- Culturally interesting
- Refreshment stop
- Circular route
Grönebach /
The hiking trail bears the name of the village in the Sauerland Platt - Grönebach equals Groimecke. A very beautiful tour awaits us on easy, mostly natural paths. Sections in the forest alternate with sections across open spaces and panoramic paths with wonderful views. We walk part of the way along the Rothaarsteig, a modern hiking trail. But we also hike along historic roads.
Hiking portal at Lambertusplatz, center of Winterberg-Grönebach
Hiking portal at Lambertusplatz, center of Winterberg-Grönebach
Winterberg hiking map, 1:25,000, published by Winterberg Tourist Information Office
The hiking trail bears the name of the village in the Sauerland Platt - Grönebach equals Groimecke. A very beautiful tour awaits us on easy, mostly natural paths. Sections in the forest alternate with sections across open spaces and panoramic paths with wonderful views. We walk part of the way along the Rothaarsteig, a modern hiking trail. But we also hike along historic roads. In the Middle Ages, the Heidenstraße was a trade, military and pilgrimage route connecting Cologne and Leipzig, while the Alte Königsstraße led from Frankfurt to Soest. We cross the historic Kirchweg, which was used from Elkeringhausen to Grönebach until the early 1960s, and walk along the route of the old narrow-gauge railroad, which ran from Steinhelle to Medebach until the early 1950s. On a small loop, deviating from the circular route, we visit the source of the Ruhr.
© Hiking magazine
From the center of the village, we walk in a northerly direction with the marking "G" in a white circle. Before the bridge over the Gröne, turn right with the same markings. Our hiking trail runs along the valley between meadows and Weide. At a crossroads, we find our markings on the road a few steps to the left, then right onto the former route of the narrow-gauge railroad. A short climb over the Hille stream, then we walk along a very pleasant path. Out of the forest, we have wonderful views to the left. We continue through meadows and Weide. At the first junction with the G2, there is an old refuge. We walk over a meadow hump to the edge of the forest and to the Antoniusstein. It lies at the end of the Grönebacher Kreuzweg. On a beautiful forest path to the road, we cross it and continue parallel to the Rothaarsteig and Heidenstraße. Here we find a historic boundary stone of the Grönebach and Elkeringhausen districts. There are information boards in the "Wagenschmier" quarry next to the rest area (geotope). The Rothaarsteig is our hiking trail until the next junction. Here, we recommend a detour to the viewpoints on the right or left to the path stone on Heidenstraße. We continue along a forest path. On its right-hand side, we see a newly designed Dreiherrenstein Winterberg-Grönebach-Elkeringhausen. Turn left downhill via the L740 to the source of the Ruhr, with a refuge at the parking lot in front. Not far from the spring, we walk to the forestry information center and return to the heights. The Groimecke circular trail leads us to the wax hut on the district road and straight ahead along the edge of the forest. The path along the edge of the forest above the meadows offers a wonderful view of the Grönebach valley. Turn left at the Knickhütte and continue into the valley of the Hachmicke stream with a detour around the Rimberg back to the crossroads. From here you return to the starting point.Path scout: Reiner Penther© Hiking magazine
The hike is mainly on beautiful, natural, unpaved paths. Hiking boots with treaded soles are required. Normal hiking clothing according to the season. It may be damp on some sections.
Winterberg hiking map 1:25,000, published by Tourist Information Winterberg
Free use of bus and train with the SauerlandCard.