WesterwaldSteig - 4th tour from campsite to campsite

Description

A highlight of my moderately difficult hike from the Zum Katzenstein campsite outside Westerburg to the Freilingen campsite is the Katzenstein. It is said that the almost 400 metre high basalt rock formation was a pre-Christian cult site. I use it as an excellent vantage point. After a detour in the town, I walk over gentle hilltops, through deciduous forests and wide valleys to the Westerwald lake district. It consists of seven reservoirs nestled between the mountain peaks of the Hachenburg and Höchstenbach forests.

Brief description

At 22 kilometres, the hiking route from the Zum Katzenstein campsite outside Westerburg to the Freilingen campsite is the longest of the stages from campsite to campsite.

Approach

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

A3 motorway from Frankfurt/Main exit Diez, direction Wallmerod, B8 direction Altenkirchen, approx. 600 m after Freilingen turn right.

A48/A3 from Koblenz Dernbacher Dreieck A3 direction Köln, exit Ransbach-Baumbach, Mogendorf, Selters, Freilingen B8 direction Altenkirchen, after approx. 600 m turn right.

A45 motorway exit Haiger-Burbach, direction B255 Rennerod, Langenhahn, Freilingen B8 direction Altenkirchen, after approx. 600 m turn left.

Public transport

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

Parking

Free parking at the Freilingen campsite, Hohe Str. 30, 56244 Freilingen (access via the B8 main road)

Directions

From the Katzenstein campsite, I first take a look at the Katzenstein, which I reach via a small forest path. After a sweeping view over Westerburg, I decide to follow the WesterwaldSteig trail for around two kilometres to the eastern edge of the town. I make a short detour via a marked access path to the town centre with the only European Museum of Traditional Costume in Rhineland-Palatinate in Neustraße. I also visit the castle church in Danziger Straße and admire the paintings on the wooden gallery, the old 16th century portrait tombstones and the colourful stained glass windows. After Westerburg, past the railway station, the WesterwaldSteig initially leads me through meadows and pastures for about two kilometres to Hergenroth. If I have plenty of time, I take the opportunity to deviate from the path to the nearby 80-hectare Wiesensee lake. Back on the WesterwaldSteig, I continue for about 700 metres, cross the Bahnhofstraße and reach the Hergenrother Kopf after about 400 metres uphill. I follow the path for around 5.5 kilometres up to an altitude of 492 metres and see Brandscheid directly in front of me. Then I turn right, after about 700 metres through the forest I turn left and shortly afterwards left again. I leave Rothenbach on my right and continue for around six kilometres to the Wölferlinger Weiher nature reserve and the Westerwald lake district. The charming and unique cultural landscape in the Westerwald stretches out as an undulating plateau between the mountain peaks of the Hachenburg and Höchstenbach forests in the north and the valley of the Saynbach stream in the south. I take a wide loop around the village of Wölferlingen and reach a refuge after another three kilometres or so. I then keep to the right, walk along the edge of a residential area and once again through a short section of forest to my destination. The Freilingen campsite is located directly on the Postweiher, one of the seven reservoirs that gave the Westerwald lake district its name. They are connected to each other by canals and after a strenuous tour I look forward to swimming, paddling, surfing and pedal boating at the lido.

Safety instructions

• Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing that is suitable for the weather and protects you from the cold and wet or the heat and sun.
• Take enough liquid with you. Refreshment stops are not available everywhere.
• Please wear hiking boots suitable for the route, 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 suitable for you, you should avoid them. Especially in adverse weather conditions, muddy and slippery passages can occur on near-natural paths.
• Particularly 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 be prepared for this type of path impairment when you go on a hike.
• Although the path is very well marked throughout, you should always have a suitable hiking map with you for safety reasons.

Equipment

Hiking boots and clothing suitable for the weather are an advantage

Literature

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