Discover Steinheim: Hiking, the Furniture Museum and Traditions

Steinheim offers several ways to plan your stay: hiking trails through varied landscapes, a furniture museum offering insights into local furniture-making, and recurring local traditions. The trails can be distinguished by their described routes; the museum focuses on both the development of the craft and changing special exhibitions. This allows you to consider whether you would prefer to combine your stay with hiking, culture or a festival.

Compare Hiking Trails and Landscapes

Of the six designated A hiking trails, four run in and to the southwest of Steinheimer Forst. Trails A1 and A2 follow forest tracks throughout, passing through a species-rich mixed deciduous forest. A3 and A4 take a different route: they circle Hahneberg and pass through an area between the Emmer and Steinheimer Forst characterized by meadows, pastures and fields. When choosing a route, you can start by deciding between forest trails and a more open, agricultural landscape.

A5 and A6 can also be distinguished by their described routes. A5 starts at an information board near the boules court on the “Im Altenhagen” path. From there, the route passes through the Emmer meadows towards Eichholz, crosses the Emmer near Struckstein and returns along the other side. A6 leads to the Kluslinde east of Eichholz and then follows the opposite bank of the Emmer back to Steinheim. The different landmarks help with orientation: for A5, the crossing of the Emmer near Struckstein; for A6, the Kluslinde east of Eichholz.

The Steinheimer Kump is a starting point for a walking tour of Steinheim. The interactive tour includes 13 sights, but you can also begin at any other point. This means the starting point is flexible, while the number of stops gives you an idea of the tour’s scope.

Furniture History at the Museum

The Steinheim Furniture Museum is housed in the former furniture factory of Joseph Günther. Its 900 square metres showcase the history of furniture-making in Steinheim and its development over 120 years. The exhibits come from Steinheim businesses and feature furniture styles ranging from Historicism, Art Nouveau and Art Deco to period-style furniture and modern designs. If you are interested in craftsmanship and design, you can explore both the history of local production and the evolution of styles here.

The museum also hosts up to four special exhibitions each year. Local artists, collectors and historians present works, photos, pictures and objects. Topics range from current and historical issues to the city’s club life. When planning a museum visit, you can therefore take the current special exhibition programme into account alongside the permanent exhibition.

Traditions and Other Activities

The annual customs include the Rose Monday parade. The modern tradition of the parade dates back to the first Rose Monday parade in 1911. The city reports that it attracts up to 25,000 visitors. Several marksmen’s clubs and brotherhoods in Steinheim also celebrate a marksmen’s festival every year. If you would like to plan your stay around a festival, be sure to check the relevant dates in advance.

One historical landmark is the Rochus vow: in 1637, the then mayor Homissen and the Steinheim town council designated St. Roch’s Day as a municipal holiday and made the vow. Steinheim’s outdoor swimming pool is another leisure option. It has a 25-metre swimming pool, a diving facility with 5-, 3- and 1-metre boards, and a non-swimmer pool with a water depth of 60 to 125 centimetres. There is also a wide water slide and a bucket shower.

More to Explore in the Höxter Destination

Beyond Steinheim, the wider Höxter destination offers a regional perspective on culture, nature and active holidays in the hilly uplands of the Teutoburg Forest and the Weser Uplands. Cycling routes described there include the 65-kilometre Netheradweg, which follows the Nethe from its source to its confluence with the Weser and runs between Bad Driburg and Höxter.

The Kloster-Garten-Route is also in the Höxter destination. It starts at Marienmünster Abbey and can be cycled in five stages of 52 to 67 kilometres each. Along the route, 28 Bible markers make it a pilgrimage tour. These regional routes complement the trails in Steinheim with cycling options in their own right; they should not be confused with the local hiking trails.

Discover more destinations: Vinsebeck, Sandebeck.

Return to the destination overview: Höxter.