Westerwald
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The Westerwald covers approximately 3,000 square kilometers, inviting hikers of all ages to use all their senses to soak in its beautiful surroundings, its attractive destinations and the atmosphere of its forests and valleys. The best way to do this is on foot. Why? Because the act of hiking gradually opens up the landscape to the viewer at the rhythm of their own steps.
Digital hiking pass Westerwald
Explore the Westerwald in an interactive way and collect hiking pins on the WesterwaldSteig, the Wiedweg, the Wäller Touren and the Kleine Wäller.
Our hiking trails in the Westerwald
Westerwald-Steig Stage 1: Herborn - Breitscheid (East - West)
Westerwald-Steig Stage 16: Waldbreitbach - Bad Hönningen (East - West)
WesterwaldSteig adventure loop "Romantic Lake District"
Wiedweg 02. Stage Linden - Höchstenbach
Wäller Tour Brexbachschluchtweg (round tour - premium hiking trail)
Wäller Tour Elberthöhen
Bad Marienberg - Kleiner Wäller "Wolfsteine" - walking trail
Druidensteig - Stage 1 From Freusburg to Herdorf
The WesterwaldSteig, THE hiking trail in the Westerwald, guarantees variety, fun and enjoyment of nature on 235 km and 16 stages. The long-distance hiking trail is certified as a "Wanderbares Deutschland" quality trail by the German Hiking Association and is put through its paces every three years. Quality is the top priority in the Westerwald Hiking Trail!
The WesterwaldSteig is one of the Top Trails of Germany, the best hiking trails in Germany. For all those who want more. More joie de vivre, more adventure, more first-class hiking fun.
Westerwald-Steig Stage 2: Breitscheid - Fuchskaute (East - West)
Westerwald-Steig Stage 3: Fuchskaute - Rennerod (East - West)
The scenic and adventurous hiking tours in the Westerwald run along existing hiking trails, but do not have any independent markings on site.
To help you find your way around at all times, you can find detailed tour descriptions and the corresponding maps for free download in our hiking tour planner. Here you can also conveniently download your route as a GPS track.
WesterwaldSteig adventure loop "Fuchsbau, Arnika and Bergeshöhe" (Foxhole, Arnica and Mountain Heights)
WesterwaldSteig adventure loop "Marienthal Monastery and the End of the World
Idyllic views and unspoilt nature await you along the Wied, the longest river in the Westerwald. In 2022, the trail was once again recognised by the German Hiking Association as a „Qualitätsweg Wanderbares Deutschland“ for its exceptional hiking quality.
Wiedweg 01. Etappe Hachenburg - Linden
Wiedweg Stage 3 Höchstenbach - Altenkirchen
Hike the longest certified geo-route in Germany from Siegtal to the Westerwald and experience six river valleys, an abundance of geological points, charming views and beautiful places of interest on 83 kilometres and six daily stages.
The certified long-distance hiking trail is named after the Druidenstein, a unique basalt formation that has been declared a national geotope.
Druidensteig - Stage 2 From Herdorf to Daaden
Druidensteig - Stage 3 From Daaden to Elkenrother Weiher
Immerse yourself in the regional diversity of the Westerwald hiking region! Here, varied routes and numerous highlights shake hands.
Hike the Westerwald on certified day tours between 9 and 22 kilometres in length, mostly in the form of circular trails.
Wäller Tour Eisenbachtal (round tour - premium hiking trail)
Wäller Tour Raiffeisen's Sunday walk - Hamm (Sieg)
Wäller Tour Augst
For strollers who like to stroll and manage less long tours, the Westerwald also has low-barrier walking paths and strolling trails. The "Kleine Wäller" are suitable for those for whom the focus is on relaxing walking without special preparation and equipment, but also for occasional hikers who fancy short tours.
Small Wäller "Lion track 3 blue" - Hachenburg - walking trail
Kleiner Wäller "Basalt + Water" - walking trail
Bad Marienberg - Small Wäller "Schwarze Nister" - walking trail
Where is the best place to hike?
The best hiking routes are the WesterwaldSteig (a certified long-distance hiking trail with 235 km and 16 stages), the Wäller tours (a certified circular or day hike in the Westerwald) and the Kleine Wäller hiking route. You can find more information about the destinations on your hiking routes in the Westerwald.
To the destinations
How many kilometers can one hike in a day?
The distance one can hike in one day depends on one's fitness level, but also on the hiking route and its elevation profile. For inexperienced hikers, we recommend starting with half-day tours.
Tips for your perfect hiking equipment!
