Stage 1: From Winterberg to the Kahler AstenRoute length: approx. 4.5 km and 180 meters uphillThe so-called Lower Gate in the center of Winterberg is the starting point for our first stage of the Winterberg High Tour. Here, at the lower former town gate, two old trade routes crossed in past centuries, the Heidenstraße leading from Cologne to Leipzig and the medieval connection from Frankfurt to Soest, which is called the Sauerländer Weg here. A monument has been erected on the market square to the merchants of Winterberg who went out into the wide world: the Winterberg Merchant.The living conditions of the inhabitants remained more than modest due to the meagre agriculture at this altitude. As tradesmen, they had to earn their living with wool, wood and iron goods until the 20th century.It was not until the railroad connection (opening of the Bestwig-Winterberg line in 1906) that winter sports and tourism were introduced and led to an economic upturn. Winterberg was granted town rights and the associated market and court during the reign of Arnold von Hochstaden, who was Landmarschall of Westfalen in Arnsberg from 1263 to 1266 and again in 1271. However, the settlement of Winterberg on the plateau on the Kahler Asten (Old High German: winberg = pasture mountain) is likely to be older. So we start at the monument to the merchant who had to say goodbye to his wife and children for a few months.Are you going the whole way? Then say goodbye to the hustle and bustle of everyday life together for 3 to 4 days and hike slightly uphill along the Am Waltenberg road on the Rothaarsteig©, which is still in line with the Hanseweg X13 for about 200 m here. The two hiking trails separate at the corner of Eisdiele/Bistorant (small crossroads). The Rothaarsteig© leads to the right over the Herrloh. The St. Georg ski jump on the Herrloh is Winterberg's landmark and offers us the first great view. Along the southern edge of Poppenberg and Bremberg, we reach the northern slope and meet the X2-marked Rothaarweg of the Sauerland Mountain Association (SGV), which we can follow for the last 100 meters up to the Astenturm (approx. 6 km and 280 HM).The Hanseweg turns left at the ice cream parlor, then follows Nuhnestraße uphill to the right and leads us along the beautiful Philosophenpfad to the Bürger- und Stadthaus (town hall). This is also the course of the early medieval Heidenstraße, which led from Cologne to Leipzig. The Winterberg local history and heritage association has erected a memorial near the town hall on the trail. It commemorates the first documented witch trial in Westfalen. In 1523, six innocent women were sentenced to death by the Winterberg court and burned at the stake here. The Hanseweg X13 takes us up to the Astenturm (approx. 4.5 km and 180 m elevation gain) - finally in parallel with the Rothaarweg X2.Hikers can include both hiking trails in their route planning for the outward and return journey.Stage 2: From the Kahler Asten to the Großer BildchenRoute length: approx. 6.8 km and 70 meters of ascentThe Kahler Asten (840.9 m) is the most famous mountain in the Sauerland. The Astenturm is the highest building in NRW and home to a hotel. On a clear day, the panoramic view from the Astenturm viewing platform extends as far as the Kassel area and, of course, over the entire Rothaargebirge. The forest pastures of past centuries had formed a Hochheide in the area of the Astenberg. Even today, nature-loving visitors can still find reindeer lichen as a relict plant from the Ice Age. Maintenance measures ensure that the heathland is preserved after the abandonment of forest grazing and ploughing. The branch tower itself is a reminder of the Treaty of Verdun signed in 843. In the 19th century, people were proud of Germany's 1000 years of independence. Planned as early as 1824, the foundation stone was laid on June 22, 1884. A weather station was installed in the tower in 1926. On the first floor there is a natural history exhibition of the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe.We start the Winterberg high tour at the Astenturm tower, of course after sufficient refreshment in solid or liquid form, and first hike in a westerly direction to the Lennequelle spring. It is the highest spring in Westfalen and only flows intermittently, regardless of the weather. It is therefore an intermittent spring. Only the top of the Astenberg is its catchment area. After a 128 km course, the Lennequelle flows into the much better-known Ruhr near Hagen.From the spring, we walk to the top station of the ski lift on the Sahnehang. In good weather, we have a magnificent view of the Hunau with its striking television tower. Directly in front of us is Altastenberg, which used to be called Lichtenscheid and is the highest village in Westfalen.We continue to the right, staying at the same altitude, and after about 150 m we reach the Rothaarsteig©. We have to be careful here! The inconspicuous Blaubeerpfad is also used by the Rothaarsteig© and leads us sharply to the left, steeply downhill. If we are on the right time, it lives up to its name: a slip can lead to a "blue" rear end. A centuries-old lane takes us to the right down to the