Sauerland-Höhenflug: From Burg Altena to the Hönnequelle spring

The stage starts in Neuenrade at the Wilhelmshöhe bus stop. From here, bus route 60 runs hourly (even at weekends!) in the direction of Werdohl to Werdohl, Bahnhof or you can use the 4.8-kilometer access route to Werdohl. Change here to the RE 16 or RB 91 train in the direction of Essen / Hagen to Altena station. The Sauerland-Höhenflug access trail starts directly at the station and takes you right through Altena and then up to Burg Altena. The yellow-marked main trail starts here. Instead of the access path, you can also take the castle elevator (for a fee) up to the castle complex.Altena lies in the middle of the Lenne Valley. Burg Altena, one of the most beautiful hilltop castles in Germany, towers high above the town and was built around 900 years ago. At that time, the brothers Adolf and Everhard built the castle on the spur of the Klusenberg. In 1912, Richard Schirrmann set up the first youth hostel in the castle. This first world youth hostel can be visited just like Burg Altena itself.The Sauerland-Höhenflug begins directly at Burg Altena at the entrance portals in front of the mighty castle walls. The trail first leads through narrow alleyways down into a side valley (please do not miss the steps between the houses above the road crossing of the L 698), before the hiking trail climbs again on the opposite side of the mountain. You can work up a sweat on the ascent to Altena - Hegenscheid! A seating area invites you to take a break halfway up. This section of the trail runs parallel to the Drahthandelsweg, which runs from Lüdenscheid to Iserlohn and features information boards about the history of iron mining and wire production. On the way, you will pass the "Toter Mann" ridge, which got its name from the depletion of the iron deposits there at the beginning of the 17th century. The ascent is rewarded with a fantastic view from the 473 m high Hegenscheid! The climb to Neuenrade is now without any strenuous ascents.Hegenscheid is home to the airfield of the Hegenscheid air sports club, where powered aircraft up to 2 tons take off for a sightseeing flight in good weather. The high-altitude flight runs parallel to the airfield, always with magnificent views, then over the Rüssenberg (434 m) to the village of Ihmert and Elfenfohren, whose history dates back to 1813. Both on the Rüssenberg and on the ridge "Auf dem Giebel" above Dahle, hurricane Kyrill has created many open spaces, which, in addition to distant views, also open up a wonderful flowering splendor of St. John's wort, willowherb and foxglove, especially in the summer months.The flight of fancy now runs through the Neuenrade city forest. In addition to the Neuenrade Baby Forest, where families can plant a tree to mark the birth of their child, there is also the "Tree of the Year" avenue, which has been made up of the trees of the year since 1989.Passing the SGV memorial, the high-altitude route now reaches the Kohlberg (514 m), the highest elevation in Neuenrade. The 14 m high Quitmannsturm on the summit was built by the town of Neuenrade in 1986. The first observation tower at this point dated back to 1892 and was destroyed by a storm in 1986. Small panorama boards on the Quitmannsturm explain the landmarks of the magnificent 360° view.Passing the "Kohlberg" parking lot, the hiking trail now crosses the L 698 and continues to the summit of the "Großer Attig". After the storm Kyrill in January 2007, there is only a single group of beech trees on the Großer Attig and hikers are offered a wonderful and almost limitless view of the valley. A little further on, there is a panorama board informing hikers about important viewpoints. The Hönne has its source on the southern slope. This flows through Balve and Menden. The Hönnetal is an impressive valley with rocks, cliffs and caves in one of the most important karst areas in Germany. A large copper stele at the source illustrates the course of the Hönne to hikers.You now reach Neuenrade via winding paths, some of which run alongside the Hönne. In the Wilhelmshöhe area on the B 229 (where the Höhenflug crosses the main road), you will find the bus stop Neuenrade, Wilhelmshöhe, where the hike ends.