ノルトラインヴェストファーレン州の峡谷・トップ20

The gorge and bridge path in Winterberg leads for around 4.2 kilometers through the low mountain gorge of the "Helle". The circular path begins in the heart of Winterberg, right next to the spa park, and it is hard to believe that such a special natural jewel can be found so close to the city. The hike is entertaining, but leads downhill quite steeply in places, so sturdy shoes are advisable. In addition, the leafy paths can be very slippery, especially in autumn.

The gorge and bridge path begins and ends in the Winterberg spa park at an altitude of around 670m. The lowest point is Lake Constance at about 540m. The circular hiking trail is a little more than 4 km in total, with a difference in altitude of around 500 meters due to various counter ascents and descents.

Beautiful low mountain range. The gorge and bridge path is highly recommended!

Very nice paths lead through the forest.

Great gorge and that in Winterberg. With breaks we were on the road for a good 4 hours.

"ZEIT WISSEN Podcast" and "Peter_H_65 🐻" wrote everything that is worth knowing.

Climbing on the Stenzelberg has been expressly forbidden since June 2005. Previously, the Rhein-Sieg district had tolerated climbing, although the Stenzelberg, like the entire Siebengebirge, had been designated as a nature reserve (NSG) since 1920. The climbing ban became necessary due to the new nature reserve ordinance in the course of the recognition of the Siebengebirge as FFH area 5309-301 (Fauna-Flora-Habitat) of the European Union. In particular, the occurrence of the wall lizard was concerned and egg-laying sites at the foothills of the fields were destroyed. Despite the ban, climbing continued illegally after 2005. The path to the rocks was therefore closed by the forestry department.

The Stenzelberg is geologically a spring dome from the volcanic rock Latit. The rising magma did not reach the earth's surface here, but got stuck in the surrounding tuff cover rock. The softer tuff was later eroded away, exposing the harder latite. The Stenzelberg has been used as a quarry since the 11th century, in which quartz latite rock was mined. The Heisterbach Abbey also operated a quarry on the Stenzelberg. The quarried material was also used to build the monastery buildings and the abbey church. Furthermore, rock from the Stenzelberg was used for the Propsteikirche in Oberpleis, the Nikolauskapelle in Heisterbacherrott and the Bonn Minster, and later also for the churches in Niederdollendorf, in Oberdollendorf and in Asbach. The operation of the quarry ended in 1931. Source: https://www.kuladig.de/Objectansicht/O-FJK-20100630-0032