Hiking Trail
Route profile
Notice
In the tour planner we inform you under the tab "Current info" about temporary route changes, closures and detours.
To the Tour Planer-ATTENTION: The starting point at the Fuchskaute can no longer be approached since 2021. Alternatively, the following starting points are available:
Our adventure loop starts at the Fuchskaute. At 657 metres, the Fuchskaute is the highest elevation in the Westerwald.
Only a few metres from the former inn, the two top trails WesterwaldSteig and Rothaarsteig meet, where our official starting point for this circular tour is also located. But now it's time to hike along the Rothaarsteig in the direction of Rabenscheid. The horizontal R on a white background shows us the way through the peaceful Fuchskaute nature reserve. We see a meadow landscape with scattered trees, which is otherwise more typical of the Alpine foothills or Allgäu. Especially in autumn, when the early morning mist slowly rises and the dew still hangs in the grasses, we experience a unique natural experience.
The constant change between forest and meadow landscapes provides the hiker with calming views over the rolling hills of the High Westerwald again and again.
Shortly after Rabenscheid, the Rothaarsteig turns left towards Langenaubach. Now we have to be on our guard, because shortly afterwards we also leave the Rothaarsteig and hike along the Rothaarsteig access path (lying R on a yellow background) in the direction of Breitscheid. Before Breitscheid and at the same time at the height of the Breitscheid landing site, we meet the WesterwaldSteig at signpost BRE.002, which will now be our companion for the entire length to the starting point with its green W on a white background.
However, we first walk along the WesterwaldSteig past the Breitscheid airfield, which is used for civilian purposes. Here you also have the opportunity to take to the air for a short while and view the landscape from above. Today it is difficult for hikers to imagine that during the Second World War Luftwaffe fighters took off from here and that history was made in this respect. Only a few contemporary witnesses remind us of this.
After leaving the airfield, we walk again and further through the typical cultural landscape of the High Westerwald, with gently undulating basalt plateaus, the open landscapes and associated windbreak hedges. These spruce strips were planted between 1835 and 1838 as protection against the much-sung about Westerwald wind. They were intended to protect the farmland from erosion and the harvest from storm damage. The route continues along the protective hedges over the volcanic rock Bartenstein to the Heisterberg pond, through the Bermershube nature reserve with wetland biotopes and flower meadows. Willowherb, common ragwort and deer elder blossom here.
The large proportion of open landscape on this section of the trail also provides the hiker with constant great views all the way to our starting point, the Fuchskaute.
On the heights of the Westerwald, the two top trails Rothaarsteig and WesterwaldSteig can be ideally combined into a circular tour.
On the B414 coming from Bad Marienberg, take the next left after the Willingen exit to Fuchskaute.
From the stop Herborn (Hessen) ZOB with line 520 (change in Heisterberg Ort, Driedorf) in the direction of Waldaubach to Fuchskaute. Earliest connection 07:40 hrs.
From the Waldaubach stop to Fuchskaute with line 520 via Driedorf in the direction of Herborn (Hessen) ZOB. Last connection 18:33.
Each section of the trail is marked as a hiking trail with at least one independent marker. It is expressly pointed out that this adventure loop does not have a continuous independent marker. This means that you need to be able to orientate yourself in the terrain and have a basic knowledge of maps.
Weather appropriate clothing, hiking gear, hiking shoes and backpack food.
Fuchskaute (alternative: see description)
Fuchskaute (alternative: see description)
More information & GPX download
Notice
In the tour planner we inform you under the tab "Current info" about temporary route changes, closures and detours.
To the Tour Planer
