Summiteer

There are many good reasons to travel to Montabaur – as many as basalt cobblestones in the narrow streets. No matter from which direction one approaches the city, the brightly yellow castle – a baroque splendor built of stone from the 13th century – dominates the overall picture. Below awaits a multitude of attractive sights not to be missed. The tour through the medieval streets begins at the historic Neo-Gothic Town Hall at the Great Market, where cozy restaurants collect within sight of wonderful half-timbered buildings. The end of the inviting pedestrian zone with its many shops is bordered by the imposing parish church, whose two bell towers rise far into the clear Westerwald sky. Adjacent, we admire the well-preserved city wall with the Wolf Tower before starting from the pretty Town Hall. Passing the Montabaur swimming pool, we head towards Horressen. At the foot of the Köppel, we enter dense deciduous forest, whose wide track gently leads us uphill along the right path through the Nassau Nature Park to the Montabaur Heights and thus to the Köppel. Before settling for a refreshment in the cozy Köppel hut at 540 meters above sea level, it is worth climbing to the tower's viewing platform with a magnificent panoramic view of the Lower Westerwald. Again, the wonderful baroque Montabaur Castle comes into focus, emerging from lush greenery. On the way to Hillscheid, we spot the Alarm Pole (no access) which rises a few meters above the Köppel, making it the highest point in the Lower Westerwald. A quick asphalt descent to Hillscheid invites a stop at the reconstructed Roman fort on the Limes, which once provided a home to many legionaries during the occupation of Gaul. The Roman tower also deserves a visit before we approach Höhr-Grenzhausen along a flat disused railway track. This is located in the very heart of the “Kannenbäckerland,” where the world-renowned “white gold” – clay – has governed the lives of people for centuries. The ceramics and glass art are impressively documented in the Ceramics Museum, which should definitely not be missed. The town has many other attractions to offer, such as Grenzau Castle as well as the beautiful parish church. We climb uphill to Hilgert, which boasts a listed school and has made a name for itself with its clay pipe bakery. The rest of our day tour leads us to the Erlenhof Lake in Ransbach-Baumbach. The idyll invites a break under the shade of trees. A visit to the Erlenhof Chapel is also worthwhile. Through forest and meadows, we quickly return to Montabaur, known sometimes jokingly as the “shoemaker town.” Between 1864 and 1866, there were 66 shoemaking businesses despite the town having fewer than 330 houses.