- 01:45 h
- 212 m
- 212 m
- 239 m
- 310 m
- 71 m
- 6.50 km
- Start: Parking lot "Externsteine"
- Destination: Parking lot "Externsteine"
An impressive natural and cultural monument are the Externsteine, a group of rocks made of Osningsandstein.
In the area of the Bärenstein, the trail leads through impressive mixed forests paired with blueberry and broom heather areas. Various benches invite you to enjoy the flora and fauna during breaks.
Gnarled oaks in the hut forests are witnesses to the past, as the domestic cattle of the people of Holzhausen were still herded here in the 20th century. Along the source of the Wiembecke river, you can immerse yourself in complete tranquillity and listen only to the birdsong. The Kickenhagen is a twin brother of the Bärenstein, characterized by a beautiful mountain heath landscape. The cattle of the neighboring communities were also herded here. Today, the sheep and goats of the Lippe Biological Station keep the heathland free. There are more Externsteine rocks in the shelter of the forest. The path leads downhill to the Externsteine and offers a different but beautiful view of them. The Schiepstein nature reserve borders the Externsteine at the Upper Pond and the Lower Pond near the parking lot. These are connected by the biotope-like course of the Wiembecke. Both ponds are home to a wide variety of water birds, and the grey heron also likes to visit the ponds.
Good to know
Best to visit
Tour information
Cultural Interesting
Labelling
Loop Road
Nature Highlight
Possibility of Accommodation
Premium Trail "Wanderbares Deutschland"
Stop at an Inn
Directions & Parking facilities
- From Horn-Bad Meinberg train station, take the bus to the Externsteine (see bus timetables on site) or walk in the direction of Holzhausen (takes approx. 30 minutes)
- From Detmold train station, take line 782
- Naturparkbus/Touristiklinie 792
Author
Christina
Organization
Lippe Tourismus & Marketing GmbH
Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author
As an impressive natural and cultural monument, the Externsteine are one of the best-known sights and most popular excursion destinations in the Teutoburg Forest.
The Externsteine were already of great importance to our ancestors during the Stone Age. The thirteen gray rocks, which are up to 35 m high, are a central mountain range of the Teutoburg Forest, mainly made of sandstone from the Lower Cretaceous period. The rocks near Horn-Bad Meinberg are part of the nature reserve of the same name. The "Stonehenge of the Teutoburg Forest" has been the subject of contradictory interpretations for centuries. Researchers and archaeologists are still studying the mystical stones. However, there are still no confirmed finds of Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Age man. Even today, the summer solstice festivals and Walpurgis Night are an annual reminder of the mysticism of the Middle Ages. In addition to esotericists, (self-proclaimed) witches, druids, Celtic and Germanic religious communities celebrate together. The relief of the Descent from the Cross, the centerpiece of the complex, was created around 1115 to 1130 on an area of approx. 5 x 3.6 meters. This unique work of large-scale German sculpture is carved out of rock in the style of Byzantine-style small-scale art and refers to the holy sites in Jerusalem.