northern slope. We cross the access road to the Astenturm. The old tracks probably once connected the Heidenstraße with the Sauerland Weg above Züschen. The Winterberg customs station could be bypassed in this way. About 50 m before the Nordhangjause (temporarily farmed), the so-called Blutstein is hidden in the forest on the northern slope of the Asten.The Blutstein is the oldest known marker or boundary stone in the Winterberg area. It marked the town and court boundaries, outside of which banishment and blood sentences (death sentences) lost their effect. The inconspicuous water stone on the Heidtfelde was mentioned in Oberkirchen's Schnade protocols in 1701 and described in detail in 1749. The borders between the town of Winterberg and the Nordenau village of Lichtenscheid (now Altastenberg) in Waldeck's fiefdom were hotly disputed at the time.From the northern slope, the Winterberg Hochtour follows the Rothaarweg trail marked X2 on the forest nature trail down into the Renau valley. So we leave the Rothaarsteig©. The idyllic Renautal begins on the northern slope. We are at an altitude of 750 m here. There is no spring from which the water gushes forth. It is a seepage or swamp spring. It is only about 1.5 km to the Renauwiese, where we have to leave the valley in the direction of Altastenberg. On this stretch, however, the Renaubach has already overcome a difference in altitude of almost 100 meters. This steep gradient gives it great erosive power despite the low water flow. Another 3 km down the valley, the Renaubach flows into the Neger, which is only 2.5 km long up to this point. After a further 13 km, the Neger flows into the Ruhr between Assinghausen and Olsberg (near Steinhelle). As the Ruhr has only traveled 14 km to its confluence with the Neger, the famous river should actually be named after the Neger or, more correctly, the Renau. (The Ruhrgebiet would then be called the Negergebiet!)In wet weather, this footpath should be used with caution, as there are many roots running through it and the planks of the footbridge over the stream can be extremely slippery. By the way, a touch of risk is part of every mountain tour! Via the Renauwiese meadow with its small refuge, we reach a wide, paved forest path, which climbs slightly. Here the Rothaarweg X2 meets the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Grimme-Weg X27.Turning left uphill on X27, we reach the village of Altastenberg (780 m) after about 1 km. The village was founded between 1536 and 1547. It developed from a poor shepherd's settlement into a climatic health resort. When the parish was founded in 1785, the village of Lichtenscheid took the name Astenberg and then added Alt in front of it to distinguish it from the new village on the west side of the Asten. In 1898, the parish priest was the first skier in the village, which today is dominated by winter sports and tourism. In 1971, Altastenberg was awarded national gold in the village competition.If you want to rest or quench your thirst in the village, walk into the village and perhaps visit the Maria Schnee church.The Winterberg Hochtour now follows the SGV's Astenweg trail, marked X14, up to the Großer Bildchen (700.0 m). We hike along the K75 district road on a beautiful grassy path and reach a refuge in a right-hand bend at an altitude of 754.0 m. The SGV's Großes-Bildchen-Kammweg K6, marked with a red triangle, leads into the forest to the right. However, we stay on the Astenweg X14, which runs along the edge of the forest, as it offers a more beautiful view. Continue straight ahead through the Astenberg forest. Descending steeply, we reach the Große Bildchen, 700 m above sea level, with the Antonius fountain.The Große Bildchen is a wayside shrine maintained by the Siedlinghausen SGV section on the road from Siedlinghausen to Rehsiepen in the picturesque Sorpetal valley. All the surrounding SGV sections have erected their stones next to it and meet there on the 1st Sunday in October for a forest service.Stage 3: From Großer Bildchen to SiedlinghausenRoute length: approx. 8.9 km and 100 meters uphillThe SGV Siedlinghausen section has set up a hiking trail marked with two vertical lines to its wayside shrine. This hiking trail is not often used and sometimes the markings are not easy to find. In wet weather, it is better to walk the first kilometer on the L742 country road leading to Siedlinghausen. The footpath marked on the hiking map leads through high forest, is quite easy to walk on, but a little adventurous, especially through the Gutmecke marshes. Hikers who are familiar with maps will certainly also find the Negerkirche church, which is specially marked on the hiking map, about 500 m west of the Schafsbrücke bridge.Siedlinghausen: The former church village of Neger was one of a whole series of villages that fell into desolation. The four valleys in today's Winterberg town area had a considerable settlement density until the 14th/15th century. Historians consider the reasons for the abandonment of the settlements to be climatic changes (colder and longer winters from around 1300), fierce feuds between the landed gentry, from which the peasant population suffered, and the