Discover Nistertal: Bridge, Basalt and Hiking Trails

Nistertal combines a distinctive railway history with WesterwaldSteig hiking trails and the themes of basalt and geological history. When planning your trip, it helps to decide on a clear focus: should a hiking stage shape your day, or would you like to make more room for architectural history, industry and fossils? If you are travelling with children, you can treat these interests as different building blocks for days spent together.

Railway and basalt history

The Great Bridge, also known as the Erbach Bridge, was built between 1907 and 1911 during the construction of the railway towards Marienberg and Rennerod. It was considered a technological achievement for its time.

The Stöffel lies between Nistertal, Enspel and Stockum-Püschen. Stöffel Park documents more than 100 years of industrial history relating to the extraction and processing of basalt. Its collection includes an unusually complete ensemble of historic basalt-processing buildings. At the same time, the Stöffel is considered one of the world’s most important Tertiary fossil sites. The TERTIÄRUM displays fossil finds from Stöffel Park. Since exhibitions and access conditions may change, check the current exhibition and access information before your visit.

Landscape and hiking trails

The “Nistertal” landscape conservation area covers parts of the Great Nister valley between Hachenburg and Weidacker and extends over approximately 5,200 hectares.

A rail-to-rail option for the sixth stage of the WesterwaldSteig runs via Nistertal towards Nistertal-Bad Marienberg station and is about 16 kilometres long. The WesterwaldSteig route from Nistertal to Bad Marienberg initially passes through beech forest along a former railway line. A marked access trail of approximately one kilometre connects Nistertal-Bad Marienberg station with the start of the seventh stage; the sixth stage reaches the church in Nistertal via an access trail that is also about one kilometre long. The distances differ for stage planning: around 16 kilometres for the rail-to-rail option, and around one kilometre for the access trails. Before setting out, also check the current route and trail markings.

The Westerwald as a regional context

In the broader Westerwald destination, the WesterwaldSteig extends for 235 kilometres over 16 stages. This makes it possible to distinguish planning an individual stage in Nistertal from the scale of the entire long-distance hiking trail. In the Nisterbergland, the landscape is shaped by the steep-sided, winding Nister valley, with rock faces and ridges associated with the Kroppacher Schweiz; woodland and open areas are represented in roughly equal proportions.

For additional cultural and culinary interests, the broader Westerwald destination offers further experiences. In Hachenburg, the Erlebnis-Brauerei offers beer experience tours and brewing courses; individual appointments can be arranged by phone. The Westerwald Ceramic Museum tells the story of working with clay; the objects on display mostly originate from a Westerwald clay pit. Visitors can get creative themselves in a well-equipped museum workshop under expert guidance. Check the current workshop programme and booking conditions in advance.

Discover more destinations: Wied, Krümmel, Willmenrod, Goddert, Dreifelden, Rennerod, Mörsbach, Oberhaid.

Go to the main travel overview: Westerwald.