WesterwaldSteig - 3rd tour from campsite to campsite

Description

I have a difficult tour ahead of me, but also a great experience. I equip myself with hiking boots and appropriate clothing and set off through the Holzbachschlucht nature reserve, for which I plan around three quarters of an hour. After arriving at the Zum Katzenstein campsite, I take a well-earned break before setting off on a new tour the next day.

Approach

Coming from the north: Take the A45 motorway to exit 24-Haiger/Burbach and from there take the B54 towards Limburg/Rennerod/Bad Marienberg/Neunkirchen/Burbach. Shortly before Rennerod, take the B255 in the direction of A3/Montabaur/Hellenhahn-Schellenberg. In Hellenhahn-Schellenberg, take the 3rd exit at the roundabout.

Coming from the east: A45 to exit 26-Herborn-West and from there take the B255 towards Rennerod/Bad Marienberg/Driedorf as far as Hellenhahn-Schellenberg. Take the 3rd exit at the roundabout.

Coming from the south: Take the A3 motorway to the Limburg exit and take the exit towards B49 in the direction of Limburg-Nord/Gießen. Follow the signs in the direction of Gießen/Wetzlar/B49 and continue on the B49/B54. In Irmtraut, take the 3rd exit at the roundabout.

Coming from the west: Take the A3 motorway to exit 40-Montabaur and from there take the B255 towards Rennerod/Siegen as far as Boden. Change to the L300 as far as Seck. In the village follow the signs to the campsite.

Public transport

Unfortunately, there are no direct public transport connections from places with rail links.

Parking

Camping Park Weiherhof, 56479 Seck

Directions

I start at the Weiherhof camping park near Seck and follow the WesterwaldSteig trail from the Großer Weiher pond to the Kleiner Weiher pond and continue past the village of Seck, slightly downhill for around three kilometres to the magnificent Holzbachdurchbruch nature reserve. At Dappricher Hof near Seck, I reach the entrance to the Holzbach Gorge. After a short coffee break, I discover the one kilometre long and up to 20 metre deep gorge in which the Holzbach, a tributary of the Elbbach, has dug its way deep into the basalt before flowing past Gemünden into Hesse. Broken basalt blocks and fallen trees give the narrow valley a torrent-like character. I orientate myself by the information boards along the path, which help me to identify the local plants and animals.

Shortly before Gemünden, I turn right at the car park in front of the Lexenmühle with a view of the Patschesmühle and two ponds, behind which the Lochmühle can be found. There are a total of eight mills in the district, many of which are now private houses. After about 200 metres, I follow the left-hand bend of the path, only to turn right again shortly afterwards. After about 400 metres, I cross the L302, walk in a wide arc around Gemünden for about three kilometres and enjoy the gentle hilltops, extensive deciduous forests and wide meadow valleys on my way towards Westerburg. I then follow the path to the right and in about one kilometre I reach the 2.1 hectare Zum Katzenstein campsite on the edge of the forest.

Safety instructions

• Wear sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing that is suitable for the weather and protects you from the cold and wet or the heat and sun.
• Take enough liquid with you. Refreshment stops are not available everywhere.
• Please wear hiking boots suitable for the route, 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 suitable for you, you should avoid them. Especially in adverse weather conditions, muddy and slippery passages can occur on near-natural paths.
• Particularly 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 have to expect this type of path impairment when you go on a hike.
• Although the path is very well marked throughout, you should always have a suitable hiking map with you for safety reasons.

Equipment

Hiking boots and clothing suitable for the weather are an advantage

Literature

Leporello hiking map WesterwaldSteig on a scale of 1:25,000 (order at

Destination

Camping site Zum Katzenstein

Starting Point

Camping Park Weiherhof