The Westerwald is a low mountain range known for its gently rolling hills. It lies between the Rhine, Sieg and Lahn rivers and between the cities of Cologne and Frankfurt . Since there are no steep hills, we take the Westerwald Trail at a leisurely pace.

The lyrics of a well-known German song describe the Westerwald mountains as being known for their bitterly cold winds, but our hearts melt on the 235 kilometre hike along the Westerwald Trail. We start in Herborn, Hesse and walk up the Fuchskaute, the highest peak in the Westerwald. We get to see the wild and romantic Holzbachschlucht gorge and the Westerwald Lake District with our own eyes. The spa town of Bad Marienberg and the town of Hachenburg have an impressive range of culinary offerings. We journey through the Kroppach Switzerland conservation area and enjoy the green oasis of the Westerwald Trail. At the Rhine, we reach the 'Limes' which once marked out the Roman boundaries . The Limes Museum in Bad Hönningen brings the history of the Roman Empire to life.

TIP: Marienstatt Abbey

Manuel Andrack, editor, presenter, author and hiking blogger:

"Thirteen monks still practice 'ora et labora' (or 'pray and work') in Marienstatt Abbey. Our hiking group stays in the guest house overnight. In the abbey's brewery, we sample the tasting paddle of all three varieties of beer made here."

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