Windhagen: Discover hiking trails and local history
Accommodation in Windhagen
The municipality of Windhagen comprises twelve separate localities and covers an area of 1,494 hectares in the north of the Rhine-Westerwald Nature Park. It lies just under 30 kilometers southeast of Bonn. Hiking trails, chapels and historic buildings offer different ways to explore during your stay—from a walk through the countryside to insights into the municipality’s history.
Hiking trails around Windhagen
Windhagen has numerous well-marked hiking trails that connect to long-distance and main hiking routes such as the Rheinsteig and WesterwaldSteig. For a shorter route through the local area, try the Ameisenweg (Ant Trail): It begins in the town center and passes a small park with ponds and unusual goat willows. From there, it either continues to the Pfaffenbach valley, through the Bockental valley, or back via Rehwinkel.
The W1 Windhagen–Stockhauser Weg circular trail offers a different experience. It starts at the church in the center of the village, leads to Stockhausen and loops back to the starting point. Along the way, forest and meadow paths pass through quiet, small stream valleys and the municipality’s scattered localities and their surroundings. The routes described therefore differ both in scenery and layout: the Ameisenweg focuses on the park, ponds and several route options around the town, while the W1 is laid out as a loop via Stockhausen.
Churches, chapels and traces of history
The Catholic parish church of St. Bartholomew is at the heart of Windhagen’s town center. It was built in 1869 and 1870 to simplified plans by Cologne architect Vincent Statz. Its central location makes it a striking landmark on a walk through the town center.
The Holy Trinity Chapel in Hallerbach also combines a long building history with easily recognizable architectural details. It was completely renovated as early as 1450 and is thought to be considerably older. The approximately six-meter-long, white-plastered building ends in three sides of an octagon. A slate-roofed bell tower sits above the gabled roof, with a 50-kilogram bronze bell. It was cast in 1852 at Schippang in Neuwied. The dates and unusual shape give the small chapel a distinctive place in the local landscape.
Another trace of history can be found at the former silver mine just outside Birkens. The entrances to the tunnels, dug around 1790, are still clearly visible. Information boards stand on the old GĂĽnterscheider Weg below the fishpond. The mine and the chapels offer different points of interest: here, you can view traces of mining; there, architectural styles and religious traditions.
The Chapel of the Visitation of Mary in Hüngsberg is associated with a traditional pilgrimage: Its bell draws numerous pilgrims, especially for the Feast of the Visitation of Mary. This site adds a religious dimension focused on a particular feast day to the area’s architectural attractions.
Getting around and staying in Windhagen
A route to Windhagen’s “green lung” is described to help you find your way around the town center. From the parking lot in the town center by the Sparkasse, you can get there by turning into Lärchenstraße opposite and following it to the bottom. Windhagen is also right by the A3 federal motorway.
When looking for a hotel in Windhagen, the hiking trails, local history and chapels can help guide your choice. Consider which of these aspects you want to shape your stay, and check the location and amenities of a specific accommodation directly in its listing.
Discover more destinations: Höhn, Dattenberg, Rodenbach, Rheinbrohl, Dernbach, Neuwied, Linkenbach, Oberraden.
Back to the main travel overview: Neuwied.
