Our circular hiking trailsOberkirchen hiking trails
The Oberkirchen circular hiking trails start directly in front of our guesthouse door. Perfect half-day and day tours for every condition lead to the most beautiful corners of nature around our village.
Starting point of the hiking trails O1, O3, 04 and the Golddorfroute is the "Schütten Brücke" in the center of the village, directly in front of our inn. The hiking trail O2 starts at the "Schützenhalle".
A current hiking map is available for you at the reception. We will be happy to give you individual hiking tips there. Of course you can also use your smartphone as a "hiking navi". So that you can find the correct, certified paths there, we recommend that you use the Sauerland app.
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.alpstein.alpregio.Sauerland
Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/de/app/sauerland-siegerland-wittgenstein/id419603712
A link is provided for each of the following hiking recommendations. There you have the possibility to view the respective hiking route online and transfer it to your smartphone.
15.5 km | 3.5 hGold Village Route Oberkirchen
A challenging, scenic, natural tour with refreshment stops takes you to the most beautiful spots around Oberkirchen. The Oberkirchen Gold Village Route is one of 12 Gold Village Routes in the Schmallenberg Sauerland. Each village that was awarded a gold medal in the competition "Our village should become more beautiful" or "Our village has a future" was allowed to define a special gold village route.
The starting point of the walk is in the centre of the village. The tour is most beautiful if you walk the round counterclockwise. Passing the Hermannsteich, you walk along a forest path to the Lingelscheid and down again a little to the Vorwald estate, where you have the opportunity to refresh yourself once more. With a view of the adventurous Marxhagen farmstead towering over the valley, you climb up to Ennest and past the soldier's grave along a rocky path to Döpp's field barn. A highlight of the tour is the passage along the heath path through the Sommerseite nature reserve with one of the most beautiful distant views in the Sauerland. At the edge of the Hirschberg, the trail leads back to the starting point.
8.2 km | 2.5 hHartmecke valley path O1
The Hartmecke valley is home to some of the most valuable beech forests in Westphalia. Passing the Hermannsteich, the route first leads into the Lüttmecke and to the Hexenplatz with its art installation by Prof. Dr. L. Fischer. A little later, an impressive steep face with rocks and a primeval stand of old beech trees rises above the Mückenplatz. This is how the Rothaargebirge might have looked before man changed the landscape. This is why this slope is under strict EU nature protection as a fauna-flora habitat (FFH area). The path continues through extensive woodland to the Lingelscheid. With beautiful views of the village and the Wilzenberg it goes back to the starting point.
11,3 km | 3,5 h + PhotozeitPhoto route "Village in focus" O2
The photo route runs in a large 8 northeast and southwest of the village. Via QR codes, you will receive photo tips and inspiring tasks in various levels of difficulty on the theme of "Village in focus" at the most beautiful places on site. Via Lüttmecke, Hermannsteich, Hexenplatz and Almert, it goes to the Pütte and back through the village. Then along the Lenne, to the Black Factory and around the Hirschberg until you reach the starting point again. The two loops can also be walked independently of each other. Most of the photo tips and tasks are suitable for any kind of photo equipment. Often a camera phone is already sufficient. If you want to complete all the tasks, you should plan as much time for this as for the hike alone.
7,1 km | 2,5 hMeinolf Mergheim Hardtkopfsteig O3
The Hardtkopfsteig is the ideal hiking trail for true nature lovers and sporty families. You hike from Oberkirchen's village centre to the Knollenhütte hut exclusively along nature trails in a real picture-book landscape. The tour begins with a sporty ascent. On the Hardtkopf, a summit cross awaits you in a primeval, sparse forest with views. The view from the wayside shrine on the Hardtrücken is also highly recommended on the tour. The trail continues through an old quarry on the Knollen to the Knollenhütte with a refreshment stop and from there back to the starting point. The path is named after the Oberkirchen hiking friend Meinolf Mergheim, who laid out the paths over the Hardtkopf in tireless, voluntary work.
11.5 km | 3.5 hUp to the Wilzenberg O4
The tour first takes you to Winkhausen. After the ascent to the Wilzenberg with its historic rampart castle, you will have wide views over the Schmallenberg Sauerland from the lookout tower there. The pilgrimage chapel and the high cross are the most recent testimonies to the millennia of history of the Wilzenberg. The way back leads over the open landscape around the Almert, which is rich in views. The "Blinker II", an art installation on the WaldSkulpturenWeg, with its view of Grafschaft is another highlight of this hike.
