Basalt and Non-ferrous Metals Wäller Tour

Such beautiful light today and a varied tour 🥰 Almost back in Neustadt, I wished I could get some ice cream somewhere. Unbelievable... when I got down there, there was an ice cream parlor opposite 🍦

Start, finish and parking: Wiedpark Neustadt (Wied); Raiffeisenstrasse 9; 53577 Neustadt (Wied) Refreshment tip: Eiscafé Silberlöffel Wiedtalstraße 9, 53577 Neustadt (Wied) Very tasty waffles and ice cream! More hiking suggestions: www.typical-Westerwald.de

A WällerTour that also serves as a georoute and is themed around THE stone of the Westerwald - basalt. Almost as omnipresent is the Wied, on whose banks the hiker starts in Neustadt (bus stop "Neustadt, Ev. Kirche"). Gradually it goes up into a sparse deciduous forest. The detour to the Bertenauer Kopf should not be missed - just follow the sign with the inscription "To the summit". A beautiful path and a wide view are worth the climb. It goes down to the Manrother Lake, whose past as a former basalt quarry is clearly visible. The next highlight is the path through the steep valley of the Bleibach and Plaubach. Then the descent to Neustadt follows, where the Wied is crossed. If you like, you can spice up the tour with a final climb, which takes you far above the river, but soon ends this wonderful hike at the starting point.

The new Georoute "Basalt and non-ferrous metals" is a really nice hiking trail. The first kilometer is quite asphalt-heavy, then it continues on hiking trails, forest paths and meadows. Special skills (apart from a little stamina and sure-footedness) are not necessary. One or the other bank could still be repaired and the inscription on the Jungfernbrunnen is still missing... The path offers a lot of information about the history of mining in the region - that makes it interesting if you already know the actual route.

The Wäller Tour "Basalt and Non-Ferrous Metals" is sparsely signposted under the name Georoute Basalt and Non-Ferrous Metals. But signs aside, you'll find basalt everywhere on the tour: in Lake Manrother amidst steep basalt cliffs, in built-up basalt along paths and walls, and in the steep basalt domes that have withstood millions of years of erosion. Non-ferrous metals such as copper ore, lead, and zinc were likely mined at the Bertenauer Kopf. This tour has several highlights to offer. The final climb to the Bertenauer Kopf is short and sharp. At the end, you have to wriggle through the bushes, which soon take over the path. From the ancient Bertenauer Kopf volcano, you still have a beautiful view all the way to the Siebengebirge. The forest will probably soon obscure the view here. A mountain hut sits enthroned up here. Without the picnic remnants, it would actually be a nice rest stop. You pass Lake Manrother, formed by basalt mining. The lake's color is a mysterious turquoise blue. Steep basaltic walls frame the lake. It's fenced in to prevent anyone from falling in. A clear view of the lake is denied; you have to peek through the bushes to see anything of it. From a nicely landscaped bench, you can only see the bushes. You'll find a lovely rest area right on the main road that runs past Lake Manrother. You'll look out over Neustadt and make out the heights of the Siebengebirge on the horizon. There's a bench, a table, a birdwatcher, and panoramic panels that reveal the names of the mountains.

A really great, small, and cozy loop. There are a few spots that can be slippery when the ground is wet.

Since the weather forecast for today announced better weather than on the last few days, I drove back from Waldbreitbach to Neustadt (Wied) and hiked the Wäller Tour Basalt and Buntmetall here. A circular hiking trail marked with the Geo Tour sign. At first it's relatively flat and later it goes uphill until you can celebrate a mountain festival in the truest sense of the word halfway along the route on the summit of the Bertenauer Kopf. From here you have a great view of the northern Westerwald and the Siebengebirge. Shortly afterwards you keep passing old mines, information boards draw attention to them and explain the history. A circular hike that wasn't long, but was strenuous because of the climbs and the paths, which weren't always easy due to the wind, and I really enjoyed it.

Very beautiful, varied and scenic circular route, which leads through Neustadt/Wied at the beginning and end.