attraction of the towns founded in the 13th century (Winterberg around 1265). With Neger (Neyere) on the river of the same name, a church village was also abandoned.From the Siedlinghausen hunting lodge (550 m), the Winterberg Hochtour (WHT) marked Sh3 (Siedlinghausen3) now leads us 100 meters uphill to the saddle between Himmelskrone and Steinberg. History buffs will immediately notice that they are hiking on an old path here, the church path from Silbach to the lost Negerkirche church. To the east of the Himmelskrone, we reach the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Grimme-Weg X27 of the Sauerland Mountain Club. Here it runs parallel to the Rothaarweg X2 for about 600 m, which leads us steeply down to Silbach.The village and mountain freedom of Silbach are mentioned as a farmstead as early as the 13th century (as Sylbeke). The settlement gained importance in the 16th century when silver and lead ores were mined there. After the deposits were exhausted, ore mining was replaced by underground slate mining, which has now also ceased. The pretty village then took part in the Sauerland's usual turn towards tourism and won national gold in the village competition in 1973.From the center of the village, we follow the "horizontal white line" markings. It leads us along the Stollenweg road to the Auf der Kamer road and the sports field. Turn right and walk around the sports field and out of the village through the Auf der Kamer recreational area. A narrow, picturesque footpath leads us - always along the Namenlose stream - to Siedlinghausen. The Namenlose is actually called Lameloofe, which means "clay-bearing stream". It flows into the Neger in Siedlinghausen. We reach the center of the village on Kolpingstraße, keep right and meet the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Grimme-Weg marked X27 again on Hochsauerlandstraße.In the Valley of the Negroes and Nameless, three Germanic districts came together near Siedlinghausen until the empires were founded in the Middle Ages. There is evidence that the area was already settled in Celtic times. In 1314, farmsteads are mentioned in Selinchusen. The influx of people from a number of deserted settlements in the area of the Negerkirche - an independent parish around 1300 - turned the place into a village that was home to iron processing. It was not until 1920 that the community became an independent parish. Up to the present day, trade has dominated, making the village the "department store of the Sauerland". The village, which now has a population of 2,300, has become part of the town of Winterberg, but still strives to maintain its own image. The church in the center of the village is worth seeing in that a new nave has been successfully integrated next to the old tower. It is a good example of how old substance can be preserved using local building materials and how the added new parts can be added harmoniously in line with today's requirements.Stage 4: From Siedlinghausen to NiedersfeldRoute length: approx. 6.3 km and 220 meters uphillWe cross the Hochsauerlandstraße in Siedlinghausen and follow the white X25/27 first on the road In den Zäunen and then Am Scheid uphill, out of the village.On the outskirts of the village, at a resettlers' farm, the Hunauweg X25, which had been running parallel up to here, branches off to the right. We have to follow it.The newly created Stations of the Cross lead us uphill to the SGV hut Auf dem Röbbeke (580 m). The Krämerhöhe parking lot of the Rothaargebirge Nature Park is also located here. We walk past the Maria zur Gilgegaike chapel - always following X25 - and turn right into the forest (Gilgegaike = sacred oak).The Hunauweg leads us over the saddle (675.3 m) between elevation 710.3 m and Hoher Hagen down to Huckeshohl with the Pagenes refuge, west of Niedersfeld.At the Huxol parking lot, we meet the Kaiser-Otto-Weg X16 of the SGV. Both hiking trails run in parallel into Niedersfeld, but separate before the town center. We follow the Kaiser-Otto-Weg X16 and cross the Ruhr just before the B480.Niedersfeld, at the confluence of the Ruhr and Hille rivers (Niedersfeld = am niederen Feld), mentioned in a document in 1329, could have been a successor to the village of wood smiths at Neuer Hagen. The village probably also received influxes from Haarfeld (haarfeld = field on the heights) on the Voßmecke and upper Ruhr, which had become deserted by 1500. In 1812, the village gave its name to the Niedersfeld district.Today, the Hochheide, the Hillebachsee, leisure facilities and ski lifts are popular attractions for tourism and recreation in summer and winter. In 1975, the village with its 2000 inhabitants became part of the town of Winterberg.Stage 5: From Niedersfeld to HildfeldRoute length: approx. 