On our mountainsProminent long-distance hiking trails
Welcome to the hikeable Sauerland! The Rothaarsteig, the WaldSkulpturenWeg Wittgenstein-Sauerland, the Sauerland Höhenflug and the short hikes to the Sauerland Seelenorten offer the perfect hiking fun for everyone. We will gladly take you to the starting point of your stage on our mountains with our hotel's own shuttle service.
Rothaarsteig
Over a length of 154 km, the Rothaarsteig leads you from Brilon in the Sauerland over the Wittgensteiner Bergland and the Siegerland to Dillenburg at the foot of the Westerwald. Its signposting guarantees perfect orientation at every turn. This is ensured on the one hand by its signpost, a lying white R on a red background, and on the other hand by a special signposting system which, like the idea for the Rothaarsteig itself, was developed in Schmallenberg.
From Oberkirchen you reach the Path of the Senses via the Rothaarsteig feeder road (black lying R on a yellow background) after 4.3 km on the European Long Distance Trail E1, which is also marked locally as X2 and joins the WaldSkulpturenWeg before Schanze. Daily stages lead westwards from Schanze to Jagdhaus, whereby you can choose between the mountain variant with the famous suspension bridge and the valley variant through Latrop, as well as eastwards from Schanze to the Kahler Asten. Further information: www.rothaarsteig.de
ForestSculptureWay
Nature meets art: The WaldSkulpturenWeg Wittgenstein-Sauerland runs along the ridge of the Rothaargebirge from Bad Berleburg to Schmallenberg. On 23 varied kilometres, the art trail, unique in Germany, leads to eleven incomparable sculptures, sculptures and stagings by internationally renowned artists. They polarize and stimulate discussion by addressing the ambivalent relationship of man to nature or the development of the neighboring regions of Wittgenstein and Sauerland, which have been separated from each other for centuries territorially, linguistically, culturally and denominationally. A must for all art lovers! Further information: www.waldskulpturenweg.de
Sauerland flight of fancy
"Only flying is more beautiful" is the motto of the second Sauerland long-distance hiking trail, which touches the region around Oberkirchen. In its routing, particular importance was attached to the widest possible views. The stage nearest to Oberkirchen leads from Bad Fredeburg past the distant views above Holthausen to the Hunau. The route continues via the Großes Bildchen and Altastenberg to the Kahles Asten. The following stage from Kahler Asten to Hallenberg leads through extensive woodland and offers views from three lookout towers: Kahler Asten, Ziegenhelle and Heidekopf.
Further information: www.sauerland-hoehenflug.de
Sauerland Soul Places
If you don't want to cover long distances on foot, but rather take short routes through nature to special, inspiring places, then the Sauerland Soul Places are the right choice for you. In large parts of the Hochsauerland from Kirchhundem to the Diemelsee and from Eslohe to Medebach, 43 places have been selected as special places of strength and inspiration. The closest ones from Oberkirchen are the Kyrillpfad near Schanze, the Wilzenberg near Grafschaft, the Hollenfelsen near Bödefeld and the landscape cinema on the Gerkenstein near Neuastenberg. Each of these places has its own special story to tell. A special information brochure is available for you at the reception.
Further information: https://www.sauerland-wanderdoerfer.de/de/Sauerland-Seelenorte
With and without snowWinter hiking
When Father Frost and Mother Holle reign, nature shows its quietest side.
Discover this impressive silence. Enjoy the vastness of the landscape, the bizarre hoarfrost crowns and the special light. Guess animal tracks, listen to the dull crunch of the snow under your boots and breathe in the fresh air. You will do your head and body a lot of good.
Around Oberkirchen you will find various local, sunny winter hiking trails, which are kept free of snow and ice by our snow removal services. Which ones are recommended during your stay, our reception knows on a daily basis. For your own safety, please wear sturdy shoes with treaded soles. Spikes increase the step firmness additionally, as well as Nordic Walking sticks.
Our guided hikes are also organized in winter according to the weather conditions. With pleasure also with cosy end at the fireplace..
On the road togetherGuided hikes
Go on tour with Karl Anton Schütte and discover the most beautiful corners of the Sauerland! Along the way you will learn a lot of interesting facts about the region and get to know other nice guests.
Outside of our hiking weeks, we go on tour with our guests at least once every week. On which day, where and how far we decide at short notice depending on the weather. Accompany us on these hikes.
You will not only get to know other nice guests and us a little better, but also learn a lot of interesting facts about our beautiful Sauerland. And you will discover paths and destinations that you might not have tackled "on your own". In addition, we organise these hikes completely, i.e. including shuttle service and small culinary surprises.
Sturdy shoes and weatherproof clothing should therefore not be missing from your luggage, right? We look forward to seeing you!
