WesterwaldSteig adventure loop "Hills, lakes and a gorge
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/ HolzbachschluchtPhoto: Westerwald Touristik-Service, Fotograf: Dominik Ketz
The area around the town of Rennerod presents itself to the visitor as a gently rolling plateau with small forests and green meadows at a rather rough altitude for low mountain ranges. The presented hike leads from Rennerod for a large part over the Westerwald-Steig into the Holzbachschlucht (gorge), one of the oldest Westerwald nature reserves. Already in 1929 Prussian authorities placed the gorge under protection. The visitor is presented with a picture as if painted: Maple, ash and elm trees bend at an acute angle over crystal-clear water that gurgles and falls over mighty stones. Rock walls tower 30 m high steeply into the sky. For tens of thousands of years the Holzbach has worked on this idyll, boring its way millimetre by millimetre through the basalt and creating one of the most impressive brook openings in the Westerwald. Especially as the vegetation is the same as in the past: there are beech hall forests, bizarre dead wood formations and numerous wild herbs. On both sides of the brook a path leads the hikers through nature. Boards with explanations are placed everywhere and make it easier for visitors to identify plants and animals.
Safety information
Each section of the trail is marked as a hiking trail with at least one independent sign. However, it is expressly pointed out that this adventure loop does not have a continuous independent marking sign. Therefore, orientation safety in the terrain and basic knowledge of maps are required.
Tips, hints and links
Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
In the centre of Rennerod, cross the main road (B54) from the tourist information office, turn right onto the cemetery path and walk uphill. Pass the cemetery and continue straight on to the edge of the forest, then follow the signs for the WesterwaldSteig on the left. The path leads past the legendary Seitenstein - a basalt formation that rises about 20 m out of the ground. The trail continues to the K51 (Hellenhahn-Schellenberg-Seck), which is crossed. The path leads past the Great and Small Secker Ponds. At the Großer Secker Weiher there is a camping site with a restaurant. Following the signs of the WesterwaldSteig, you will reach the Dapprich farm. The path leads into the Holzbachschlucht nature reserve. This can be circumnavigated in both directions on natural paths following the hiking trail R29. A bridge at the end of the gorge connects both sides of the bank. Back at Hof Dapprich (refreshment possibility in the Hofcafe) you continue on the R24 towards Seck. First on a small path, later on a gravel path, the trail leads to the entrance of Seck, where, after crossing the main road, we turn left on the R21 and walk along the Ferdinand-Werner-Straße and Schinnhohl to the church. Turn left at the cemetery and left again at the fire station into Hellenhahner Straße, then turn right over Fackenhahner Weg and leave the village and follow the main R21 path back to Rennerod.
Note
Public transport
mit dem ICE bis Montabaur und weiter mit der Linie 480 nach Rennerod (Busbf)mit der Vectus-Bahn bis Bahnhof Westerburg und weiter mit der Linie 116 nach Rennerod (Busbf)
www.vrminfo.de
www.bahn.de
Getting there
aus Süden oder Norden kommend über die B54 bis Rennerodaus Westen oder Osten kommend über die B255 bis Rennerod
in Rennerod der Hauptstraße bis Ortsmitte/ Abzweigung zur Westernoher Straße folgen
in der Westernoher Straße befindet sich die Tourist-Information auf der linken Seite
Parking
Parkplatz an der Tourist-InformationCoordinates
Equipment
GPS device or printed tour description (although the loop runs on signposted paths, it is not marked with its own signpost on the spot)
Hiking boots
Weather-adapted, functional clothing
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