12.1 km and 400 meters uphillFrom the Ruhrstraße in Niedersfeld, we follow the Kaiser-Otto-Weg X16 initially along the Burbecke. First a short section of the Am Bach road, then the Junkernpfad uphill out of the village. Below the former ÖTV home, the X16 turns off to the right.We stay in the Burbecke valley and follow the N1 and N2 markings further uphill. Passing the Burbecke refuge, our hiking trail now becomes a real mountain tour, as it climbs up to the highest mountain in Westfalen, the 843.1 m high Langenberg. Hikers need to look at the map, because at the highest point of the paved forest path (in the bend), we have to turn left uphill on a steep footpath through the high beech forest to Unterer Burbecker Platz (signpost 774.0 m).The N2 markings, together with two vertical white lines, lead us further to the right to Oberer Burbecker Platz (800 m). It is about 1 km further to the summit of the Langenberg. It is located in the town of Olsberg and is only about 5 m from the Hessian border.We take a short detour up there and toast ourselves a "Berg Heil" at the summit stone. The Langenberg lives up to its name, it is an elongated mountain but does not offer a good view. Coming from Richtplatz, above Willingen, the well-known Rothaarsteig©, the Uplandsteig and the SGV's Langenbergkammweg K1, marked with a red triangle, also lead past the "summit" about 300 m away (prominent boundary stone with signpost).After the summit rest, follow the markings back to Oberer Burbecke Platz. After approx. 2 km of solitary forest hiking, we reach the Neuer Hagen parking lot on the western edge of the Hochheide (refuge) and take a sharp left turn uphill. The Kaiser-Otto-Weg X6, Langenbergkammweg K1, Uplandsteig and Rothaarsteig© still run in parallel; they then separate in the middle of the Hochheide. We stay on the Rothaarsteig© via the Hochheide.The Hochheide (NSG Neuer Hagen) is the largest and highest heathland area in our country. Today it still covers around 100 hectares. Although it is a nature reserve (NSG), it is in reality a relic of harsh human intervention and a sign of the hardship of past centuries.Even if it was officially a fertilizer apart from manure and slurry, there was none. All the animals, cows, cattle, sheep, goats and pigs had to feed in and from the forest during the summer months, as the valley meadows were used exclusively to make hay for the winter. The village shepherd took them to the forest pasture, called Hude, every day. The young trees fell victim to the animals, the forest could not rejuvenate and over the centuries bare areas developed on the mountains of the Sauerland. Mountain names such as Kahler Asten, Kahle Pön, Ka-Lied, Kahleberg etc. bear witness to this. As the straw was needed as food for the animals in winter, the farmers moved to the bare areas and chopped off the top layer of plants to use as bedding in the stables. The manure was spread on the fields as fertilizer. To the benefit of the soil in the fields, the forest floor became impoverished and plants settled that were satisfied with few nutrients, e.g. heather and berry bushes.Mountain names such as Heidkopf and Heidberg also bear witness to this development. Today we enjoy the colorful heath landscapes in autumn. They offer wonderful views and invite you to go hiking. If we want to preserve today's recreational landscape, we unfortunately have to intervene and plough again (hence the term "ploughing"). Otherwise nature will take back what once belonged to it and turn the Hochheide into forest again. The Hochsauerland district spends a lot of money every year to maintain the Hochheide here and on the Kahler Asten, as shepherds and flocks of sheep want to be paid and the plaggen work is carried out by machine. Today, no one volunteers to do the laborious manual plagging.The 838 m high Clemensberg has fallen victim to the diabase quarrying of the Mitteldeutsche-Hartstein-Industrie (MHI). A "new" 838-metre-high Clemensberg has now been heaped up with the mechanically removed heath slag, over which the Rothaarsteig© runs. It offers an almost incomparable panoramic view over the mountains of the Hessian Waldeck Upland and the entire Hochsauerland. An information board tells us all about the quarry.The MHI diabase quarry extracts volcanic rock, namely diabase. Diabase is called greenstone and 320 million years ago it poured into the deposits of the Devonian Sea. There they cooled and were overlaid by sediments. The increasing pressure transformed them into various rocks of volcanic origin. Diabase is ideal for road construction and as a base for railroad embankments. Around 3,000 tons are extracted every day.The white vow cross with the vow stone not far away commemorates a soldier from Hildfeld who, in a hopeless situation in Italy, vowed to carry a cross on the Clemensberg when he returned home. He was able to fulfill his vow in 1946. We hope that all hikers will also have a happy return home!We return to Hochheide via a steep natural staircase and soon reach the Hoppecke spring, whose waters flow to the Weser via the Diemel. We are therefore on the Rhine-Weser watershed. The eastern part of the Hochheide slopes slightly to the north, has a much wetter subsoil and is criss-crossed by several spring hollows. Small hillside moors have formed. They provide a habitat for rare plants and animals.At the eastern edge of the nature reserve, we again come across the Hessen/NRW state border with its historic boundary stones bearing the eight-pointed Waldeck star and the cross of the Electorate of Cologne with the number and year (FW = Principality of Waldeck and