Westerwald-Steig Stage 4: Rennerod - Westerburg (East - West)

Description

The trail passes right by the Secker Weiher lakes, which lie between Rennerod and Westerburg. On the banks of the largest lake there is a campsite with restaurant. The main attraction of this stage of the trail is the Holzbach gorge, which begins near the Dappricher Hof café near Seck. The gorge is about one kilometre long and almost 20 metres deep. Broken up basalt boulders and fallen trees give the narrow valley its wild and romantic character.

Approach

From the south and north: via the B54 to the Rennerod exit
From the east and west: via the B255 to the Rennerod exit

Public transport

Train to ICE station at Montabaur and bus to Rennerod bus station; bus no. 116
Return journey from Westerburg to Rennerod: bus no. 116
www.bahn.de
www.rmv-bus.de

Parking

Rennerod, on Bahnhofsstraße or Friedhofsweg

Directions

Rennerod is sheltered from the wind in the south-facing valley of the Holzbach stream. The WesterwaldSteig trail extends right up to the town centre. After about two kilometres, you will reach the Seitenstein, a 20 m high basalt formation in the middle of the forest, about which an information board tells an exciting legend. Nearby, approx. 500 metres south-east of the WesterwaldSteig trail, is the model flying site of the Rennerod Modelling Club, which is mainly open at weekends from April to October.

Forest paths lead to the Secker Weihern ponds, which the trail passes right by. They were created in 1672 by Prince Moritz Heinrich von Nassau-Hadamar not far from a small hunting lodge. The large pond is ten hectares in size. There is a campsite with a restaurant here.

The attraction of this stage is the Holzbach Gorge. The entrance to the gorge is at Dappricher Hof near Seck. The Holzbach, a tributary of the Elbbach, has dug its way deep into the basalt here before flowing past Gemünden to Hesse. The gorge is around one kilometre long and up to 20 metres deep.

Broken basalt blocks and fallen trees give the narrow valley a torrent-like character. Information boards along the gorge help you to identify the plants and animals that live here. Gentle hilltops, extensive deciduous forests and wide meadow valleys characterise the region around Westerburg. Past the campsite and the ‘Zum Katzenstein’ inn, you now hike along narrow paths through the forest to the Katzenstein, a rock made of slab basalt. Here you will find a memorial to the displaced persons from the former German eastern territories. It offers you a marvellous view over Westerburg as far as the Taunus. You soon reach the end point of the stage on the eastern edge of the town. From here, you can quickly reach the town centre via a marked access path.

Access routes (marking: green W on yellow background):

• from Rennerod town centre to the starting point of the stage (approx. 0.7 km)
• from the Seitenstein to Hellenhahn-Schellenberg (approx. 2.4 km)
• from Hofgut Dapprich to the hikers' car park on the L300 (approx. 0.5 km)
• from the western edge of Gemünden to the village (approx. 0.7 km)
• from the eastern outskirts of Westerburg to the town centre (approx. 1.2 km) and the train station (approx. 1.8 km)

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

Tips

For families with children: Holzbach gorge with educational nature trail

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

Westerburg

Starting Point

Rennerod