Brachthausen between the chapel, cliffs and hiking trails

Brachthausen brings together sacred art, scenic cliff views and trails through a varied landscape. The first mention of St. Nicholas Chapel in church visitation records, dating from 1613, tells part of the village’s history. To the northeast, the Bracht cliffs offer a different perspective; the Dollenbruch Nature Reserve lies between Brachthausen and Silberg. Here, you can explore nature and culture in different ways—from distinctive rock formations to a themed trail featuring audio contributions.

Cliffs and protected landscapes

The Bracht cliffs are surrounded by deciduous forest and lie slightly off the hiking trail from Hasenbahnhof to Kohlhagen. Their rock formations offer far-reaching views. It is important to note their location: the cliffs are not directly on the hiking trail mentioned, but a little way off it.

In Dollenbruch, bog woodlands and alder forests give way to open grassland, wet meadows and purple moor-grass meadows. The 4.5-kilometre themed hiking trail “Border Stories Up Close” (A2) leads through the nature reserve between Brachthausen and Silberg. Podcast anecdotes share cultural and natural history along the way. This means the landscape and its stories are both at the heart of the hike.

Chapel and ecclesiastical art

St. Nicholas Chapel in Brachthausen brings together different art forms: inside are an ornate high altar, windows with Gothic tracery, detailed statues and an organ loft. The chapel was first mentioned in church visitation records in 1613. This date refers to that mention, not to the construction of the chapel.

Another example of ecclesiastical architecture is the Church of the Visitation of the Virgin Mary in Kohlhagen. It was built from 1703 to 1707 on the site of an earlier building. Its rich Baroque furnishings come from the Sasse sculptor’s workshop in Attendorn. The building period and furnishings offer a distinct way to explore the area’s religious culture.

Hiking trails and finding your way around the village

The Bracht High Trail can be started in the centre of Brachthausen. An additional 950-metre section leads from the area around the church towards Hasenbahnhof and joins the route. There is also a hiking information board by the church with details of a variety of tour options. On the Kohlhagen Places of the Soul hike (A1), Nikolaus-Platz by the church is a pleasant place to stop and rest.

The “Brachthausen Graube” stop is associated with the hiking portal in the village centre; bus routes R91 and R92 are listed as serving it. If you plan to travel by bus, please check the current timetable before setting out. This lets you take the village layout and your chosen section of trail into account when planning.

The distances listed provide a concrete basis for comparison, but do not indicate walking time or difficulty.

Kirchhundem as a wider travel destination

In the wider Kirchhundem area, Panorama Park Sauerland is an 80-hectare wildlife and adventure park. Kulturgut Schrabben Hof in Kirchhundem-Silberg combines a local history museum with a largely heritage-listed complex. The museum tells the story of life in a Sauerland village and of Silberg’s mining history; it also displays fossils and minerals and provides information about the region’s nature reserves.

The nature and hiking opportunities there are on a different scale, too. The Schwarzbach system Nature Reserve, including Haberg and Krenkeltal, covers 312 hectares and consists of six separate areas. A 14.4-kilometre section of the Rothaarsteig leads from the historic Rhein-Weser Tower through the Schwarzbachtal Nature Reserve and the Heinsberger Hochheide to Ginsberger Heide; sights along the way include Dreiherrnstein and the Ferndorf spring. The 24-metre-high Rhein-Weser Tower on Westerberg offers panoramic views of the surrounding landscape. This section is considerably longer than the A2 themed hiking trail in Dollenbruch—a useful distinction when deciding how far you want to hike.

Discover more destinations: Varste, Heinsberg, Silberg, Oberhundem.

Back to the wider travel overview: Kirchhundem.