Hermannshöhen - Etappe 09 vom Hermannsdenkmal über die Externsteine nach Leopoldstal

Difficult

19,1 km

6:00 h

554 m

501 m

434 m

189 m

Long-distance hiking trail

Best Season

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Startpoint

Hermann monument near Detmold

Destinationpoint

Velmerstot Leopoldstal

This stage of the Hermannshöhen runs along the widening ridge through the southern part of the Teutoburg Forest to its end at Velmerstot. The Eggegebirge - the twin peaks of the Velmerstot - are reached here.

Please note: There is a detour directly below the Hermannsdenkmal due to construction work. The detour is signposted on site.

A detour is also necessary in the Stemberg area in Holzhausen-Externsteinen due to ongoing forestry work.
You can find a graphic of this at www.hermannshöhen.de under "News".

An overview of the stage:

1.            Start and finish point of the stage
The stage starts at the Hermannsdenkmal and ends in Leopoldstal.

2.            Length of the stage in kilometers / altitude difference / route character
The stage has a length of approx. 17 km with an altitude difference of approx. 550 m. The route is mostly flat or slightly hilly with some short but steep sections.

3.             Scenic features
This stage takes you along the widening ridge of the southern Teutoburg Forest and passes the transition to the Eggegebirge at Velmerstot. At the foot of the low mountain ridge stretches the wide sand and heathland landscape of the Senne. The Eggeweg begins at the foot of the legendary Externsteine and runs parallel to the Hermannsweg until the end of stage 09. Before the ascent to the Velmerstot in Lippe, the trail leads through the Silberbach valley along the Silberbach stream. At the end of the stage is the Lippische Velmerstot - a barren summit with a rugged rocky landscape.

Note: While the Eggeweg leads to the neighboring summit of the Prussian Velmerstot, the Hermannsweg leads down to Leopoldstal. An additional 2,200 m must be calculated for the access route to Leopoldstal.

Highlights on the route

The Hermannsdenkmal - the landmark of the Hermannshöhen: The monument, which is 54 meters high in total, commemorates Hermann the Cheruscan, who won the Varus Battle against the Romans in 9 AD. Tip: You have a great view of the landscape from the monument's viewing platform.

The Teuto Climbing Park at the foot of the Hermann Monument near Detmold offers six courses of varying difficulty with more than 80 climbing stations. All climbing enthusiasts will get their money's worth in the varied world of ropes, trees and platforms.

The historic old town of Detmold: Former residential town with the Residential Palace and the Westphalian Open-Air Museum.

The Berlebeck Eagle Sanctuary: Europe's oldest and most species-rich bird of prey sanctuary. Here you can experience 180 large and small birds of prey of various species. Tip: Be sure to visit the flight shows. The falconers will tell you interesting and entertaining facts about the warren and the birds of prey that live there.

The Externsteine: The most important natural and cultural monument in the Teutoburg Forest. Myths and legends surround the five vertically towering stones. Tip: Climbing the rocks is worthwhile. You have a wonderful panoramic view from the Externsteine.

You can find a good interactive tour map here:

Map

Hermannshöhen - Etappe 09 vom Hermannsdenkmal über die Externsteine nach Leopoldstal

32760 Detmold

Route

Details

Directions

Hermannsdenkmal in Detmold-Hiddesen - Detmold-Berlebeck - Horn-Bad Meinberg/Holzhausen (Externsteine) - Horn-Bad Meinberg underpass of the B1 - through the Silberbach valley to the Velmerstot Horn Bad Meinberg/Leopoldstal railroad station.

The trail is marked throughout with the "white H on a black background". Take the access path from Detmold when hiking up to the starting point.

Hike down to the train station from the stage finish point via the Hermannsweg.

