Hoheleye in the Rothaar Mountains

Hoheleye is a small mountain village on the ridge of the Rothaar Mountains and offers magnificent views. When planning your trip, the focus is on specific routes and the history of the high-altitude villages: you can distinguish between a Rothaarsteig public transport tour, a stage of the Winterberg High-Altitude Tour, a winter hiking trail and the cross-country ski trail by their respective route details. This is a way to get to know the place through its landscape, trails and historic settlement structure. If you are looking for hotels in Hoheleye, you can first consider which of these interests you would like to shape your stay.

Hiking: route, bus stop and trail destinations

The Rothaarsteig public transport tour starts at the “Girkhäuser Straße” bus stop in Winterberg-Hoheleye. It is 15.6 kilometres long and leads to Bad Berleburg station. Along the way, the route passes several sculptures on the Forest Sculpture Trail and the Rothaarsteig suspension bridge. The route described thus connects a named starting point and endpoint with cultural landmarks along the way. Check the bus timetable before setting out; bus schedules should be checked separately.

Another hiking option is the eighth stage of the Winterberg High-Altitude Tour: it leads from Mollseifer Hof in Mollseifen to Hoheleyer Hof in Hoheleye. The “Kahler Asten–Langewiese–Hoheleye” premium winter hiking trail is 6.6 kilometres long and leads to Hoheleye. Winter trail conditions can change with the seasons. Based on the stated distances, the winter hiking trail is shorter than the 15.6-kilometre Rothaarsteig public transport tour; the High-Altitude Tour is a separate stage with its own endpoints.

Cross-country ski trail and winter trails

The Hoheleye cross-country ski trail is 7.991 kilometres long. The stated elevation gain and loss are each 125 metres. The climbs offer views of the Lenne and Odeborn valleys. This means that, alongside the trail length, two specific elevation figures and a landscape feature are available to help you find your way. The cross-country ski trail and the winter hiking trail are different ways to experience the winter landscape; their stated lengths help you compare them by distance.

Hoheleye and the history of the high-altitude villages

Hoheleye was probably established gradually as one of the high-altitude villages along the Rothaar ridge. Hoheleye remained a settlement of just three farms. The newly founded Kanondörfer were almost exclusively charcoal burners’ settlements. These details give the small mountain village its own historical context and distinguish its settlement history from the present-day opportunities on the trails.

The crafts of the high-altitude villages are also part of this regional historical picture. During the long, cold winter months, people there mainly made wooden spoons, bowls and other wooden goods from maple, working from home. Production was therefore tied to the season and to working at home.

Additional destinations in the wider Winterberg area

If you also include the wider Winterberg area in your search, you will find more attractions there. The “Family First” loop in Winterberg Trail Park is suitable for trail beginners and families looking to get their first experience on trails. With its distinctive arch, the St. George ski jump rises 80 metres above the Rothaar Mountains at Herrloh and is considered a landmark of Winterberg. The Panorama Adventure Bridge is 435 metres long and 20 metres high. On its five fun elements, you can make your way along above, below or beside the bridge. These attractions are in the wider Winterberg area.

Discover more destinations: Neuastenberg, Altenfeld, Grönebach, Silbach, Züschen, Altastenberg, Langewiese, Lenneplätze

Back to the wider travel overview: Winterberg.