Windhagen

Hiking trails and a variety of routes

Windhagen has numerous well-signposted hiking trails with connections to long-distance and main hiking trails such as the Rheinsteig and Westerwaldsteig. If you are looking for a circular route with a set starting point, take a look at the W1 Windhagen–Stockhauser Weg. It starts at the church in the village centre, leads to Stockhausen and then loops back to the start. Forest and meadow paths, along with quiet little stream valleys, shape its route through the municipality’s scattered localities and surrounding area.

Another option is the Ameisenweg. It starts in the town centre and first passes a small park with ponds and unusual goat willows. From there, you can either continue to the Pfaffenbachtal, walk through the Bockental or return via Rehwinkel. The routes described therefore differ in their destinations and the landscapes they pass through. If you are considering Windhagen as a holiday destination, the hiking options may matter when choosing your holiday apartment, alongside your interest in the municipality’s historic sites.

Churches, chapels and local history

In the town centre, the Catholic parish church of St. Bartholomew is a prominent landmark: it was built in 1869–1870 to simplified plans by Vincent Statz of Cologne. You will also encounter the municipality’s history elsewhere. Since 2018, information boards at eight locations across the municipality have explained the significance and history of the monuments at each site. These stops form the “Hiking Trail of History and Stories,” combining historical information with time outdoors.

The Dreifaltigkeitskapelle Hallerbach offers a particularly illustrative architectural detail. It had already been completely renovated in 1450 and is therefore presumably much older. The approximately 6 m-long, white-plastered structure ends in three sides of an octagon. A slate-roofed bell tower sits above the gabled roof. Its 50-kilogram bronze bell was cast in 1852 by Schippang in Neuwied.

At the former silver mine just outside Birkens, the entrances to the tunnels dug around 1790 are still clearly visible. Information boards stand on the old Günterscheider Weg below the fishpond complex. The site recalls the area’s former mining industry; the visible entrances are a defining feature of the historic mine. Religious traditions also form part of the municipality’s character: the ringing of the bell at the Chapel of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Hüngsberg draws numerous pilgrims, especially for the Feast of the Visitation. A Mass is celebrated every fourth Thursday at the Marienkapelle Stockhausen.

Getting your bearings during your stay

You can reach Windhagen’s “green lung” from the car park in the town centre by the Sparkasse: cross the road, turn into Lärchenstraße and follow it to the bottom. Windhagen is also right next to the A3 motorway. The Kirchwies youth campsite accepts reservations. These landmarks help you choose between hiking routes, historic sites and chapels, without having to limit yourself to just one kind of outing.

Other places you can discover: Höhn, Asbach, Großmaischeid, Elgert, Rodenbach, Waldbreitbach, Wallau, Rheinbreitbach.

For the overarching travel overview: Neuwied.