You will find the following quality establishments on the Hermannshöhen on this stage:

Detmold:

Hotel Landhaus Hirschsprung, Detmold
www.landhaus-hirschsprung.de, Tel. 05231-8785000

Horn-Bad Meinberg:

Waldhotel Bärenstein, www.hotel-baerenstein.de, Tel. 05234 - 2090
Wander- und Fahrradhotel Havergoh, Tel.05434-9754, www.havergoh.de

Leopoldstal:

Landhaus Blumengarten, www.landhaus-blumengarten.de, Tel. 05234 3186,

Steinheim-Sandebeck:

Germanenhof, www.germanenhof.de, Tel. 05238- 98900

Safety Guidelines

Sturdy shoes are essential!

Equipent

There are hardly any refreshment stops along the route. You should therefore take sufficient food and drink with you!

Tip

The certified hiker-friendly "Felsenwirt" near the Externsteine is a nice stopover and ideal for a bite to eat.

Right next door: the modern Externsteine information center, where you can discover lots of interesting facts and sights about the Externsteine!

Getting There

B1, Horn exit (signs to Veldrom/Horn/Altenbeken/Detmold-Süd) Hermannsdenkmal signposted from here.

A2 Leave the A33 at exit 25-Kreuz Bielefeld in the direction of Paderborn, take exit 22-Schloß Holte-Stukenbrock in the direction of Detmold/Augustdorf, from here follow the signs to Hermannsdenkmal.

Parking

Parking lot at the starting point:

Parking lot at the Hermannsdenkmal (chargeable)

Grotenburg 2, 32760 Detmold

approx. 50 m

Bus stop Hermannsdenkmal

792 Bad Pyrmont - Externst. - Detmold (seasonal)

Schedule information

Parking spaces with local transport connections along the route:

Parking space at Hermannsdenkmal (chargeable)

Denkmalstraße 139, 32760 Detmold

directly along the route

Bus stop Hermannsdenkmal

792 Bad Pyrmont - Externst. - Detmold (seasonal)

Timetable information

Parking lot Vogelpark Heiligenkirchen

Ostertalstraße 1, 32760 Detmold

approx. 350 m to the path

Bus stop

782 Detmold BHF - Externsteine - Bad Meinberg

792 Bad Pyrmont - Externst. - Detmold (seasonal)

Timetable information

Wanderparkplatz Berlebeck

Paderborner Str. 142, 32760 Detmold

approx. 150 m to the trail

Bus stop

701 Berlebeck - Detmold BHF - Pivitsheide

Schedule information

Parking lot Holzhausen-Externsteine

Schliepsteinweg 23, 32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg

approx. 350 m to the path

Bus stop

782 Detmold BHF - Externsteine - Bad Meinberg
792 Bad Pyrmont - Externst. - Detmold (seasonal)

Schedule information

Wanderparkplatz Externsteine (chargeable)

Externsteiner Str. 35,
32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg

approx. 500 m to the path

Bus stopExternsteine

792 Bad Pyrmont - Externst. - Detmold (seasonal)

Schedule information

Hikerparkplatz Hermannsweg

Entrance opposite Paderborner Str. 33,
32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg

directly on the trail

Bus stop Horn, Waldschlößchen

R50/51 Paderborn - Bad Lippspringe - Horn

357 Horn BHF - Veldrom - Kempen

Schedule information

Wanderparkplatz Zur Kattenmühle

Zur Kattenmühle, 32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg

approx. 450 m to the trail

Kattenmühle bus stop

357 Horn BHF - Veldrom - Kempen

Schedule information

Wanderparkplatz Leopoldstal

Silbergrund 62A,
32805 Horn-Bad Meinberg

at the end of the access road

Leopoldstal train station

Schedule information

Public Transit

Detailed information can be found here

Please note that the tourist line with which you could travel between Hermannsdenkmal and Externsteine at weekends has been discontinued from April 2024.

Always know what's running: The smart number for bus and train in NRW

08006 - 50 40 30 (free of charge from the German landline network).

Download timetable tourist line