Around Thomasberg - Siebengebirge Nature Park

Last night, it rained heavily in the Siebengebirge. In the morning, the Lauterbach Valley was emanating that special magic that only a freshly washed forest can emanate. The paths were soft, damp, and dust-free. The trees were clean and lush green. The air was filled with the scent of damp leaves, moss, and earth. Only the chirping of birds broke the silence. Traveling alone, it doesn't really get quiet—it gets more intense. You hear more. Feel more. Today was one of those days.

The hike around Thomasberg is a varied tour, as it shows the former stone quarrying, the agricultural uses as well as settlement structures in the Siebengebirge nature reserve. The hike begins at Heiserbach Abbey, leads past the Weilberg, through the Kassel Heath with its orchards and fields. Through the Lauterbachtal it goes towards Blauer See, and through the new building area towards Kleiner Oelberg and in the forest landscape on the edge of Thomasberg. Through light deciduous forest it goes to the Rosenauwiesen, with their orchards. The "Waimannsruh" inn stands by the roadside. The path leads to the Stenzelberg, a quarry that serves as a protected habitat and is closely connected to the Heisterbach monastery as a former stone supplier. CONCLUSION The route leads outside of the localities largely on gravel field and forest paths. There are some very steep climbs, for example to the Weilberg and the Kleiner Oelberg. Refreshments in the Waidmannsruh restaurant and in the Heisterbach monastery room.

Most recently, in November, I crossed the Siebengebirge during the final stages of the Rheinsteig on the way to Bonn, but skipped a few detours. Now it's time for me to explore the area in more detail, beyond the most famous peaks like Drachenfels and Petersberg. As always, I'll do it at intervals and in conjunction with my other projects. 😉 Today, I started with Tour No. 1, "Around Thomasberg." The less exciting sections, crossing towns and along the ICE line/highway, were concentrated entirely in the middle section of the route, but the remaining 2.5 hours were a hiking delight, simply outstanding! 😊 The highlight was certainly the Stenzelberg, bathed in the golden sunset light, with its magnificent rock formations and paths. 🌞 📔Seven Mountains Nature Park: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/collection/2517281/-naturpark-siebengebirge

https://www.siebengebirge.com/index.php/wandern-radfahren/13-wandern/47-wanderfibel-koenigswinter

We start again at Heisterbach Monastery. This time we head clockwise, first to Weilberg. At one of the first junctions, we take a wrong turn. This will happen to us a few more times. Around Thomasbrerg, some of the signposts are poorly placed. They appear after the intersection, so if there's no sign, you're on the wrong track. Up on the Kassel Heath, the view is fantastic. The part through the village is only half as great. In the forest, it's beautiful again, and after a while, the signage improves. This time we stop at a restaurant. There's schnitzel and tarte flambée. Finally, we head back to Heisterbach Monastery via Stenzelberg.

Basically a nice and varied tour. There was a lot of ups and downs. Unfortunately, most of the paths are roughly gravel or asphalted