Kleiner Wäller Löwenspur 1 (orange) - Hachenburg

Description

The orange path requires average fitness, sturdy shoes, and enjoyment of steep ascents and descents. It follows the Große Nister through the deep green, extensive Nister valley. There are uphill sections, narrow and winding parts along the way that could pose a challenge to hikers with fear of heights.

Passing the Nister mill - Hachenburg's oldest mill - (where Konrad Adenauer hid from persecution by the Nazis) you hike up to great views over the Nister. From there it goes back through the historic Hachenburg old town with its Old Market and lion fountain – the perfect place for a rest before heading through the Burggarten to the path's finish point.

Approach

From Bad Marienberg (East): We leave Bad Marienberg via L294 and turn left onto B414 at the end of the street. We follow this street through Kirburg and past Norken. After about nine kilometers, we leave B414 to the left onto L281, which we follow to Hachenburg.

From Altenkirchen (West): We drive on B414 to the roundabout in front of Hachenburg, which we leave at the first exit towards Hachenburg onto B413. At the first opportunity to turn left (behind the railway crossing), we leave the road and drive onto L288. We follow this road to Hachenburg.

From Höchstenbach (Southwest): We follow B413 until we turn right into Koblenzer Straße. We follow this street to Hachenburg.

From Betzdorf (North): We follow L288 out of Betzdorf. At the turn towards Marienstatt, we turn right onto K21. Immediately after, we turn left to stay on K21. We follow the street until we reach an intersection where we turn left onto B414 towards Hachenburg. At the roundabout, we take the first exit towards Hachenburg, joining B413. We leave this street after the railway crossing to the left onto L288, which we follow until we reach Hachenburg.

Public transport

Take the Hessian State Railway to Hachenburg station, then about a 300 m walk to the starting point, Burggarten Hachenburg.

From Altenkirchen, take bus line 289 towards Helmeroth to the school/sports center. There, change to bus line 408 towards Hachenburg. From the stop at the market, it's about a 5-minute walk to the starting point at Burggarten, Alexanderring, Hachenburg.

From Bad Marienberg, take bus line 960 towards Hachenburg. From the stop at the market, it's about a 5-minute walk to the starting point at Burggarten, Alexanderring, Hachenburg.

Taxi companies:
Taxi Schmidt: Hachenburg, Tel.: 02662/6119 or 02662/6688
Taxi Uwe Bischoff: Hachenburg, Tel.: 02662/944444
Taxi Kappi-Tullius: Hachenburg, Tel.: 02662/939390
Taxi Hilgers: Bad Marienberg, Tel.: 02661/5055
Taxi company Kevin Nagel: Bad Marienberg, Tel.: 02661/5949
Taxi Uwe Bischoff: Altenkirchen, Tel.: 02681/2222
Taxi Uwe Bischoff: Wissen, Tel.: 02742/1055

Parking

Hachenburg: free parking lot "Am Burggarten", Alexanderring, 57627 Hachenburg, entrance to the Parkhotel Hachenburg

Directions

At the information point, take the path into the Burggarten. After about 60 m, turn left onto the path and follow the orange lion paw signage. In the Burggarten, turn left before the landscape museum and leave the Burggarten through the lower wall opening. Cross the street, keep left, and at the first junction turn right. Follow this meadow path to the railway crossing (bridge on the left).

Immediately after the railway bridge, turn right. Here you have a beautiful view of the Nister valley. Be careful, it goes steeply downhill after a few meters. Follow the signage through the Holzbachtal to the Nister bridge.

Continue straight ahead past the Philipps discount market. Immediately behind the market, follow the footpath to the left. At the end of the footpath, keep left ("Dorfwiese") and after about 150 m turn left into "Hachenburger Straße." After about 150 meters, turn right into the street "Unterste Bitze." After 100 meters, turn left again to leave the street onto the footpath. Now the path leads through the flat meadows of the Nister valley. At the end of this path, turn left into Friedhofstraße. Follow this path for about 500 meters past the road underpass (L288). Continue straight ahead to the Nister mill. Cross the Nister via the pedestrian bridge. Konrad Adenauer hid in the mill in 1944 from the Nazis. The Konrad Adenauer memorial plaque on the residential building (private property) commemorates this.

Continue uphill to the left and over the street bridge. Leave the street here to the path across the meadow. Pass the "Marienstätter Weg" and go up "Zur Tiefenbach." At the Cadillac museum, continue left and behind the railway crossing turn left into Bahnhofstraße. Pass the station and follow Bahnhofstraße uphill to Neumarkt. Leave Neumarkt to the south into Wilhelmstraße (pedestrian zone). Walk over Wilhelmstraße to the Old Market. The "Old Market" with the lion fountain is the baroque, historic center of Hachenburg. Walk the Old Market eastward left or right of the Protestant church to the intersection Borngasse - Leipziger Straße - Alexanderring. Here begins the Burggarten. After about 150 m on the left, you reach the start and finish point again.

Safety instructions

• The path requires average fitness, sturdy shoes, and enjoyment of steep ascents and descents.
• Wear sturdy shoes and weather-appropriate, functional clothing that protects you from cold and wet or heat and sun.
• Take enough fluids with you. There are not always places to stop for refreshments.
• Please wear appropriate hiking shoes on the path that provide sufficient grip even on slippery and steep, rocky, and uneven paths.
• If you think certain sections are impassable for you, you should bypass them. Especially in adverse weather conditions, natural paths may have muddy and slippery sections.
• Especially in autumn, be aware that fallen leaves can cover unevenness, roots, stones, or holes on the path. You must expect such path impairments when hiking.
• Although the path is well marked throughout, for safety reasons you should always carry a suitable hiking map.

Equipment

Hiking shoes are recommended.

Tips

The historic Hachenburg old town enchants with its idyllic charm. The gastronomy offers a variety of culinary specialties, and the many small shops and historic city center invite you to linger.

The Burggarten invites you to linger with its many picnic opportunities and a great playground for the kids.

Destination

Parking lot "Am Burggarten", Alexanderring, 57627 Hachenburg, entrance to the Parkhotel Hachenburg

Starting Point

Parking lot "Am Burggarten", Alexanderring, 57627 Hachenburg, entrance to the Parkhotel Hachenburg