Westerwald-Steig Stage 8: Bad Marienberg - Hachenburg (East - West)
This stage of the trail begins with the 'Westerwald view' at the basalt and wildlife park. Just before Hachenburg, where the stage ends, there is a fantastic view of the Siebengebirge mountain range from the 'Philosophenweg' path.
From Bad Marienberg, the trail runs through the basalt park and on to the Bad Marienberg wildlife park. It continues over the Kleiner and Großer Wolfstein mountains towards Stangenrod, passing a game reserve on the way. The trail then follows paths through meadows, with great views of the Monsberg mountain, past Stangenrod and into the Wäschbach Valley. Take the 'Philosophenweg' path in the direction of the Hachenburg town forest to reach the Jewish cemetery. In Hachenburg, visit the lovely museum of natural and cultural history and the fascinating town centre, which is dominated by the Baroque castle.
Author’s recommendation
For relaxation: MarienBad spa, Bad Marienberg
For great views: the Hedwig Tower at the wildlife park
For families with children: visit the Bad Marienberg wildlife park (free)
For culture vultures: visit Hachenburg's museum of natural and cultural history

Track types
Rest stops
Westerwald CourtHotel Westerwälder Hof
Landgasthaus Hubertusklause
Café Rosenthal
Bel Momento Pizzeria
Café Wäller
Eiscafé Dolomiti
Marienberger Hof
Copper Pot Restaurant
Aspendos Kebap House Pizzeria
Hotel-Restaurant- Pizzeria Zur Sonne
Hotel Restaurant-Pizzeria Zur Sonne
Landhotel Kristall
Country Hotel Kristall
Westerwald Climbing Rest
Wildpark Hotel
Steig-Alm
Manni's hut stadl
Coffee Shop Krah
Restaurant Zur Sonne
La Flamme, tarte flambée house
White Horse Inn
Hotel zur Krone
Pizzeria Da Peppe
Borak Kebap House
Gelateria Brustolon - Ice cream parlour
Café Latsch / Bakery Weinbrenner
Safety information
Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate, weatherproof clothing that protects you from cold and wet or heat and sun.Take enough liquid with you. There are not always places to stop for refreshments.Please wear walking shoes appropriate for the trail, which will give you sufficient grip even on slippery and steep or rocky and uneven paths.If you are of the opinion that certain sections of the trail are not passable for you, then you should avoid them. Especially in adverse weather conditions, muddy and slippery passages can occur on natural paths.Especially in autumn, you should also be aware that leaves lying on the ground can hide uneven surfaces, roots, stones or holes in the path. You must expect path impairments of this kind when you undertake a hike.Although the path is very well marked throughout, you should always have a suitable hiking map with you for safety reasons.Due to a defective step system, the 8th stage of the WesterwaldSteig between Korb and Hachenburg is closed for an indefinite period. The stage can still be hiked with a small diversions (approx. 600 m). The diversions is signposted accordingly.
Tips and hints
www.badmarienberg.de
www.hachenburg-vg.de
Start
Destination
Turn-by-turn directions
The Westerwald-Steig trail leads from the Tourist Information Centre in the town centre to the abandoned basalt quarry, where there is plenty of information on the basalt mining which was once carried out in the area. From here, the trail carries on to the Bad Marienberg wildlife park and falconry, which is open all year round. Enjoy the famous 'Westerwald view' from the Hedwigs Tower in the wildlife park. On a clear day, you can see from here to the Siebengebirge mountain range in the west, to the Eifel region in the south and the Feldberg mountain in the east. The Westerwald-Steig trail then continues to the Kleiner and Großer Wolfstein mountains. It then leads on natural paths through leafy forest towards Stangenrod, passing a private game reserve and a disused basalt quarry. It continues through meadow paths past Stangenrod, with beautiful views of the Monsberg mountain, into the Wäschbach Valley and to Unnau-Korb, where there are train connections. Take the 'Philosophenweg' path in the direction of the Hachenburg town forest to reach the Jewish cemetery, with its impressive view of the Siebengebirge. In Hachenburg, visit the lovely museum of natural and cultural history. The highlight of the museum is the Baroque hunting arsenal which once belonged to Count von Sayn-Hachenburg. An open-air museum houses a group of old buildings which have been transported from their original locations to the museum, including a school, mill house, barn, bake house, oil mill, poor house and a village fountain with a herb garden. Don't miss the Baroque castle and the market square with the Löwenbrunnen fountain, the 'Gasthaus zur Krone' restaurant and the pretty half-timbered houses.
Access paths (marking: green W on a yellow background)
Note
Public transport
Train to the ICE station at Montabaur, bus to the Bad Marienberg (Westerwald) stop, central bus station: bus no. 643Return journey from Hachenburg to Bad Marienberg: bus no. 483
www.bahn.de
www.rmv-bus.de
Getting there
From the south: via the B255 to the Bad Marienberg exitFrom the north: via the B414 to the Bad Marienberg exit
Parking
Bad Marienberg, town centre (Bismarckstraße, Albrechtstraße, Im Bohnengarten, Tourist Information/Wilhelmstraße)Coordinates
Book recommendation by the author
Author’s map recommendations
Equipment
Hiking boots/shoes
Suitable weatherproof clothing
Statistics
- 34 Waypoints
- 34 Waypoints
Questions and answers
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Rating
Photos from others