Mountain meadow trail in Winterberg

On the way around the Kreuzberg, you will experience a landscape that has become increasingly rare due to changes in agriculture, or is even in danger of disappearing altogether - species-rich mountain meadows and pastures. The colorful mountain meadows, the so-called "golden oat meadows", are something very special. In their characteristic composition with all the mountain herbs, they can only be found in North Rhine-Westphalia in the high altitudes of the Eifel and Sauerland. Together with local farmers and horse owners, the LIFE project "Mountain meadows near Winterberg" is giving them a chance again.

Along the trail, information boards at seven stations invite visitors to learn more about the diverse habitats, their historical use and the measures of the LIFE project.

The flowering splendor of the mountain meadows is particularly magnificent in the second half of May until the mowing in July. That's when the cranesbill, meadow knotweed and other plants on the Kreuzberg shine brightly in the sun. But even during the hay harvest, the post-flowering period and in Indian summer, the meadow landscape is always worth seeing right into the fall. The golden piece of Winterberg's mountain meadows, the golden-orange ducat butterfly, can also be observed here. For butterflies, grasshoppers and many other animals, the flower-rich mountain meadows and Weide are a true paradise.