ヘンネフ（ジーク）の峡谷・トップ18

After leaving the town of Blankenberg, you walk on various marked hiking trails (Bergischer Weg, Natursteig Sieg, Erlebnisweg Dreitälerweg, etc.) on beautiful, narrow paths through the Ahrenbachtal.

"... The Nachtigallental in Königswinter, at the entrance to the Siebengebirge Nature Park, is simply wonderful, at any time of the year. If you walk up Bahnhofsstrasse there, you'll come straight there. You immediately feel like you are in another, serene world. The hiking trail goes around many curves up towards Drachenfels. The Mennesbach babbles next to the hiking trail and the birds sing. When you have arrived at the upper end of the Nachtigallental, you will already see the Drachenburg and then the Drachenfels castle ruins. Saint Bernard and the Nightingales: A legend from the Middle Ages tells how the Nightingale Valley got its name. Once, Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, the great Cistercian monk, was very upset by the singing of nightingales during a visit to Himmerod Monastery. He was so angry that the birds migrated to a valley in the Siebengebirge, which was later called “Nachtigallental”. Saint Bernard moved back to Clairvaux, but from then on music was at home here. The Nightingale Valley is a bird paradise. But not all monks felt like Bernhard von Clairveau, just think of the famous monk von Heisterbach, Cistercians like Bernhard, he liked the singing of birds. ..." FURTHER INFORMATION: https://www.rheindrache.de/nachtigallental/

A few bridges were no longer intact and very shaky. But a nice change from normal paths.

Path through the creek valley, but actually a little too well developed due to the fish ponds.

Surprisingly close to nature, the path through the Ahrenbach valley begins here almost on the outskirts of the village.

Very nice valley, everyone can decide for themselves whether they really like the fish ponds.

A very nice, narrow path from Blankenberg down along the Ahrenbach.

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.