Discover Bestwig: Hiking Trails, Waterfall and Mining

Bestwig brings together different sides of its landscape and history: the Plästerlegge waterfall, hiking trails with different time commitments, and reminders of its mining past. There is also a family-friendly swing trail and FORT FUN Adventureland. When planning a stay, it is worth distinguishing between trails and attractions according to their particular focus.

Waterfall and Hiking Trails

The Plästerlegge near Bestwig-Wasserfall is the only natural waterfall in North Rhine-Westphalia. The water plunges almost vertically about 20 metres over a rocky outcrop, then continues for around 500 metres as a torrent. From the car park in the town centre on Aurorastraße, it takes about 20 minutes to walk to the waterfall; trail conditions may vary.

The Bestwig Panorama Trail is a route of around 60 kilometres over the municipality’s ridges. You can start from any district. The German Hiking Association has awarded the trail its “Quality Trail: Hiking Germany” distinction four times in a row. The Bestwiger BestWege trails offer a different way to plan your time: these circular routes run around Andreasberg, Heringhausen, Nuttlar, Ostwig, Ramsbeck and Velmede-Bestwig, and are suitable for half-day hikes, with walking times of two to four hours. This lets you choose between a long ridge route and circular trails designed for a half-day outing.

Mining History in Ramsbeck

The mining trail in Ramsbeck is about ten kilometres long and passes numerous mining relics and former mining facilities. It starts at the Sauerland Visitor Mine on Glück-Auf-Straße and is signposted. At the visitor mine, an electric mine train also travels about 1.5 kilometres through the dark Eickhoff tunnel. Bus route R72 runs regularly from Bestwig station to the visitor mine; the “Ramsbeck-Ziegelwiese” stop is right outside. Check the timetable before travelling.

Fun Attractions and Experiences

The Ostwig Swing Trail combines a nature experience with playful fun for the whole family. The route is 1.7 kilometres long and has six different swings. FORT FUN Adventureland in Bestwig-Wasserfall offers attractions for children and adults, including a roller coaster, log flume, summer toboggan run, dragon flyer, Ferris wheel, indoor playground and a show programme. The park’s address is Aurorastraße 50, 59909 Bestwig-Wasserfall. Its Trapper Slider is a 1.3-kilometre-long toboggan run.

Mills and Mining Heritage

The Old Grain Mill in Ramsbeck is the only surviving mill in North Rhine-Westphalia with three grinding stations and medieval technology. It opens every year on Whit Monday, International Mill Day. The mill festival features free guided tours; during milling demonstrations, you can watch water power grind grain into flour. For planning, check the date of Whit Monday for the relevant year.

The historic flue-gas chimney in Ostwig is a relic of earlier mining ambitions. It has a spiral staircase and an observation platform. Alongside the trail in Ramsbeck, these structures also add to Bestwig’s mining history.

Regional Context

The Kahler Asten is located in the wider travel destination of the Hochsauerlandkreis. At 841 metres, it is one of the highest elevations in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Hochsauerlandkreis is also a member of the Sauerland-Rothaargebirge Nature Park, which includes areas formerly within the Homert and Rothaargebirge nature parks and is one of the largest nature parks in Germany.

More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Valme, Berlar, Andreasberg, Wasserfall, Arnsberg, Winterberg, Sundern, Olsberg.

Go to the overview of the wider travel destination: Hochsauerlandkreis.