It doesn't get any higher - border region between Westphalia and Waldeck

From the hiking portal in front of the Schützenhalle (free parking) and the Niedersfeld sports field, we first hike through the spa park, over the bridge at the Schützenhalle, cross the street “Am Steinkamp” and continue straight ahead through “Josefsweg,” turning left at the end to the church. Here we reach the federal road, turn right to the bus stop “Alte Post.” Here is another information board. We turn onto the street “Am Bach” and are now on the X16 trail. We then hike uphill in the Burbecke valley following the X16 marking on the feeder to the Rothaarsteig. After about 2 km the incline increases, and after 3 km with first N1 and later N2 together with the WHT, we reach a steep 400 m long ascent to the “Unteren Burbeckerplatz.” Here we are already at an elevation of 750 m. Until the mid-19th century, there was a central charcoal kiln here. The trail continues uphill to the Langenberg, the highest mountain in Westphalia at 843.1 m. We continue with W5 and reach the state border between Hesse and NRW. On the 1.3 km long descending border hike, we encounter several historic boundary stones. From the 13th century, this was the border between the Duchy of Westphalia and the Principality of Waldeck. Exactly here ran the confessional and dialect border as well. The path steeply descends to the Kellerbach. We jump over the crystal-clear Kellerbach, climb a short slope and reach the path marked W4, which we follow upstream to the right. On the height, we reach the Rothaarsteig but leave it again after 600 m and continue with NH to the Hoppecke spring area. Over approximately 2 km, our hiking trail runs through the largest high heath area in western Germany in the “Neuer Hagen” nature reserve. From the Hoppecke spring, it goes further through the heath, now again with the Rothaarsteig marking, to Clemensberg (838 m) with its white cross. From here, we enjoy wide views in all directions and on the Hildfelder quarry located below. We walk down the mountain in switchbacks and reach the new Hochheide hut southwest of the heath with the H3 marking at the Rothaarsteig. On N2 the trail goes downhill to the Rosenthal parking lot. From here it goes steeply down past the RAG house to Hillebachsee, by the way the only bathing and reservoir lake in the Winterberg city area. Over the dam of the reservoir we reach the Kreuzberg of Niedersfeld with the sacred facilities of the Way of the Cross and Marian grotto. From here we hike back to our starting point at the hiking portal.

Trail scouts: Elke and Helmut Otto

© Wandermagazin