KP = Kingdom of Prussia).About 300 m further on, the Winterberg Hochtour (WHT) leads to the Scheid refuge (783.0 m), a popular and lively meeting point for hikers and cross-country skiers. Rothaarsteig©, Langenbergkammweg and also our Winterberg High Tour make a sharp turn to the right and we now hike almost 1.5 km along the state border. At an elevation point of 752.7 m (boundary stone), we leave the state border to the right and come to a signpost 150 m further on. Rothaarsteig© and Langenbergkammweg K1 turn left at a right Winkeln.Attention, the Winterberg Hochtour (WHT) now follows the yellow/black Rothaarsteig logo to Hildfeld, which together with H3 marks the access route to Hildfeld. The hollow path, which is deep in some places, was used for centuries by the people of Hildfeld as a forest path and connecting path to Stryck/Usseln railroad station. We pass the Im Grund barbecue area and the Clemensberghütte hut, which is occasionally open, before reaching Hildfeld. Hildfeld (Old High German: hiltfelde = field on a slope) is one of the oldest settlements in the upper Sauerland. It can probably be attributed to the Old Saxon settlement period (500 - 800 AD). It was first mentioned in a document in 1220. Major structural changes took place after the Second World War, so that the population almost doubled from 320 to over 600. The village is dominated by the MHI quarries between Pölz and Clemensberg, but tourism has also significantly improved the employment structure.Stage 6: From Hildfeld to ElkeringhausenRoute length: approx. 6.2 km and 130 meters uphillAs all the villages of Winterberg should be included in the high tour as far as possible, the route also passes through the valley basin formed by Hille, Gröne, Springe and Westernau with the villages of Hildfeld and Grönebach in it.We follow the SGV's Hunauweg X25 through Hildfeld to the Strickmühle mill, which no longer exists but is still marked on the hiking maps. We cross the L872 country road at the former Grönebach/Hildfeld station of the Steinhelle-Medebach narrow-gauge railroad. We walk to the confluence of the Hille and Gröne rivers near the Hille bridge.The X25 continues to the right in the direction of Niedersfeld down the valley, but we keep left and follow the white Winkeln of the access path coming from Grönebach along Milchers Hecke to the center of Grönebach. (The green signs W1a mark the Winterberg Ruhr - Hille cycle path).Grönebach, first mentioned in a document in 1250, was the capital of the Grafschaft of the same name until the Niedersfeld district was founded in 1812. For centuries, the parish of Grönebach included the villages of Elkeringhausen, Hildfeld, Niedersfeld, Silbach, the defunct Haarfeld and at times even Siedlinghausen.The quiet village lies in the hollow of the confluence of the Springebach and Westernau rivers, which join in the village to form the Gröne (Grönebach = green stream). The focal point of the village is the parish church of St. Lambertus (patron saint of merchants) in the center of the village with its tower dating back to the 13th century. The village, which is still characterized by agriculture today, was assigned to the town of Winterberg in 1975.After reading up on the information board at Lambertusplatz, we walk along Küstelberger Straße (hiking sign: black horizontal R on a yellow background; white Winkeln; white dot and G1) to the fire station/inn Zur Linde. Keep right here and after approx. 300 m you will reach the rest area at the village fountain.Continue to the right for about 100 m until you reach a bench (signpost) and now you come to a "hiking treat". (For hiking experts: the old - naturally unmarked - former Elkeringhausen/Grönebach church path runs along the edge of the Westernau valley as far as the bench).To the left, a narrow footpath, which is a little adventurous for older hikers, leads past the football pitch to the Entenwiese rest area and refuge with its small pond. (It is also easier to get here from the village well on the tarmac path marked with a white dot).Watch out! From the refuge at the end of the Entenwiese, turn left for about 100 m and then steeply uphill to the right along the old Elkeringhausen-Grönebach church path to the cross on the Hamme (700 m). Here we cross the Rothaarsteig© and the Hanseweg X13 of the SGV. A magnificent view of the Winterberg plateau with the town and Kahler Asten opens up at the edge of the forest. More than 200 meters lower down lies Elkeringhausen, not yet visible to us. For centuries, the villagers have not only walked steeply uphill every Sunday to attend church services in Grönebach; they also buried their dead in the cemetery in Grönebach.About 100 m further straight ahead, we reach the so-called Pastor's Stone from 1696, which Pastor Busch erected here at the intersection of Heidenstraße and Kirchweg. Perhaps a statue of St. James once stood in the niche? Next to it is a white cottage called Maria in der Wildnis. At the time, in the early 1950s, the Grönebach pastor Heinrich Epe wanted to draw attention to the wildness of the customs. In Grönebach's anniversary year 2000, the Winterberg local history and heritage association and the Grönebach