Altenkirchen Cycle Route - Valley landscapes around Altenkirchen

Description

The Altenkirchen cycle route leads from the Wied valley up to the Beulskopf, a former basalt cone which, at 368 m above sea level, is still one of the highest points in the Altenkirchen-Flammersfeld municipality. From the Raiffeisen tower there, I have a panoramic view of the Westerwald, the Eifel and the Bergisches Land. On a wonderful, gentle downhill stretch from Birnbach, my bike carries me almost pedal-free for several kilometers through the winding Birnbach valley to the Wied. The southern ridge in the area of ​​Stürzelbach, Fluterschen, Oberwambach and Gieleroth then leads back up to an altitude of 330 m, with wonderful viewpoints over the expanse of the Westerwald. The route of the Altenkirchen cycle route is a combination of four smaller cycle tours. This means I can shorten my tour at various points and return to my destination via marked paths.

Public transport

Good access by train from Cologne/Bonn, Siegen, or Limburg.
Timetable information: https://www.vrminfo.de/

Parking

Free Park and Ride parking at the train station, Konrad-Adenauer-Platz, 57610 Altenkirchen

Directions

Starting at Altenkirchen train station, I head into town. Behind the railway tracks, I go through the underpass to the Weyerdamm car park and turn immediately left into the Parc de Tarbes. The tour takes me along the Erbach river to Dieperzen, where I meet up with Tour 6, which is also signposted and takes me along the railway embankment to Obererbach. Through a railway underpass, I first go to Niedererbach and from here on to the district of Hacksen. From the main road towards Eichelhardt, after about 900 m I turn left to Volkerzen. There, at the bus shelter, I follow narrow paths towards the forest and reach the small connecting road to Hilgenroth (turn left here). Shortly before Hilgenroth, on the right is the town of Marienthal with a former Franciscan monastery dating back to 1666 (a detour that is definitely worthwhile for those interested in history). I now follow a high-altitude path past Hilgenroth to the district of Beul, with its Raiffeisen observation tower that can be seen from afar. A gravel forest path leads towards Ölsen and I soon reach the so-called "Alte Kohlstraße", which was an important transport route for coal and ore for many centuries (turn left here towards Wölmersen). I pass the "Neues Leben Zentrum", bypass Wölmersen and reach Birnbach, from where I can now follow the signs for Tour 5. Past the old Romanesque church in Birnbach, the route descends to Hemmelzen and continues to Neitersen (one of the most beautiful valley sections on the cycle route). After about 500 m on the B 256 in Neitersen, I turn right and cross the railway tracks and the Wied river. From here on, Tour 4 accompanies me. Past the old cinema and former mill, I now follow a sunken lane uphill towards the forest until I reach a wide forest path. Here I turn left and after about 230 m it goes down to the meadow valley of the Breibach stream. A short stretch of road takes me uphill to the L 267 (commonly known as the "Langguck" because of its straight route). Via small local roads I go through Stürzelbach and Mahlert to Fluterschen, where I turn right again at the bus turnaround and up to the "Brauershof" farm. Before I enter the forest, I enjoy the fantastic view over the Wied valley. From the center of Oberwambach I can now follow the signposted Tour 7, which takes me via the village of Herpteroth to Gieleroth and then to the B 8. Over the so-called Herzberg, with its wooded area, I descend back into the Wiedtal valley, to the district of Widderstein. Following the river, I pass through Michelbach and into the natural Wiesental valley. I soon reach Heimstraße and in just a few minutes I'm back at the starting point, Altenkirchen train station.

Equipment

We recommend taking binoculars with you so that you can enjoy the many beautiful viewpoints even better.

Tips

Small shops and ice cream parlors, a regional store with around 120 producers from the surrounding area and a wide variety of restaurants in Altenkirchen are worth a visit.

Destination

Park and Ride parking lot at the train station, Konrad-Adenauer-Platz, 57610 Altenkirchen

Starting Point

Park and Ride parking lot at the train station, Konrad-Adenauer-Platz, 57610 Altenkirchen