Druidensteig - Stage 1 - from Freusburg to Kirchen (Sieg)

Description

High above the Sieg river lies medieval Freusburg, which today offers modern accommodation as a youth hostel and is also the ideal starting point for your hike on the new 1st stage (since the end of 2024) of the Druidensteig. A panorama route connects Freusburg at height with the town of Kirchen - offering magnificent views into the Sieg valley. You enjoy the natural region at Brühlkopf and soon afterward stand right in front of the 9-meter-high Peace Cross at Wehbach with views into the Asdorf valley and towards the former Friedrichshütte.

Further stations of your hiking tour include Molzberg with views of the impressive buildings of the Jung Jungenthal company, which from 1885 for a whole century was known worldwide for locomotive construction, as well as Alexanderhöhe with certainly the most beautiful view of the center of the town of Kirchen, before you reach your destination with the cobalt mine at Alexander in Kirchen, rediscovered in 2021.

Approach

Access by car is via federal road B 62 to Freusburg (located between Kirchen and Siegen). Here you leave the federal road and follow the signs towards the Freusburg youth hostel to Kapellenweg in Alt-Freusburg.

Public transport

Arrival by public transport

Travel is to the Freusburg-Siedlung railway stop. This stop is served by the Westerwald-Sieg-Bahn (RB90) and the Rothaar-Bahn (RB93), which also connect the stations in Kirchen, Betzdorf, and Siegen.

Timetable information at www.dreilaenderbahn.de.

A marked approximately 2-kilometer access path (yellow Druidensteig sign) connects the Freusburg-Siedlung stop with the stage start in the town center of Freusburg, Kapellenweg.

Return to the stage start

At Kirchen (Sieg) station, which lies directly on the Druidensteig, it is possible to board the Westerwald-Sieg-Bahn (RB90) or Rothaar-Bahn (RB93), both of which stop at the Freusburg-Siedlung station.

Timetable information at www.dreilaenderbahn.de.

Parking

Free parking at the end of Kapellenweg in Freusburg (opposite the cemetery/Protestant Chapel).

Navigation input: Kapellenweg 10, 57548 Kirchen (Sieg)

Directions

You start your hike in front of the Otto-Pfeiffer-Museum and past the Protestant Chapel in Alt-Freusburg. A small path leads you up towards the castle complex (now a youth hostel) in a dreamlike location high above the Sieg valley, where the Counts of Sayn once lived. Not far from the castle, the Wilhelmine mine is considered one of the most important mines in the region.

On a Sieg Panorama route below the so-called Hubenhof between Freusburg and Kirchen and further over the Brühlkopf, the Druidensteig logo guides you to the Peace Cross and then directly to Wehbach in the Asdorf valley, where initially a rolling mill and later the significant Friedrichshütte were located. For a stop in Wehbach, the restaurants "Landgasthof Hüttenschenke" and "Zum Ventil," about 800 m from the Druidensteig hiking trail, are recommended.

In Niederasdorf, you cross the Asdorf on a narrow walking path and follow the stream past the forest cemetery heading towards Kirchen. From there, we take a leisurely ascent towards the district of Riegel and further to the Molzberg up to the old post road. Above the sports and recreational facilities, we head to Alexanderhöhe with a handcrafted artistic hiking bench by chainsaw artist Robin Rosenthal from Niederfischbach. From here, the undoubtedly most beautiful view of the town center of Kirchen (Sieg) unfolds.

After a rest, it now goes only downhill, and shortly after, you take the walking path above the Sieg to the Alexanderhardt tunnels. On newly designed info gabions, you learn a lot of interesting and historical facts about a former roof slate tunnel, as well as about the cobalt ore mine from the 18th century, rediscovered in 2021 by native Siegerländer Dr. André Hellmann, whose adit was initially uncovered and then redesigned. You also get an impression of the former mining house, which stood here until 1964, through a reconstruction on a small display panel.

You follow the further course of the path through the park "Am Riegel" to the combined Ruhr-Sieg cycle path (for cyclists/hikers) and cross the Sieg river to the junction of the path into Bahnhofstraße. Just a few more meters, and you have reached the station square, where numerous dining options (cafe, restaurant, ice cream parlor, pizzeria) await you.

Safety instructions

If you think certain sections of the path are not passable for you, you should bypass them. Especially in adverse weather, natural paths can have muddy and slippery passages.

In particular, in autumn, be aware that fallen leaves can hide unevenness, roots, stones, or holes in the path. You should expect such path impairments when hiking.

Although the path is very well marked throughout, you should always carry a suitable hiking map for safety reasons or download the free app "Rheinland-Pfalz erleben" .

Equipment

Wear sturdy footwear as well as weather-appropriate, practical clothing that protects against cold and wet or heat and sun.

Bring enough fluids. There are not always places to stop along the way.

Please wear hiking shoes suitable for the path, which provide sufficient grip even on slippery and steep or rocky and uneven paths.

Tips

Take a break on the handcrafted artistic hiking bench at Alexanderhöhe and enjoy the most beautiful panoramic view of the town of Kirchen (Sieg)!

Literature

A KOMPASS hiking map North including the Druidensteig is available at the Westerwald-Shop.

Destination

Kirchen station, Bahnhofstraße 17, 57548 Kirchen (Sieg)

Starting Point

Otto-Pfeiffer-Museum, Burgstraße 11, 57548 Kirchen-Freusburg