Farm trail (Ramble #18) - Bergisches Land Nature Park

Very beautiful circular route with great views and good places to stop for refreshments

After yesterday's hike over icy paths and through the partly wintry landscape☃️ of the Sauerland, today I planned a round that would take place on non-critical ground. For this I accepted a trip to much lower areas of the Rheinisch-Bergischer Kreis. Early in the morning, when I left home, I found almost impenetrable fog🌫️. When visibility improved, rain started - the prospects were not very encouraging🙁. So I was happy to find dry conditions when I started at Honrath train station🚉, which - I'll say it in advance - would last for the entire round. I followed the Bergischer Streifzug under the motto "Farm Trail🐄". The themed trail offered a varied route with a number of interesting aspects, where the only criticism could be the comparatively high proportion of asphalt🛣️. After initially moving around the railway line in the town of Jexmühle, I turned into forest land behind an underpass🌳. The path continued uphill, so that after just two kilometers in the village of Schlehecken I had conquered the highest point of the circuit💪. Via a side road with a view only limited by the rather dull weather, I came to the towns of Wickuhl and Schnellhaus, which had Christmas decorations visible from afar🎄. A little later I reached the Schiefelbusch farm with a farm shop, estate café and more. As a kind of parking guidance system🅿️ suggested, they are certainly prepared for higher visitor numbers. On a short tour I discovered the entrepreneurial philosophy and the farm rules before I set off on the upcoming route down into the valley. Walking along a small tributary💦 I came to the Gammersbach, which I followed downhill. The next interesting point was the Gambacher Mill, decorated for Christmas. The half-timbered buildings had space for extensive gastronomy🍽️ (not open on Sunday mornings at 9:00 a.m., however), which was surrounded by handcrafted decorations, but also by live peacocks🦚. I left the site past a huge model railway, which deserves a stop when the weather is better. On muddy paths, first through meadows and later through forest, I worked my way up to the pretty town of Muchensiefen🥵. Typical Bergisch half-timbered houses and a memorial site remained in my memory. At the town of Oberscheid, I crossed the L84, whereupon I reached the town of Spechtsberg across meadows with a great view👁️👁️. From there, it was a steep, straight downhill path, because about 700 meters further on, I found myself 90 meters lower at the lowest point of the entire route. I hiked along the Aggerbogen🦆, because the river, which rises a few hundred meters from my front door, runs almost at right angles around the town of Wahlscheid. This town turned out to be extremely active in terms of running, because within just five minutes I came across four people running independently of each other🏃‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏃‍♀️. I walked along the outskirts of Wahlscheid Nord and passed the golf course that is spread out around Auel Castle🏌️‍♂️⛳️. After walking ten kilometers, I couldn't keep up with the chic golfers in terms of outfit, who were braving the dreary weather. So I contented myself with a look at the castle🏰, but turned left and followed the Birker Bach upstream. When I left the stream, a steep climb was waiting for me👅, which led me to the starting point of Honrath. After a beautiful view of the Cologne area, I reached the town center with the dominating church⛪️ of the Emmanus community in Lohmar. From the town, I walked a bit downhill along the country road before a short climb through the forest🍂 brought me down into the valley and thus to the destination of a successful hike in pleasant late autumn weather. Conclusion: Not nice weather☁️, but still good hiking weather🥾🥾!

For us, there was a bit too much asphalt and road, so we didn't like the route that much. There were a few nice sections, but not enough for us. But that's a matter of taste 😉

The Bergische Streifzug 18 "Bauernhofweg" starts and ends in Jexmühle. It runs between fields, avenues of apple trees and chestnut trees and passes two adventure farms. A great tour that has a certain amount of asphalt paths in store but is still worth recommending. 😎🏞🥾⛰️

The Bergisches Streifzug No. 18 shines with a varied landscape and wonderful views as far as Cologne and the Siebengebirge. The start is at the Honrath train station, from where it first goes up. On the Schiefelbusch farm you can see many species-appropriate animals and visit the café. Then it goes down to the Gammersbacher Mühle, a very popular stop with many animals. From there it goes back up to Oberscheid, then down to Agger. We hike along the golf course from Schloss Auel and back up to Honrath.

Today, the three of us (thanks Helga and thanks @Siham) walked the Bergischer Streifzug 18, the farm trail. We started at Honrath train station. The route mostly followed field and farm tracks, some quiet roads and meadow passages. We first passed a large golf course, then a short stretch along the Agger River, passing beautiful half-timbered houses and sweeping views of the Siebengebirge Mountains, with the Eifel Mountains in the distance. We reached the Gammersbacher Mill (a bit busy) and passed through the village of Muchensiefen with its beautiful half-timbered houses. A little later, we saw the impressive Schöpcherhof with its biogas plant, which supplies 30 companies with local heat. We stopped at the Schiefelbusch farm with its beautiful farm café. Highly recommended! We then continued for another 3 km through the forest, past ponds with frog greetings, to the train station. Nice tour!

What great weather today, autumn can happily continue. Only the footballers failed ... 😢

Beautiful round, in beautiful weather. Unfortunately a bit asphalt-heavy, but the beautiful views and the insights into the courtyards have knocked it out again :)