Hiking on the Rothaarsteig

Guest author: Lena Hartmann

Why Germany, actually?

People who love adventure are often drawn to faraway places. Their bucket list includes well-known destinations such as Patagonia, New Zealand, Asia or even Antarctica. But this year, destinations closer to home have fought their way to the top of my list. The reason for this: the environment, “only” one week’s vacation, a manageable budget and a desire to return home. The routes to choose from were the Rennsteig, Rheinsteig and Rothaarsteig in Germany – the Rothaarsteig won for very different reasons.

Off we go – with lots of motivation, a good mood and surprisingly few expectations

We start the tour in a great mood and in fantastic weather on Monday morning in Brilon Wald. The 40-liter backpack fits like a glove and thanks to very good weather reports, its weight is kept within limits. After the first few steps, we realize that we don’t really have any great expectations. Sure, we had done our research in advance, planned the route and booked accommodation – but hardly anyone we knew had ever been hiking in the Rothaargebirge. And that was somehow really nice: hiking without expectations. We are excited!

We set off full of hiking enthusiasm, we didn’t care about the heat at the beginning – we are young and can do anything. That’s also what we think when we cross the little extra loop to the Bruchhauser Steinen right at the start of our tour. “Since we’re here.” and “It’s only 5 kilometers,” we think to ourselves. [But at that moment, the motto “We’ll take everything we can” won out.

The extra round trip is definitely worthwhile and should definitely be planned. The Bruchhauser Steine are a rock formation in the Rothaargebirge. They are called Bornstein, Feldstein, Goldstein and Ravenstein. You can scramble up the Feldstein and enjoy the fantastic view.

So on the first day, we hiked through forests, across meadows and hills in what felt like 35 degrees. We crossed streams, admired the flowers, the sky, the paths, the diversity. Somehow we admired everything. Perhaps it was because we had few expectations. We didn’t go to any expense and just wanted to enjoy a bit of nature and be outside. Simply hiking. And then we found ourselves in such a varied setting, which really thrilled us.

Individual planning according to taste, experience and wishes

All three of us travel a lot and enjoy hiking, but 30 kilometers a day at 25-30 degrees and with a 6 kilo rucksack on our backs was very exhausting. [The lucky dog didn’t have to carry any luggage, of course.] On day 3 and 4 we really felt our feet and we took more and more breaks. Result: We would probably divide up the route differently next time.

The good thing about the Rothaarsteig is that everyone can plan their own stages. There are lots of lovely guesthouses that are easy to find online and on the Rothaarsteig website. As a dog was part of our hiking team, we booked the accommodation in advance. Ultimately, you can do both: stay spontaneous and just go for it or commit and book in advance. The fixed destinations motivated us to complete the routes, but sometimes the stages of 30 km per day were a bit of a struggle and we wished we had arrived at the guesthouse earlier.

Tip: Everyone should download a very clear map of the entire route beforehand. We used this map to plan the route individually and to find and book suitable accommodation.

Another plus point: we hardly met any people along the way. Even the villages where the guesthouses were located were wonderfully empty. This made the whole hike even more relaxing and impressive.

Tip: Planning a hike during the week and outside of the vacations is definitely worthwhile.

A new highlight every day

The Rothaarsteig never disappointed us on any of the four days. Every day we were inspired by something new: sometimes we felt like we were in the rainforest, sometimes we were surprised by a suspension bridge, sometimes we hiked through Nordic landscapes.

Kyrill ravaged the Rothaargebirge a few years ago. However, the stumps and fallen trees give the whole thing a rather mystical atmosphere. At the top of the Kahler Asten, thick storm clouds were gathering around us, lightning was breaking through the sky in the distance and yet we remained dry.

After exactly 100 kilometers over 4 days, we were very exhausted, but also richer in experience and full of new impressions. We finished our tour this time at the source of the Eder, but we are sure that we will come back and walk the remaining kilometers. Or perhaps explore the tour by mountain bike, that would certainly be a nice project too.

Our highlights on the Rothaarsteig

• Bruchhauser Stones
• The gorge near Winterberg
• Suspension bridge
• Wooden hammock on the Langenberg 😉
• Bald Asten
• Bison wilderness

Packing list Rothaarsteig

• TATONKA Pyrox 40+10 Women
• Hiking poles
• camera
• Mesh Bags
• Hiking pants
• Compression sleeves
• Cosmetics (as little as possible, weight!) in the zip bags
• Shirts
• Wind/rain jacket (depending on the weather)
• Rain pants (depending on the weather)
• Sandals (for the evening)
• Good (!) hiking socks
• Hiking boots
• Sun cream
• Sunglasses
• Small microfiber towel for on the go
• Water and food (but you can also eat and drink something from time to time)
• Bikini

Note: If you are staying in a guesthouse, you can wash a few items by hand overnight.

More impressions of Lena’s hiking adventure on the Rothaarsteig: