ROTHAARSTEIG TRAIL “Trödelsteinpfad” (“Trödelstein path”)

Burbach-Wahlbach, WanderPortal (hikers’ portal; Austrasse, 57299 Burbach-Wahlbach).

The tour starts at the hikers’ car park in the Austrasse in Wahlbach. From there, follow the markings to the edge of the wood. Taking a clockwise direction, walk along a forest path by the burbling Buchheller stream, which you first follow, and then enter further into the wood. The path takes a right-angle turn and now ascends up to the Trödelsteine rocks. Along the way, you can see evidence of former iron ore mining in the Buchhellertal valley: openings to the mines and slag residues are relics from the mining era. You can already see the summit cross on the Trödelsteine rocks from afar. Once you reach the top, there’s a view into the green Siegerland region in good weather. Naturally, you can also enter your name in the summit book. You can then make the steep descent. Following the E1, which runs parallel with the Trödelstein path for several hundred meters, you cross the state boundary between Rhineland Palatinate and NRW. Leave the long-distance hiking trail and walk through mystical forests along narrow paths until you reach the starting point. Along the way, you pass along the edge of the juniper heathland in the Saukaute nature reserve. Shortly before the end of the tour, a view opens out onto the unique landscape between the Rothaargebirge and Westerwald regions. Continuing along narrow paths that still require surefootedness, you return to Wahlbach.