Hochsauerland District

Landscapes for Different Travel Plans

The landscape of the Hochsauerland District ranges from extensive forests and mountain heathlands to protected stream valleys and moors. Moosfelde lies in the northwest and is home to numerous oak and beech trees more than a hundred years old. Hikers can follow the valleys of the Große and Kleine Aupke rivers there while observing kingfishers, grey wagtails and white-throated dippers. Those choosing accommodation as a base for nature observation can consider this area as well as the Siebenbuchen nature reserve north of Meerhof, a district of Marsberg. There is a forest adventure trail with interactive stations, bridges over wetland biotopes and bodies of water, as well as observation platforms.

The Bruchhauser Steine are also among the region’s distinctive landscape destinations. The four large porphyry rocks are designated as a nature reserve, an FFH site and a bird sanctuary. The Niedersfelder Hochheide is the Neuer Hagen nature reserve and FFH site near Niedersfeld. It lies at an altitude of more than 800 metres and covers around 57 hectares of mountain heathland. The Hunau–Langer Rücken–Heidberg nature reserve is home to the Nasse Wiese and Rauhes Bruch slope-source mires, which are more than 8,000 years old. These different landscape types each give your travel plans their own focus, without allowing any particular accommodation location or walking distance to be inferred from them.

Hiking, Nature Observation and Trails

In the Bergwiesen nature reserve near Altastenberg, a designated mountain meadow trail leads through the area and provides information about the mountain meadow landscape on site. The protected area is located around four kilometres west of Winterberg. In the Gelängebach Valley and on the Gelängeberg southwest of Medebach, you can discover the landscape and birdlife of the Medebach Bay bird sanctuary. Among other species, red-backed shrikes, red kites, great grey shrikes and black storks can be observed there.

The Orke Valley is an almost entirely undeveloped stream valley extending for many kilometres between Medelon and Elkeringhausen. The Orke was restored to a more natural state by removing weirs and creating meanders. Those travelling with children can consider the Bödefeld red deer enclosure as a possible activity. On an area of around 10 hectares, visitors can experience red deer at close range. The enclosure is located directly on the Hollenpfad trail and near the Walkenmühle nature playground.

Culture and Cycling as Additional Options

Cultural destinations can also influence your choice of accommodation. The DampfLandLeute Museum in Eslohe presents the Sauerland’s former iron processing industry, a folklore and cultural history exhibition, and power machinery. It also focuses on the mechanisation of agriculture. The annual Sauerland Autumn is a brass music festival whose concerts attract around 6,000 music enthusiasts.

For cyclists, the SauerlandRadring connects Finnentrop, Eslohe, Schmallenberg and Lennestadt over a total of 84 kilometres. Most of the route runs along former railway lines. The Sauerland-Rothaar Mountains Nature Park offers opportunities for hiking and cycling, environmental education facilities, and guided tours underground.

Places for Your Further Search

For regional orientation, you can compare the town pages for Sundern, Olsberg, Hallenberg, Schmallenberg, Bestwig, Brilon, Eslohe, Medebach, Meschede and Winterberg.

Arrival and Choosing Accommodation

The A 46 motorway provides access to the Hochsauerland District from west to east. It connects the region with the metropolitan areas along the Rhine and Ruhr rivers as well as with the new federal states, and is continuously passable between Neheim and Bestwig. When choosing your accommodation, you can first decide which landscape, museum or trail will be the focus of your trip.

For the overarching travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.