the path. You must expect path impairments of this kind when you undertake a hike.Although the trail is very well marked throughout, you should always have a suitable hiking map with you for safety reasons.

Equipment

Hiking boots/shoes
Suitable weatherproof clothing
Rucksack with provisions

Tips

For explorers: visit the medieval 'Assberg' slate quarry (open all year round; free)
For romantics: picnic at the 'Deutsches Eck der Kroppacher Schweiz'
For adventurers: 'Weltende' ('World's End') nature trail
For culture vultures: visit Hamm/Sieg (birthplace of Friedrich-Wilhelm Raiffeisen, a founder of cooperative banks and rural credit unions) or Wissen

Literature

- Wanderkarte-Leporello Westerwald-Steig, hiking map with GPS data and tips for day trips, rest stops and leisure activities, map size (w x h): 18 x 20 cm, 39 pages in total, including 29 pages of maps, ISBN 978-3-89920-461-2, €8.95 - Official WesterWaldSteig trail map for hikers and holidaymakers, 1:50 000 scale map, LVermGeo Rheinland-Pfalz, ISBN 978-3-89637-406-6, €8.50

Destination

Marienthal

Starting Point

Limbach