Westerwald-Steig Stage 13: Flammersfeld - Horhausen (East - West)
This stage of the trail runs from Flammersfeld through the Wied Valley to the viewing point in Döttesfeld. After ascending to the Hölderstein mountain and hiking through the restored Grenzbach Valley, the stage ends in Horhausen.
Open
difficult
Distance 14.8 km
From Flammersfeld, the Westerwald-Steig trail continues on a via ferrata and past the viewing point at Döttesfeld to the Grenzbach Valley. The roughly 12 kilometre long valley connects the districts of Neuwied and Altenkirchen. Here, at the Hölderstein mountain, advanced climbers will find another highlight of the Westerwald-Steig trail – a climbing route which leads to an idyllic vantage point overlooking the Grenzbach Valley. Alternatively, you can take another steep path down into the Grenzbach Valley.
Author’s recommendation
For climbing enthusiasts: climbing course on the Hölderstein (www.puderbacher-land.de)

Author
Michael SterrUpdate: April 07, 2022
Quality route according to "Wanderbares Deutschland"
Difficulty
difficult
Technique
Stamina
Experience
Landscape
Highest point
332 m
Lowest point
175 m
Best time of year
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Rest stops
Hotelpark Der Westerwald TreffSafety information
- Tragen Sie festes Schuhwerk sowie witterungsangepasste, zweckmäßige Kleidung, die Sie vor Kälte und Nässe bzw. Hitze und Sonne schützt.
- Nehmen Sie ausreichend Flüssigkeit mit. Es sind nicht überall Einkehrmöglichkeiten vorhanden.
- Bitte ziehen Sie dem Weg angemessene Wanderschuhe an, welche Ihnen ausreichend Halt auch auf schlüpfrigen und steilen bzw. felsigen und unebenen Wegen geben.
- Sollten Sie bei bestimmten Wegeabschnitten der Meinung sein, dass diese für Sie nicht begehbar sind, dann sollten Sie diese umgehen. Gerade bei widrigen Wetterverhältnissen kann es bei naturnahen Wegen zu matschigen und rutschigen Passagen kommen.
- Besonders im Herbst ist auch darauf zu achten, dass das am Boden liegende Laub Unebenheiten, Wurzeln, Steine oder Löcher im Weg verdecken kann. Mit Wegebeeinträchtigungen dieser Art müssen Sie rechnen, wenn Sie eine Wanderung unternehmen.
- Obwohl der Weg durchgehend sehr gut markiert ist, sollten Sie aus Sicherheitsgründen immer eine geeignete Wanderkarte dabei haben.
Tips and hints
www.vg-flammersfeld.dewww.puderbacher-land.de
Start
Flammersfeld (235 m)
Coordinates:
DD
50.643499, 7.531191
DMS
50°38'36.6"N 7°31'52.3"E
UTM
32U 396148 5611211
w3w
///enliven.unaware.farming
Destination
Horhausen
Turn-by-turn directions
From Flammersfeld, the Westerwald-Steig trail leads past the zoo through the valley towards Seifen. It continues on through the village of Döttesfeld along the River Wied, before ascending on the via ferrata to the viewing point. The 12 kilometre long Grenzbach Valley which follows forms the border between the districts of Newied and Altenkirchen. You will also find a Nordic walking park jointly run by the municipalities of Puderbach and Flammersfeld here. The highlight of the stage is the ascent to the Hölderstein, with its beautiful view of the restored Grenzbach Valley, where herds of cattle graze peacefully. The Hölderstein itself offers yet another highlight – a 200m climbing course with large metal rings, stirrups, spikes, 3 ladders and a bridge – allowing you to climb 80 metres. This course is part of the Westerwald-Steig trail. The necessary climbing equipment can be rented at the 'zum Wiedbachtal' hotel, Wiedstraße 14, in Döttesfeld. The trail continues through the Grenzbach Valley, reaching the viewing point at Pleckhausen after a short climb, before descending into the valley once more. Shortly afterwards, the trail arrives in Horhausen, where this stage ends.
Access paths (marking: green W on a yellow background)
Access paths (marking: green W on a yellow background)
Note
all notes on protected areas
Public transport
Oberwesterwaldbahn train from Au-Limburg to the stop at Altenkirchen (WW), then by bus to the stop at Flammersfeld town hall: bus no. 120Return journey from Horhausen to Flammersfeld: bus no. 120, 132
www.vectus-online.de
www.mb-bus.de
Getting there
From the north and west: A3 to the Bad Honnef/Linz exit (34), then continue on the L272 towards Asbach and FlammersfeldFrom the east: via the B256, B413 and B414 and the B8 in the north
From the south: A3 to the Neuwied/Altenkirchen exit (36), then continue on the B256 towards Flammersfeld and Altenkirchen
Parking
Flammersfeld, entrance to the village near the Raiffeisen museum (Raiffeisenstraße 11)Coordinates
DD
50.643499, 7.531191
DMS
50°38'36.6"N 7°31'52.3"E
UTM
32U 396148 5611211
w3w
///enliven.unaware.farming
Arrival by train, car, foot or bike
Book recommendation by the author
- Abenteuer Westerwald-Steig, hiking guide with detailed route outlines and elevation profile, 224 pages, ISBN 978-3-93569-064-5, €12.80
- Westerwald-Steig, Schöneres Wandern Pocket, 17 half-day and full-day walks in a pocket-size map, publisher: ideemedia-Verlag, ISBN 978-3-934342-25-5, €10.95
- Rother Wanderführer Westerwald-Steig, publisher: Bergverlag Rother GmbH, from Herborn to Bad Hönningen, 112 pages with 58 colour illustrations, 16 elevation profiles, 16 1:50 000 scale hiking maps, 6 street maps, one small-scale map, ISBN 978-3-7633-4376-8, €10.90
Author’s map recommendations
- Wanderkarte-Leporello Westerwald-Steig, hiking map with GPS data and tips for day trips, rest stops and leisure activities, map size (w x h): 18 x 20 cm, 39 pages in total, including 29 pages of maps, ISBN 978-3-89920-461-2, €8.95
- Official WesterWaldSteig trail map for hikers and holidaymakers, 1:50 000 scale map, LVermGeo Rheinland-Pfalz, ISBN 978-3-89637-406-6, €8.50
Equipment
Hiking boots/shoesSuitable weatherproof clothing
Status
Open
Reviews
Difficulty
difficult
Distance
14.8 km
Duration
5:00 h
Ascent
360 m
Descent
265 m
Highest point
332 m
Lowest point
175 m
Statistics
2D
3D
Maps and trails
- 3 Waypoints
- 3 Waypoints
Distance
km
Duration
: h
Ascent
m
Descent
m
Highest point
m
Lowest point
m
Questions and answers
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Rating
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