Hiking: Hermann and home

From the car park, the hiking trail follows the Ibbenbürener Aa, then keeps right along the southern shore of the Aasee. If you like, you can take your first break at Aasee-Beach or continue your hike and meet the "X" at the wooden bridge, which marks the X18 hiking trail of the Westphalian Heritage Association. Thanks to volunteer trail markers, the path with the "X" marking is "untrackable" and leads - either painted white or pasted white on black - along the Aa river on flat paths through the picturesque Aatal valley. In the Bocketal valley, hikers reach Germany's most north-westerly low mountain range, the Teutoburg Forest, which was already enthroned on the horizon like a postcard idyll in the Aatal valley. The Teuto, formerly known as the "Osning", was formed around 60 million years ago by tectonic movements, which created a limestone ridge as well as the main ridge of hard Osning sandstone. Hikers can get an idea of just how powerful the forces must have been when they begin the steep ascent up the Klotenberg. Once at the top, you should keep your distance from the edge of the quarry, as the descent here is steep. The Osnabrücker Wand is a popular climbing wall. A little later, one of the most striking rocks made of Osning sandstone, the Blücherfelsen, comes into view. Even though the rock was named after the governor of Westphalia at the time, it is questionable whether the later Field Marshal Blücher actually stood on the rock. Just a few hundred metres further on, hikers can enjoy a panoramic view of the northern Tecklenburg and Osnabrück region.

Hikers should pause briefly at the Maria Wegweiserin forest chapel, which was built in 1934 by the Catholic youth of Brochterbeck as a chapel of the Schoenstatt Movement, a spiritual renewal movement within the Catholic Church that was founded by Father Kentenich near Koblenz in 1914.

Always following the "H"

At the chapel, hikers follow the path southwards until they reach the Hermannsweg a short time later. The white "H" on a black background leads downhill to Brochterbeck, always in view on the opposite side is the Schweinskopf, a ridge with the archaeological monument of a hillfort from prehistoric times. Passing an educational fruit trail with old fruit varieties, the route climbs again to the Königstein and Dreikaiserstuhl, the towering rock in the south-eastern part of the Dörenther Klippen, a popular climbing area which is looked after by Bergfreunde Ibbenbüren. Even non-climbers get their money's worth here, as the Dreikaiserstuhl in particular offers a fantastic view over the Bocketal valley as far as Ibbenbüren. The Hermannsweg continues along the ridge through the forest to the west. There are always places to rest along the way, be it at the weather mushroom or a bench. A rest hut just before the cemetery of honour poses a bit of a riddle. Nobody knows who built it around 40 years ago. Thanks to the Catholic Church in Ibbenbüren and Brochterbeck, which renovated and redesigned the rest hut as part of the 2021 confirmation preparations, hikers can find shelter from the rain and a place to rest here. The path continues to the cemetery of honour, which commemorates the heavy fighting in the last days of the war at Easter 1945, in which hundreds of mainly young soldiers lost their lives.

Turning left, hikers follow the "H" and reach the "Almhütte", one of the most rustic places to stop for refreshments in the Teutoburg Forest. You shouldn't miss out on the view from the viewing platform. This can be wonderfully combined with a drinks break. Refreshed, you then head to the absolute highlight of the tour, the "Hockendes Weib" rock formation, which is the subject of a tragic legend. According to the legend, it is a mother turned to stone who saved her children from the approaching floods. The Hermannsweg continues downhill, then crosses Münsterstraße and climbs uphill again through a hollow path. Hikers can take a short break at the refuge before turning right and leaving the Hermannsweg. The route slowly descends along forest paths and fields and meadows come into view. From the edge of the forest, hikers once again have a beautiful "distant view" of Ibbenbüren. The final section of the hike leads along Groner Allee with its old trees and beautiful cobblestones until the starting point of the hike is reached again after almost 16 kilometres.

There is a free car park for hikers on Groner Allee, near the Ludwigkirche church, which is the ideal starting point for numerous cycle tours and also for this hike.

This 16-kilometre tour is signposted with "X" and "H" and runs along forest paths, asphalt side roads and paved farm tracks. There are quite a few metres in altitude to conquer. The start and finish is the hikers' car park on Groner Allee.

Links
Die Tour bei Komoot: https://www.komoot.com/de-de/tour/1316984403

Wanderparkplatz Groner Allee, Ibbenbüren

Wanderparkplatz Groner Allee, Ibbenbüren