The “Castle Route” in and around Kallenhardt

The Castle Route begins at the “gate” to the Sauerland-Waldroute near St. Clemens Church in Kallenhardt. Here, a magnificent panoramic view of the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park awaits us, with its vast woodlands and the “thousand mountains.”We now walk down Kirchstraße, always following the route’s signposts (= a white “W” on a green background). At the street “Hinter der Mauer,” we turn right and walk down the stairs to the former “Untere Steinpforte,” keep to the left, and then follow the road from there.On both sides of the path, we come across lovingly restored half-timbered houses. At the end of the path, after about 400 meters, we reach the first attraction of our stage: the nearly 200-year-old, formerly stately country house. A special friend of this house is one of the most famous contemporary German artists, Otmar Alt, whose work is constantly present in the outdoor area in the form of variously designed objects. We continue by following the signs until we reach Körtlinghauser Weg. We walk down this path, where, after about 350 m, the Baroque Wasserschloß of Körtlinghausen comes into view in the distance. On the right side of the path is an information panel that provides the most important facts about the origins and significance of the old castle complex.As you walk along the old tree-lined avenue toward Körtlinghausen, let yourself be enchanted by the charm and glorious history of this noble estate, which has belonged to the Barons of Fürstenberg for about 200 years. Picturesquely surrounded by ancient moats, Körtlinghausen lies before you with its well-tended terraced gardens and the characteristic rhododendron bushes that glow from afar as early as May and June. Take a few minutes to linger at the imposing gatehouse leading to the castle and enjoy the view of the entire estate—a particularly charming example of mid-18th-century Westphalian Baroque architecture. In the inner courtyard of the former manor, you’ll find a small organic farm shop run by the von Bonin family. They have been managing the agricultural portion of the estate—covering 182 hectares—according to Demeter organic guidelines since 1980. The dairy herd forms the heart of their livestock operations. The annual quota of 260,000 liters of milk is currently produced by 50 dairy cows. Continue along the ascending paved path (following the route signs). To the right are the barns and other farm and residential buildings of the estate. With a little luck, you’ll see the “farm pigs” wallowing in the neighboring meadows. As you hike steeply uphill, a charming panoramic view of the mountain village of Kallenhardt awaits you after about 1 km.Walking along the edge of the forest, at an elevation of 399 m above sea level, you’ll see the Rüthen Diocesan Center of the German Scout Association of St. George (DPSG) at Eulenspiegel. In 1966, this recreation and leisure area between Rüthen and Kallenhardt was initially opened as a simple campground with basic washing facilities. Over the years, it has been expanded into a youth education center (46 beds) offering full board and a youth campground with a capacity for 600 people. The center and the campground are available to youth and children’s groups, school classes, kindergartens, and family groups. In 2017, after several years of construction, Archbishop Becker consecrated the imposing and architecturally striking chapel (located across from the main building). For more information, please refer to the information board located below the DPSG, about 10 meters before you leave the dirt road and reach the paved road at Eulenspiegel.We follow this road, cross County Road L776, and continue to follow the signs. Along the way, we encounter visible damage caused by Hurricane “Kyrill” (2007): Extensive, newly planted deciduous tree plantations on the left side of the forest path are intended to heal the “storm wounds.” We now enter dense coniferous and deciduous forests. The giant trees, some over 150 years old, provide shade and coolness.During the summer months, countless wildflowers—such as cranesbill and European star-of-Bethlehem—line the path. The observant hiker can spot a very old badger den on the left (after the third curve). Upon reaching “Kalvarienberg” with its historic Stations of the Cross, we turn right and walk down the steps, passing the striking wayside shrines. Once we reach the foot of the hill, an information sign about “Kalvarienberg” awaits you on the left.We now walk along the L 776 on our right and pass under it through a tunnel approximately 50 meters long. The little Glenne River rushes past us here as a roaring torrent. Next comes a steep climb up to the mountain village of Kallenhardt. About 200 m before we reach the village, there is an information sign on the right pointing to the “Kattenstein Cave.” With over 200 meters of passageways, it is one of the most significant and beautiful natural caves in the northern Sauerland. As part of the “Natura 2000” nature conservation network, the Kattenstein Cave even holds European protected status and has been owned by the BUND-NRW Nature Conservation Foundation since 2008. If you need further information, simply follow the dirt road to the left for about 200 meters. The area around the cave has been beautifully landscaped by the BUND (Lörmecketal local chapter) and invites you to linger. A wonderful view of the nature park awaits you.Back at the information board, we now follow the signs until we reach the town center and the oldest town hall in the Soest district, dating from the 15th century—and thus also one of the oldest in Westfalen. Kallenhardt was founded as a town in the second half of the 13th century, and for more than 500 years, the mayor and magistrates exercised their constitutionally guaranteed rights in its town hall.Right next to the building once stood the pillory, also known as the “Kak.” Convicted offenders were paraded before the public there by the electoral judge and thus publicly “denounced” for their misdeeds. Walking along Kirchstraße, we finally reached our destination, the “gateway” to the Sauerland-Waldroute at St. Clemens Church.Now take advantage of one of the town’s many inviting restaurants and spend a few more leisurely hours enjoying local drinks and dishes in the old Electoral Cologne mountain stronghold of Kallenhardt.