travel4dogs - Haus Berkenkamp bis Landhaus Blumengarten

Our stage begins at Haus Berkenkamp. From here, walk up to the left past the game reserve and turn right at the end. From there, walk straight ahead until you reach a large pile of stones. Turn right here, cross Stapelager Straße and walk 350 m up Teutoburger Wald Straße towards Haus des Gastes (closed until the end of 2024 due to renovation work). Cross the road and follow Freibadstraße to Hermannsweg. Keep left and follow the "H" sign. Below the Hörster Berg you come to the Rethlager springs, which have very cold water all year round. These typical  karst springs emerge on the northern slope of the Teutoburg Forest on the edge of the Dörenschlucht gorge. The springs are located in a gorge up to 20 m deep. Like all karst springs, the Rethlager springs have a flow rate that fluctuates greatly depending on rainfall. Down the valley, the water flows into the Werre. The next interesting point along the route is the Donoper Teich. This and the surrounding area were placed under protection together with the Hiddeser Bent in 1950. Now the strenuous part of the hike begins: from Heidental to the Hermannsdenkmal monument, you have a challenging climb ahead of you. The view from the Hermann monument is your reward. The most famous excursion destination in the Teutoburg Forest is located on the 356m high Grotenburg in Hiddesen, a south-western district of Detmold. It was built to commemorate the "Battle of the Teutoburg Forest", in which Hermann the Cheruscan prevented the Romans from advancing any further. The next section leads through charming beech forests via the Hangstein (also a café-restaurant, https://cafe-restaurant-haus-hangstein.business.site.) to Berlebeck. From here, it is worth making a detour to the Heiligenkirchen bird park and the Berlebeck eagle observatory. On the ridge paths you can even see the Velmerstot in good weather. From Berlebeck, you pass the ruins of Falkenburg Castle on the way to your stage destination, the Landhotel Haus Weber. The next day, you have the opportunity to visit the majestic Externsteine, the most important natural and cultural monument in the Teutoburg Forest. Myths and legends surround the five vertically towering stones. Those with a head for heights can climb the rocks and are rewarded with a fantastic panoramic view. The Eggeweg trail also begins at the Externsteine and runs largely parallel to the Hermannsweg trail until the end of this stage. Before climbing the Lippischer Velmerstot you pass the Silberbachtal valley. The high point is the barren Lippischer Velmerstot (441 m) with its rugged rocky landscape. While the Eggeweg leads to the neighboring summit of the Prussian Velmerstot, you follow the Hermannsweg to Leopoldstal and your destination, the Blumengarten country house.