SGV section erected a heavy diabase block (Heidenstraße path stone). A large bronze plaque tells us something about Heidenstraße, camino and Kirchweg.We walk straight ahead along the row of bushes, cross the L740 Küstelberg-Winterberg country road and now climb steeply downhill to Elkeringhausen. At the edge of the forest above the village, the view of the valley basin opens up and we can see the village with the Alte Grimme mountain behind it in front of us. It's time to take a run-up, because we have to climb steeply up the Grimme again!The village of Elkeringhausen was probably settled as early as prehistoric times. It was favored by the proximity of the Heidenstraße and the south-facing slope, which was favorable for agriculture and protected from cold westerly winds. However, Elkeringhausen was first mentioned in a document in 1410 in a feudal register. The purely agricultural village was developed for tourism after World War I. It was developed for tourism after the First World War. The successful renovation of the village and the voluntary hard work of its inhabitants have given it the unique image of a recognized resort in the middle of a ring of high mountains.Stage 7: From Elkeringhausen to ZüschenRoute length: approx. 14.1 km and 500 meters uphillAt the crossroads in the center of Elkeringhausen, we keep left and walk about 200 towards Küstelberg (marked E1). Then we cross the Orke to the right and walk upstream to the left - following the E1. Shortly before the elevation point at 516.0 m (see map), we have to pay close attention, as the route now continues unmarked. All tourers are really challenged, the high tour lives up to its name.We have to follow the Winterberg Hochtour signposts steeply uphill to the saddle between Rösberg and Alte Grimme (elevation point 681.0 m). At first - about 800 m - the hiking trail is still a paved road, but then it goes steeply uphill on an unpaved footpath through the Müggenloch along the stream to the right to the next road. Here we meet the Elkeringhausen-Glindfeld hiking trail marked with a white square, follow it uphill to the saddle (681.0 m) and can take a rest at the bench.The white square leaves us to the left towards the Schienenhütte, but we hike uphill to the right, following the E4 markings. If you pay close attention, you will discover a small embankment with an old boundary stone on the left-hand side of the path, as we are walking along the Medebach-Winterberg town boundary. Further up, a signpost points us uphill to the right to the summit of the Alte Grimme with its summit cross and refuge.The adventurous "onward path" along the edge of the mountain through sparse stunted beech trees to the Schöne Aussicht is thanks to the hunting tenant Dr. Michael Lück. He was immediately willing to let hikers and nature lovers walk through the hunting ground. Thank you for that! We continue along the edge of the mountain for about 500 m without a path and reach the rest bench at Schöne Aussicht. An unpaved road ends here, we follow it downhill to the left and rejoin the E4 hiking trail at Butterfeld. We follow this downhill to the right for approx. 50 m and then turn left along the Elkeringhausen Historical Hiking Trail to Zeche Elend.A winding wagon from the 1920s was restored in 2006 with a great deal of diligence and effort. As the name suggests, Zeche Elend is an abandoned mine. Four Winterberg residents had secured the mining rights for suspected ore deposits in 1865. Due to a lack of ore worth mining, the Winterbergs gave up their "miserable" attempts in 1867.Following the signposts, we reach the Orketal in the Mark Wernsdorf, near the former Wernsdorf church, after a 1 1/2 kilometer downhill hike.Mark ownership is an ancient property right that can be traced back to Carolingian times. The Mark (Old High German: marcha = border) of a settlement, including the Mark Wernsdorf, was the area belonging to it and was used communally as common land, while fields were farm property. Mark rights were linked to the farmsteads of the inhabitants (in contrast to the Beilieger, who had no farms). The rights extended to the use of wood (firewood, cabbage and timber), Weide, litter and plaggen cutting for fertilizer purposes. Even today, the old marks with the names of the lost villages are still used and managed cooperatively. The inhabitants of the former village of Wernsdorf probably moved to the protection of the town of Winterberg. The foundation walls of the old church have been preserved by a mound of earth and are depicted on a bronze plaque.We follow the Medebach/Winterberg district trail, marked with a white open diamond, up the valley to Ehrenscheider Mühle (Rothaargebirge Nature Park parking lot 466.7 m).The Elkeringhausen-Züschen connecting path, marked with a white open rectangle, begins directly behind the Orke bridge. We follow it uphill to the left through the forests of Mark Wernsdorf, cross the Siebentälerweg and the Kerrloh to the Hesborn path. At the top, continue left for approx. 