Hochsauerland District: Forests, high moors and trails

Hochsauerland District combines distinctive heights with forests, moors and open mountain heaths. Kahle Asten is located within the district: at 841 metres, it is one of the highest elevations in North Rhine-Westphalia. Sauerland-Rothaargebirge Nature Park also shapes the region. With the areas that previously belonged to Homert and Rothaargebirge nature parks, Hochsauerland District is a member of this nature park, which is one of the largest in Germany. When choosing a holiday apartment, you can consider which landscapes and experiences are of particular interest to you during your stay.

Forests, rocks and distinctive landscapes

In the northwest of Hochsauerland District lies the Moosfelde forest complex, with numerous oaks and beeches that are more than a hundred years old. Hikers can follow the valleys of the Große and Kleine Aupke streams and spot kingfishers, grey wagtails and dippers. Nature takes many different forms across the district: the Bruchhauser Steine consist of four large porphyry rocks. They are designated as a nature reserve, an FFH site and a bird sanctuary.

Near Niedersfeld lies Niedersfelder Hochheide, the Neuer Hagen nature reserve and FFH site. The area is situated at an altitude of more than 800 metres and covers around 57 hectares of mountain heath. The Hunau–Langer Rücken–Heidberg nature reserve is home to the Nasse Wiese and Rauhes Bruch slope-source bogs, which are more than 8,000 years old. If you would like to focus on landscapes like these, you can take them into account when deciding which places to explore during your stay.

Medebacher Bucht also offers specific destinations for nature lovers: southwest of Medebach, the Gelängebachtal and Gelängeberg nature reserves lie within the Medebacher Bucht bird sanctuary. Visitors can spot species including great grey shrikes, red-backed shrikes, red kites and black storks. The Orke Valley, which stretches between Medelon and Elkeringhausen, remains almost entirely undeveloped over many kilometres. The Orke River has been restored by removing weirs and creating meanders.

Trails and nature experiences

The Siebenbuchen nature reserve lies north of Meerhof, a district of Marsberg. Its forest discovery trail combines interactive stations with bridges over wetlands and water, as well as viewing platforms. Near Altastenberg, a purpose-built mountain meadow trail leads through the Bergwiesen nature reserve and provides information about the mountain meadow landscape. The protected area is about four kilometres west of Winterberg.

For other activities, Sauerland-Rothaargebirge Nature Park offers opportunities for hiking and cycling, environmental education facilities and underground tours. Another special destination for wildlife watching is the Bödefeld red deer enclosure: visitors can see red deer up close across an area of about 10 hectares. The enclosure is right next to the Hollenpfad trail and near the Walkenmühle nature playground.

Culture and cycling tours

The DampfLandLeute Museum in Eslohe focuses on the history of ironworking in the Sauerland, an exhibition on local culture and history, and power machinery. The museum also explores the mechanisation of agriculture. It offers a different way to discover the region than the trails through forests and mountain meadows: here, the focus is on work, technology and changes in rural life.

Music lovers can enjoy Sauerland-Herbst, an annual brass music festival. Its concerts attract around 6,000 music enthusiasts. If you would rather explore the region by bike, you can follow the SauerlandRadring. It connects Finnentrop, Eslohe, Schmallenberg and Lennestadt over a total of 84 kilometres, mostly along former railway lines. The festival, museum, wildlife watching and cycling tour offer different ways to shape your trip.

Getting there and choosing a location

The A 46 runs from west to east through Hochsauerland District, connecting the region with the urban areas along the Rhine and Ruhr rivers and the eastern German states. It is open to traffic along its entire length between Neheim and Bestwig. When looking for a holiday apartment, it is worth first deciding which excursions you plan to take and what you would like to focus on—such as nature, culture or cycling—and then choosing a location accordingly.

For more information on locations, see the pages for Brilon, Eslohe, Medebach, Olsberg, Hallenberg, Arnsberg, Schmallenberg, Nesselbach, Sundern, Marsberg, Meschede, Bestwig and Winterberg holiday apartment.

For the broader travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.