Hiking in winter

Hiking with white winter splendour? Here at an altitude of around 800 metres, the chances are among the best in NRW, but with or without snow: the most famous mountain in North Rhine-Westphalia provides the perfect conditions for a relaxed winter hike. The circular route around the summit (which is cleared when there is snow) repeatedly offers sweeping views over the heights of the Sauerland.

The short loop runs along the Hochheide nature trail, which offers exciting insights into the area around the Astenturm at 25 stations: From nature conservation and weather phenomena to the history of the high heath area, you will learn a lot about this special landscape along the way. This turns the winter tour into a short discovery excursion - also ideal for children.

The start and finish of the approximately two-kilometre circular trail is the Astenturm, which is also a hotel and restaurant, making it a good place to stop for refreshments, as well as a weather station and observation tower. An ascent is therefore recommended on a clear day, which should not be a problem as the hike itself has no real incline.

The Freudenberg half-timbered trail provides double the pleasure, as it combines historic half-timbered idyll and vast natural panoramas of the Siegen-Wittgenstein region. The starting point is the small town of Freudenberg, whose historic centre is known as the "Alter Flecken" and looks like a backdrop from centuries past with its winding alleyways, cobblestones and black and white half-timbered houses. From here, the circular route takes you out into nature: you walk past streams, through quiet forest passages and reach a former smelting site that tells the story of the region's industrial history. A tunnel passage of around 400 metres near Hohenhain also bears witness to the past: the path leads through the middle of an old railway tunnel, which gives the tour an almost adventurous character. Afterwards, open countryside with distant views awaits you again before the route takes you back to Freudenberg.

Around the old town, you will find cosy cafés and restaurants where you can fortify yourself before or after the tour - whether with coffee and cake, soup or a hearty Siegerland dish.

On some winter days, it is simply too cold or too wet for long hikes. Short circular routes are then a great alternative. In Münsterland, various paths lead around Nordkirchen Castle, which is also known as the Versailles of Westphalia. The 3.5-kilometre bat trail, for example, leads directly past Nordkirchen Castle and winds its way through old avenues and past amphibian ponds. The oak leaf and imperial cloak circular trails offer further opportunities for short hikes. And if you feel like hiking in the clear air and bright sunshine, the 12-kilometre "From Castle to Castle" trail takes you from Nordkirchen Castle to Westerwinkel Castle.

In the Eifel, you can enjoy a winter hike while relaxing in a deckchair: On the star hikes at the Vogelsang IP observatory, only the stars move - you stay in one place and look up at the (hopefully clear) night sky with telescopes, binoculars and your naked eyes. Specially trained star guides will explain constellations, planets and the Milky Way, which can be seen with the naked eye here in the Eifel National Park. This is why the region has been officially recognised as International Star Park Eifel National Park. Open guided tours allow spontaneous visits, and groups can request an individualised date and location. For those who want to sleep in afterwards, the certified "SternenGastgeber" (star hosts) offer just the right thing with a late-riser breakfast and late check-out.

After dark, the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park always shines in colourful light. During the torchlight tours around the disused steelworks, a few more lights are added: with torches in their hands, participants make their way past blast furnaces, bunkers and tubular steel structures. Along the way, a guide explains how steel was once cooked here and how the disused ironworks has become one of the most exciting excursion destinations in the Ruhr region.

If you'd rather be out and about on the water than on the summit in winter, the Hennesee is just the place for you. The trail is around eight kilometres long and always takes you along the shore - with sweeping views across the water. Here you can walk at your own pace, take a deep breath and enjoy the clear winter air of the Sauerland.

The regional hiking trail is ideal if you are travelling with your family or as a couple. In snow and ice, it can be slippery and icy, so sturdy, non-slip footwear and a little caution are recommended depending on the weather.

There are several places to stop for refreshments around the lake: Whether it's coffee and cake with a view of the water, a hot chocolate for the kids or something hearty after your round - here you can combine a winter hike with an enjoyable break. If you want to stay longer, there are also various accommodation options at the Hennesee, from hotels to holiday flats - perfect for a short winter weekend in the Sauerland.

When winter bathes Willingen in white, the region shows its particularly atmospheric side. The trail starts in the idyllic district of Stryck, very close to the Mühlenkopf ski jump, which regularly hosts World Cup ski jumping competitions. From here, the circular trail leads up to the Ettelsberg - step by step into the mountain world of the Sauerland.

Once you reach the top, the views over the hills and forests of the Sauerland open up again and again. You then return through "paradise": a section that lives up to its name when snow or hoar frost makes the landscape glisten like a fairy tale.

The best thing about hiking is sometimes the breaks - and there are plenty of places to stop for refreshments on this route: at the start and end points as well as on the Ettelsberg, you have several stops to choose from. Or you can simply have everything, from soup after the first climb to a slice of cake at the end of the tour.

Between Rott and Roetgen in the Eifel, the Struffeltroute is a winter hike with natural highlights. Around the Dreilägerbachtalsperre dam, the ten-kilometre circular trail leads you along predominantly natural paths through the whole variety of this special landscape - from quiet forest passages to open raised bogs. The trail takes its name from the Struffeltkopf, a hill where the wind blows around your nose and you can enjoy sweeping views over the heights of the North Eifel. The pipe cleaner's grass that grows here is particularly characteristic: its fluffy spikes, which were actually used to clean pipes in the past, create a very special atmosphere even in winter.

As a partner trail of the Eifelsteig, the Struffeltroute is well marked and categorised as "easy" - ideal for a longer family walk or a relaxed day tour. Easy to moderately difficult ascents and descents ensure that you don't get cold without overtaxing yourself. Before or after the tour, you can stop off in Rott or Roetgen and warm up again with coffee, cake or a hot meal.

Arrive by train, get off and start hiking straight away - the tour from Vormwald to Lützel is ideal if you are travelling without a car. From Vormwald railway station, the route takes you onto the Rothaarsteig trail. After just a few steps, you will reach the first highlight of the tour, Ginsburg Castle. The short ascent to the castle is also worthwhile in winter: From the top, you can see far across the Siegerland region. The route continues through the Ginsberg Heath, a nature reserve that alternates between open plateaus and forest. In winter, the landscape here is almost a little Nordic - barren areas, quiet paths, clear air. Your next destination is the Giller, at 653 metres the highest elevation in this area. If visibility is good, we recommend climbing the Gillerberg tower, which offers a further panoramic view of the wintery low mountain range landscape of Siegen-Wittgenstein. The circular route ends at Lützel railway station, making it easy to travel home by train. Incidentally, there are refreshment stops here as well as at the starting point, but also at the castle ruins, in the Ginsberg Heath and on the Giller.