300 m in the direction of Hesborn until you reach a fork in the path with a large signpost. The Züschen Höhenweg, marked with a white square, points us to the right to continue to the Franzosenkreuz, which is still about 1.5 km away. On the way, we cross a 1 m high earth wall, the former Landwehr on the Katerkopf.In the Middle Ages, Landwehr were defensive structures for the urban and rural population as well as protective structures for important traffic routes. Landwehr were often still overgrown with thorn hedges as an obstacle to approach. Old field names, such as Lanfert, still remind us of these defenses today. The Landwehr around the town of Winterberg is said to have been 25 km long. According to tradition, a young man is said to have killed his French officer at the Franzosenkreuz during the Seven Years' War (1756-63). It is also believed that this cross dates back to the Frankish period of Charlemagne. A Schnade stone has been erected on the opposite side of the path. It shows us that we are here at the "border triangle" of Winterberg-Hesborn-Züschen.We now descend the southern slope of the Ikesberg to the edge of the forest. The so-called zig-zag path leads us with beautiful views of Züschen, which lies between the valleys of Nuhne, Ahre, Haumecke, Bremke and Bremke, and finally along the "Bauernpfad" into the valley. From the Lange sawmill, we reach the center of the half-timbered village along the Nuhne.The name Züschen (Tuscene in the Middle Ages) is interpreted as "between the streams". The village is documented in 793 and, with its St. John's Church, was the baptismal site of the Grafschaft of the same name, which had an imperial Freistuhl on Holenor as a place of jurisdiction. Today, sawmills and a wire rope factory operate here.Well-kept half-timbered houses characterize the village of 2,000 inhabitants, which was awarded gold in the 1983 village competition. Guests appreciate the idyllic location on the southern slope of the Asten, surrounded by forests, as well as the well-developed Homberg ski area (SkiWorld).Stage 8: From Züschen to MollseifenRoute length: approx. 12.8 km and 350 meters uphillFrom the Züschen tourist information office on the B236 near Webes Platz, we first follow Mollseifen Straße until we reach Borg's barn.Here we turn left downhill and follow the red triangle markings (Ziegenhellenkammweg K8); white, open triangle (Berleburger Weg) and Z1, 2, 3 and 4 (Züschen hiking trails) to the old railroad bridge. Directly behind the railroad underpass (now the Züschen-Hallenberg cycle path), the Z1 leads uphill to the left.We walk along the renovated Stations of the Cross up to the Stations of the Cross chapel on the Hackelberg. The Hackelbergweg Z1 leads us further uphill to the Hallenberg-Winterberg town boundary marked with a Schnade stone. Here we meet the Züschen high-level hiking trail (marking: white square), which we follow to the right via the Ziegenhellenplatz with its refuge up to the viewing tower on the Ziegenhellen (815.5 m). [Variant for map experts: From Sungerplätze we can also follow the unmarked forest path up to Ziegenhellenplatz].We cross the Homberg ski area (SkiWorld Züschen).The tower is not easy to spot from other heights, but still offers a beautiful panoramic view up to the Clemensberg (near Hildfeld) and the Kahler Asten.The Winterberg Hochtour (WHT) now follows the SGV's Ziegenhellenkammweg K8, marked with a red triangle, as far as Mollseifen. About 300 m south of the observation tower, the K8 turns right, descends quite steeply, but then becomes gentler. In a lonely forest hike, we cross the Wunderthausener Weg, about 800 m further on also the Berleburger Weg (white, open triangle) and reach the Böse Holz with a Schnadestein (690.3 m) via the Osterkopf. The name Böses Holz is reminiscent of the nearby Freistuhl Siebenahorn (Holenor). This was a feme court in the early Middle Ages. One of these courts was demonstrably located at the Freie Stuhl from around 1375 to 1580. Its name Holenor comes from Holvern = hollow maple.It was always a special right of the freeman to judge his peers. The aldermen also had to be freemen. It was only in later times that landlords, nobles and bailiffs usurped this right. However, the aldermen of the free cities did not allow themselves to be deprived of this right. The free courts were often located far away from the towns, in forests like here. Today's field names Freier Stuhl, Böses Holz and Zwistberg (Streitberg) still bear witness to the former place of jurisdiction.After a steep descent over the Zwistberg (743 m), we reach the entrance to the small but beautiful forest village of Mollseifen with the Naturfreundehaus (overnight accommodation).Stage 9: From Mollseifen to HoheleyeRoute length: approx. 