When hiking in the Westerwald, it is important that you have the right equipment on board so that your tours are a pleasure.
We show you what should be on your packing list.
The right footwear as the basis for your hiking holiday
If you're going hiking, you need the right footwear, of course. If you're planning longer tours, you shouldn't set out in conventional trainers, because you need the right grip on hiking tours. Therefore, opt for robust and, above all, comfortable hiking shoes.
Tip: Never take new hiking boots with you on holiday, but break them in beforehand. Otherwise, the tour can quickly become an ordeal if you have bad blisters. Good hiking shoes should fit the shape of your foot, meet the requirements of the terrain and be as water-repellent as possible.
Suitable hiking clothing for any weather. If you are planning extended hiking tours, you should also take the appropriate clothing with you.
First and foremost these are:
Hiking clothing has special functional properties that are of particular benefit to you on strenuous tours. If you exert yourself, you will logically also sweat and therefore need clothing that absorbs sweat well and also transports it away again. Breathable functional clothing is therefore recommended. Once you are soaked in sweat and have not dried off again, it can quickly become cold, because wet clothing draws extreme heat away from the body.
It's also important that you don't only plan for good weather. Everyone hopes for the best for their hiking holiday, but you should always expect the occasional rain shower. Rainwear is therefore a must in your rucksack on every tour, as it allows you to react quickly. Most rain gear also packs up so well that it hardly takes up any space in your backpack.
Sun protection on hiking tours
It is not only in summer that suitable sun protection is indispensable on your hiking tours. If you are always alternating between the forest and the meadows and there is a slight breeze, you will not notice how quickly you burn. Sunscreen with SPF30 should therefore be obligatory for your hiking tours, and sunglasses and light headgear are also part of the package. Even if the sun may not shine so strongly, you should protect yourself sufficiently, because especially in summer the sun can be very intense even through an overcast sky. And nothing would be worse than getting sunburnt, because then carrying your backpack on the tour the next day can be very uncomfortable.
What else should I bring on hiking tours?
Provisions & water
Provisions and sufficient liquid are a matter of course on your tours, because if you are exerting yourself, you will also want to fortify yourself in between and will need more water than on less active days.
Binoculars
There is a lot to discover in the Westerwald. That's why you should take binoculars with you on your tours. For example, you might see some local animals that you would like to take a closer look at. It would be annoying if your binoculars were not at home or in your accommodation.
Hiking map
Although the hiking trails are usually well signposted, it never hurts to have a hiking map with you if you are hiking in the Westerwald for the first time or if you don't know your way around yet. This way you can always find your way around and even spontaneously extend or shorten the tour along the way.
Important documents
Nobody hopes it, but if you get injured on a hiking tour, you should be able to identify yourself and have your health insurance card with you. It's best to pack important documents like these in a plastic bag in your backpack. That way they are protected from the rain at all times and you won't have a rude awakening after a thunderstorm because everything is soaked.
Off to the Westerwald!
If you've packed everything, nothing can go wrong, because then you're well equipped for an eventful hiking holiday in the Westerwald recreation area (whether it's a hike on the WesterwaldSteig, circular and day hikes or walking trails).
We wish you lots of fun and the best of relaxation!
This article was produced in cooperation with Sportscheck.
With the free Summit Lynx app, hikers can easily collect hiking pins in the Westerwald. When hiking on the “WesterwaldSteig”, “Wiedweg”, “Wäller Touren” and “Kleinen Wällern”, certain waypoints are passed. These can then be registered via the app. If all the points on a tour have been registered, you will be credited with a certain number of points. Once you have reached a certain number of points, you will receive the Wäller Bronze, Wäller Silber and Wäller Gold medals.
You will receive the corresponding badge digitally on your smartphone and a certificate by e-mail.
In addition, you can contact us by e-mail (mail@westerwald.info) stating your address and you will receive a surprise. P.S.: For each hiking medal, a different gift awaits you.
And this is how it works:
1. Install and start the app Summit Lynx in the "App Store" or on "Google Play".
2. Log in with your own Facebook account or create your own SummitLynx account.
3. Select a tour in the Westerwald and start hiking.
4. When you reach a waypoint on site, start the app and create an entry in the tour book by clicking on the suggested destination at the bottom.
5. The waypoint/destination is now automatically credited towards the points collection.
We wish you lots of fun!
How long does it take to hike 10 kilometers?
On average, you hike 4 km/h, whereby the altitude profile of the hiking route should always be taken into account. For 10 km you need about 2.5 hours pure walking time.
