WesterwaldSteig - 4th hike from campsite to campsite

Description

A highlight of my moderate hike from the Zum Katzenstein campsite near Westerburg to the Freilingen campsite is the Katzenstein. It is said that the almost 400-meter-high basalt rock formation was a pre-Christian cult site. I use it as an excellent viewpoint. After a detour into the town, I walk over gentle hills, through deciduous forests, and broad valleys on to the Westerwald lakes region. It consists of seven reservoir ponds nestled between the mountain peaks of the Hachenburger and Höchstenbacher forests.

Approach

A3 from Cologne direction exit Dierdorf, B413 towards Hachenburg until Herschbach, through Schenkelberg, then right B8 towards Limburg, through Steinen, then left after about 1 km.

A3 from Frankfurt/Main direction exit Diez, towards Wallmerod, B8 towards Altenkirchen, about 600 m past Freilingen right.

A48/A3 from Koblenz Dernbacher Dreieck A3 towards Cologne, exit Ransbach-Baumbach, Mogendorf, Selters, Freilingen B8 towards Altenkirchen, right after about 600 m.

A45 exit Haiger-Burbach, towards B255 Rennerod, Langenhahn, Freilingen B8 towards Altenkirchen, left after about 600 m.

Public transport

From Montabaur ICE station there is a direct connection with bus 463 to the B8, Freilingen bus stop (www.bahn.de). This is the campsite's own bus stop.

Parking

Free parking at Freilingen campsite, Hohe Str. 30, 56244 Freilingen (access via Federal Road B8)

Directions

From the Katzenstein campsite, I first take a look at the Katzenstein, which I reach via a small forest path. After a wide view over Westerburg, I decide to follow the WesterwaldSteig for about two kilometers to the eastern town limits. I make a short detour along a marked side path to the town center with the only European Costume Museum in Rhineland-Palatinate on Neustraße. I also visit the castle church on Danziger Straße and admire the paintings on the wooden gallery, the old portrait tombstones from the 16th century, and the colorful stained glass windows. Behind Westerburg, past the train station, the WesterwaldSteig initially leads me through meadows and pastures for about two kilometers to Hergenroth. If I have plenty of time, I take the opportunity to leave the path towards the nearby Wiesensee, which is 80 hectares in size. Back on the WesterwaldSteig, I continue about 700 meters, cross Bahnhofstraße, and after about 400 meters uphill, reach the Hergenrother Kopf. I follow the trail for about 5.5 kilometers up to an altitude of 492 meters and see Brandscheid right in front of me. Then I turn right, after about 700 meters through the forest to the left, and shortly after again to the left. I leave Rothenbach to the right and hike about six kilometers further to the Wölferlinger Weiher nature reserve and the Westerwald lakes region. The charming and unique cultural landscape in the Westerwald spreads as a rolling high plateau between the mountain peaks of the Hachenburger and Höchstenbacher forests in the north to the Saynbach valley in the south. I make a wide detour around the village of Wölferlingen and reach a shelter after another three kilometers. Then I keep right, walk along the edge of a residential area and once again through a short forest section until I reach my destination. The Freilingen campsite is located directly on the Postweiher, one of the seven reservoir ponds that gave the Westerwald lakes region its name. They are connected to one another by canals, and after a strenuous tour, I look forward to swimming, paddling, surfing, and pedal boating at the beach bath.

Safety instructions

• Wear sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate, functional clothing that protects you from cold and wet or heat and sun.
• Bring enough fluids. There are not always places to stop along the route.
• Please wear appropriate hiking boots that provide enough grip even on slippery, steep, rocky, and uneven paths.
• If you feel certain sections of the route are not passable for you, you should bypass them. Especially in adverse weather, natural paths can get muddy and slippery.
• Especially in autumn, note that leaves on the ground can hide unevenness, roots, stones, or holes in the path. You must expect such path impairments when hiking.
• Although the route is very well marked throughout, for safety reasons you should always carry a suitable hiking map.

Equipment

Hiking boots and weather-appropriate clothing recommended

Literature

Leporello hiking map WesterwaldSteig at a scale of 1:25,000 (order at

Destination

Freilingen campsite

Starting Point

Zum Katzenstein campsite