7.4 km and 220 meters uphillOriginally, the Winterberg High Tour (WHT) was supposed to lead from Mollseifen via Helleplatz up to Kahler Asten. However, the high-altitude villages of Hoheleye, Langewiese, Lenneplätze and Neuastenberg rightly disagreed. Their argument was that they now belonged to Winterberg and no longer to Wittgenstein.So the Winterberg Hochtour (WHT) was laid deep down through the Odeborntal and picturesquely up through the Hesselbachtal and Hoheleye to the old Grenzweg. A great valley hike and then an equally great mountain hike!A catered snack hut, the second Rothaarsteighütte, was opened in Mollseifen in October 2006. Here we can take a break and enjoy a tasty snack.From Mollseifen, we follow the X14, M1 and M2 markings along the road to the barbecue area. Astenweg X14 and Ruhbergweg M2 turn off to the right, but we cross the barbecue area, stay in the Odeborntal valley and reach the Odeborntal parking lot of the Rothaargebirge Nature Park after almost 5 km of valley hiking on alternating markings.The L721 country road leading to Girkhausen is crossed uphill to the right and we hike through the Hesselbach valley, following the A2 and A4 markings, in a steep serpentine ascent to Hoheleye.The hilltop villages of Hoheleye, Langewiese, Mollseifen and Neuastenberg were founded by Count Casimir zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who in 1713 "ordered a new village to be built above Girkhausen on the so-called Astenberge" and granted the settlers from Westfalen and Wittgenstein freedom of religion, among other things.Since 1975, the four pleasantly quiet hilltop villages have been part of the town of Winterberg and are highly valued by many guests as important spa, sports and recreation resorts.Stage 10: From Hoheleye to Kahler AstenRoute length: approx. 6.7 km and 250 meters uphillAbove Hoheleye, we cross the B480 main road and hike - past the Aussiedlerhof - up to the ridge of the Rothaargebirge (740 m). The A4 markings accompany us along the way. At the top, we meet the so-called Grenzweg, which is crossed by the Rothaarsteig©, the Rothaarkammweg 3, Robert-Kolb-Weg 6 and local hiking trails. The German Unity Hiking Trail (WDE - Görlitz-Aachen) also uses the old high trail.Over the centuries, the Grenzweg over the ridge of the Rothaargebirge was the border between the state, customs and diocese. The religious and tribal border between the Franconian and Saxon tribes ran here. The Rothaargebirge ridge is the watershed between the Rhine and the Weser. The Altarstein near Schanze and the Heidenstock are ancient pagan sacrificial sites.Once on the ridge, we follow the hiking signs to the right, heading towards the morning sun and the Astenberg. Up to the Astenturm, the high tour remains on the Rothaarsteig©.On the right of the path, we discover the so-called Wildererstein. A drama took place here. What a hardship it must have been in earlier times when a person was shot for poaching!A local friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, erected a slate plaque on the ridge in 1996. With this so-called poacher's stone, he draws attention to an event that took place here in 1922. In those days, which were characterized by poverty and hardship, it was not uncommon for poaching to take place in the forests. This was also the case for a charcoal burner from Langewies, who had a family of 13 to feed. His 19-year-old son Heinrich Kuhn accompanied him. The police officer working in the princely forests of the hilltop villages had heard a shot and hurried to the supposed spot. He found a father and son at the Knäppchen, who were busy breaking up a deer. During a scuffle, the father fled and asked his son to flee as well. The latter struck the officer a blow before fleeing with his treble. The forest ranger suspected that he was being attacked from the thicket and shot after the fleeing man. The son was fatally shot in the back. In a subsequent court case against the princely officer, he was acquitted.After a steep descent down the Knäppchen, we reach a small refuge in the bend of the B236 main road. We walk along the road for just 50 m, then climb uphill to the mountain Auf der Höhe (refuge) with its fantastic panoramic view. In front of us, on the top of the Astenberg, we can already see the end point of the Winterberg High Tour (WHT), the Astenturm.Passing the Berg-Goldschmiede (open to visitors), we soon reach the Elberfelder Hütte of the Elberfeld section of the German Alpine Club (DAV). In 1992, a striking Schnade stone was erected nearby. Again and again, interesting views open up to the right and left.We reach Lenneplätze, an insider tip for peace-loving summer vacationers and winter sports enthusiasts. The berry wines at the nearby Gasthof Zur Glocke or at Wiesemanns are delicious. Walking along the old sports field, we reach a small refuge with the Schmallenberg-Wittgenstein-Winterberg boundary stone next to it. [The main hiking trail X 14 leads us to the right - past the youth hostel - down to Neuastenberg with its famous winter sports museum].Another old Landwehr runs almost directly behind it. It is one of the largest of its kind and is still preserved over a length of almost 600 m. The ascent path to the Kahler Asten is easily recognizable as an old hollow path; it was once a connecting path from the Rothaar ridge over the Asten to the Heidenstraße. It is said that the Sauerland has more than 2,500 mountains that are over 400 m high. The name Land of a Thousand Mountains is therefore a slight understatement.A well-deserved cool drink at the summit in the cozy restaurant in the Astenturm compensates us for our efforts. We can count on the hiking map how many of the 2,500 mountains we have climbed on our high tour. I'm really proud of you!Text: Uli Lange (SGV hiking guide)