Westerwald-Steig Stage 8: Bad Marienberg - Hachenburg (East - West)

Description

From Bad Marienberg, the trail runs through the basalt park and on to the Bad Marienberg wildlife park. It continues over the Kleiner and Großer Wolfstein mountains towards Stangenrod, passing a game reserve on the way. The trail then follows paths through meadows, with great views of the Monsberg mountain, past Stangenrod and into the Wäschbach Valley. Take the 'Philosophenweg' path in the direction of the Hachenburg town forest to reach the Jewish cemetery. In Hachenburg, visit the lovely museum of natural and cultural history and the fascinating town centre, which is dominated by the Baroque castle.

Brief description

This stage of the trail begins with the 'Westerwald view' at the basalt and wildlife park. Just before Hachenburg, where the stage ends, there is a fantastic view of the Siebengebirge mountain range from the 'Philosophenweg' path.

Approach

From the south: via the B255 to the Bad Marienberg exit
From the north: via the B414 to the Bad Marienberg exit

Public transport

Train to the ICE station at Montabaur, bus to the Bad Marienberg (Westerwald) stop, central bus station: bus no. 643
Return journey from Hachenburg to Bad Marienberg: bus no. 483
www.bahn.de
www.rmv-bus.de

Parking

Bad Marienberg, town centre (Bismarckstraße, Albrechtstraße, Im Bohnengarten, Tourist Information/Wilhelmstraße)

Directions

The Westerwald-Steig trail leads from the Tourist Information Centre in the town centre to the abandoned basalt quarry, where there is plenty of information on the basalt mining which was once carried out in the area. From here, the trail carries on to the Bad Marienberg wildlife park and falconry, which is open all year round. Enjoy the famous 'Westerwald view' from the Hedwigs Tower in the wildlife park. On a clear day, you can see from here to the Siebengebirge mountain range in the west, to the Eifel region in the south and the Feldberg mountain in the east. The Westerwald-Steig trail then continues to the Kleiner and Großer Wolfstein mountains. It then leads on natural paths through leafy forest towards Stangenrod, passing a private game reserve and a disused basalt quarry. It continues through meadow paths past Stangenrod, with beautiful views of the Monsberg mountain, into the Wäschbach Valley and to Unnau-Korb, where there are train connections. Take the 'Philosophenweg' path in the direction of the Hachenburg town forest to reach the Jewish cemetery, with its impressive view of the Siebengebirge. In Hachenburg, visit the lovely museum of natural and cultural history. The highlight of the museum is the Baroque hunting arsenal which once belonged to Count von Sayn-Hachenburg. An open-air museum houses a group of old buildings which have been transported from their original locations to the museum, including a school, mill house, barn, bake house, oil mill, poor house and a village fountain with a herb garden. Don't miss the Baroque castle and the market square with the Löwenbrunnen fountain, the 'Gasthaus zur Krone' restaurant and the pretty half-timbered houses.
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 path is very well marked throughout, you should always have a suitable hiking map with you for safety reasons.Due to a defective step system, the 8th stage of the WesterwaldSteig between Korb and Hachenburg is closed for an indefinite period. The stage can still be hiked with a small diversions (approx. 600 m). The diversions is signposted accordingly.

Equipment

Hiking boots/shoes
Suitable weatherproof clothing

Tips

For relaxation: MarienBad spa, Bad Marienberg
For great views: the Hedwig Tower at the wildlife park
For families with children: visit the Bad Marienberg wildlife park (free)
For culture vultures: visit Hachenburg's museum of natural and cultural history

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

Hachenburg

Starting Point

Bad Marienberg