Stöffelmaus route: Around the Stöffelmaus through wonderful landscapes

Description

The highlight of this route is Stöffel Park near Enspel, a large tertiary and industrial adventure park that I like to visit. Its name comes from the Stöffel, a basalt hill. The park area is the largest basalt quarry region of the Westerwald. Besides industrial buildings, there is also a significant fossil site, including the so-called Stöffelmaus, which gave the cycling route its name. Furthermore, a concrete bridge over the Nister near Erbach once was the largest of its kind in Germany when built in 1911. Today it is a technical monument. Impressive are also the rocks of the Steinernes Stuhl in the Westerwald animal protection area, which I come across on the northern loop of this tour. In Alpenrod, I can visit a community bakehouse and climb the observation tower on nearby Gräbersberg. In good weather, I can see as far as the Eifel and the Taunus. Finally, I take a look at the unusual Alte Burg near Rotenhain, the Alte Burg zu Rotzenhahn.

Approach

• From Cologne: take A3 to L258 in Dierdorf, exit A3 at 37-Dierdorf, follow L258, B413, and L281 to Bahnhofstraße in Nistertal
• From Frankfurt: take A3 to L318 in Nentershausen, exit A3 at 41-Diez, follow L317, B8, L300, L288, and L281 to Bahnhofstraße in Nistertal
• From Koblenz: take A48, A3, and B255 to K75 in Weidenhahn, then K61 and L281 to Bahnhofstraße in Nistertal
• From Siegen: take A45, B54, and B414 to L294 in Rheinland-Pfalz, then L293 and K61 to Bahnhofstraße in Nistertal
• From Limburg an der Lahn: take B49/B54, L3278, L302, L288, and L281 to Bahnhofstraße in Nistertal

Public transport

By train to Nistertal/Bad Marienberg station

Parking

Parking facilities at Nistertal station

Directions

I start on Bahnhofstraße in Erbach and turn left at the nearby Brückenstraße. At Erbacher Straße, I turn left again, then the path leads north towards Korb. I keep slightly left and cycle into the forested Westerwald animal protection area. The path goes around the Steinernes Stuhl heading south. I pass through Alpenrod and cycle a bit westwards to Gut Neuhof. Perhaps I catch a glimpse of the noble horses here. Past Gräbersberg, the route leads on gravel paths to Lochum. Before Linden, I turn sharply left towards Rotenhain. Then it continues to Bellingen. In a wide curve heading north, I circle around Stockum-Püschen. The route takes me to the Stöffel Basalt Park and further to Enspel. Afterwards, I pass through the village of Nistertal and quickly return to Erbach. The circular route includes a steep climb; otherwise, the approximately 26 kilometers can be covered in a bit more than two hours without breaks.

Safety instructions

Good basic fitness required.

Equipment

For bags and backpacks on a cycling ride, not only the back offers space – the weight of the equipment should ideally be distributed across several body and bike parts. Wind, rain, or sun can cause very different temperature sensations on the bike – a cold can be best avoided with professional cycling clothing. On a multi-day ride, you should always have suitable change clothes ready to be prepared for any eventuality. Besides other important equipment items, necessary tools and repair utensils should not be forgotten. At high speed, it’s easy to take a wrong turn on a cycling ride: traditional and modern aids like a cycling map or a GPS device help with orientation. You should always have a small emergency kit with you as well.

Tips

On Gräbersberg, next to the observation tower with its almost 200 steps, stands the Alpenroder Hut. This rustic inn is open all year round.

Literature

• Combined cycling/hiking flyer, available free of charge here
• KOMPASS cycling/hiking map Westerwald (North), 1:50,000, ISBN: 978-3-00-065928-7

Destination

Nistertal/Bad Marienberg station

Starting Point

Nistertal/Bad Marienberg station