Thematic Trail
Route profile
Notice
In the tour planner we inform you under the tab "Current info" about temporary route changes, closures and detours.
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The region of the southern Westerwald is literally a "stone-rich" land and therefore particularly suitable for the construction of a themed hiking trail. "White gold", as clay is also called, has left a lasting mark on the landscape, the economy and the people. The mills along the Ahrbach and the open-cast mining also play an important role.
Discover the white gold of the Westerwald on the Clay Theme Trail. It's very easy to do so on the circular hiking trail of the Clay Theme Trail - blue route.
The twelve-kilometre circular trail starts at the Ahrbachhalle in Boden and leads via Ruppach-Goldhausen back to the starting point. Along the way, various information boards explain the geological and cultural-historical aspects of clay and basalt.
Coming from Montabaur on the B255, take the Boden exit.
In Boden, turn right at the entrance to the town after the petrol station. The Ahrbachhalle is already signposted here. Turn left at the first crossroads and you will come directly to the Ahrbachhalle.
Take bus line 116 from Montabaur city centre or the central bus station at the ICE railway station to Boden.
There is free parking directly in front of the Ahrbachhalle at Schulstraße 4 in
56412 Boden there is free parking.
The blue route starts at the Ahrbachhalle in Boden and leads you along the road "An der Hofwiese", across the Ahrbach to the "Esther" pit. If you have already followed the red route, you can avoid the detour to the "Esther" pit and instead follow the Schulstraße in a southerly direction after the start. (Please watch out for diversions in the area of the Ahrbachwiesen due to construction work).
A thematic board at the "Wiesenmühle" provides information about the history of the mill and about "Ceramic Tiles".
A sturdy wooden bridge takes you across the Ahrbach. You can tell by the colour of the water (clay minerals) whether it has rained a lot in the past few days!
Shortly afterwards, a ditch, coming from the left, crosses your path, which, among other things, disposes of the surface water from the "Stemmer" pit. At the crossroads with a bench, turn right and shortly afterwards left onto a gravel path. Cross the road to Ruppach-Goldhausen and continue straight ahead on a meadow path up to the "White Mountain".
Before the road descends slightly again, you can enjoy the wonderful view here! 100 m after a small dip, keep to the right and shortly afterwards you will reach the "Finkelkarstpark" of the municipality of Ruppach-Goldhausen. A theme board provides information about the former clay extraction in the area of the leisure park and the municipality. Terms like: Kameradschaft, die Werkzeuge Steche, Hou, der Spiss are explained. At the southern entrance to the recreation area, next to the municipal administration, there is also an overview board of the Clay Blue Route, so you can also start a short circular walk from here. Children's playground, football players and a water lily pond worth seeing complete the picture with a loaded lorry (chamotte). Close to the park, a restaurant offers the best of cuisine and cellar.
You leave the leisure area in an easterly direction, go down a few metres and up again, passing the "Glück auf" sports field. Continue past the Ahrbach School, across the schoolyard and the bus stop to the roundabout, cross the streets "Auf dem Flurzaun", "Am Rupberg", "In den Appelstücker", and then turn half-right to the forest. Follow the path on the left to Dahlener Straße. Be extremely careful when crossing the road, because fast cars coming from Dahlen can only be seen late!
After 20 m, follow the path to the viewpoint of the "Maria" pit. The photo of the pit on the small theme board from 2019 is long outdated - the landscape in and around the clay pits often changes very quickly! Clay extraction is currently dormant. The "Maria" pit is one of the oldest clay pits in the region and has a spread of about 45 ha with a depth of about 80 m. This makes it the deepest clay pit in the Westerwald.
Back on the road, turn left and follow the markings into the forest, past a groundwater level measuring point of the VG Montabaur. There is sometimes heavy traffic on the lorry track ahead! Stay to the right of the thick Wackersteinen, cross the lorry path at a right angle and continue to the left of the stones to the vantage point of the "Stemmer" mine. Next to the impressive pit, a table and bench invite you to take a rest. A photo of Mr Theo Herz from Boden is immortalised on a theme board; his life's work was clay!
Walk back 130m and follow the signs to the left. At the edge of the forest, follow the "diversions" if necessary, because the "Käferholz" is still on a very beautiful section of the theme trail! . Turn right and cross the road. The path leads you up the edge of the forest around "Rupberg" and then to the left. From the firm path you can see the "Molsberger Schloss". Following the path, you will reach another thematic board at the end of the forest. Here you can see the "Economic significance of clay mining in the Westerwald region" and the "Clay mining in the east of Ruppach-Goldhausen". Here, too, you can enjoy a beautiful panoramic view of Steinefrenz, Girod and Nomborn, and on a clear day even as far as the Taunus.
After a few metres, turn right along the edge of the forest and you will quickly reach the "Vierautobahnenblick". A bench invites you to rest and explore the four sections of the A 3 motorway. Continue along the southern slope of the mountain to the refuge and the next themed board awaits you directly along the path. The terms: potter, ceramics, salt glaze and the "Kannenbäckerland" are explained on the theme board, along with matching photos.
Follow the tarred path downhill and turn right at Zehnhäuser Weg in the direction of Ruppach-Goldhausen. Well-tended orchard trees and information boards about fauna and flora inform you. Benjes hedge and an insect hotel also line the path here.
You now pass the "Niedersachsen Nord" mine on Zehnhäuser Straße. Return to the Zehnhäuser Weg in the direction of Ruppach-Goldhausen.
At the first fork in the road in Ruppach-Goldhausen, follow the signs to the left. At the main road you can refresh yourself at the fountain before going straight ahead along a narrow archway of the railway. Be careful of the headroom!
Follow the path and then the industrial road straight ahead. At the end, turn left in front of the road and follow the path to the right. At the end, cross the entrance to Ruppach-Goldhausen and, after a small detour to the left/right, follow the signposted tarred path to the railway line.
Pass the transformer station on the left and you will quickly reach the "Goldhäuser Mühle". A thematic board provides information about the mill, the grazing of the surrounding area with water buffalo and horses, and last but not least, photos and facts about the Ruppach-Goldhausen transformer station are listed here.
Continue straight on over the Ahrbach bridge along the edge of the forest, cross under the Limburg-Siershahn railway line, take the slight incline and follow the second path to the right on the heights, to the Boden barbecue hut, at the end of the forest.
An ideal place for a rest with a magnificent view! Tip: If you walk up 30 m to the left in front of the barbecue hut and sit down on the bench, you will not only have Boden in your field of vision, but also a great section of the "Southern Westerwald"! The elevation behind you is called "Kneidelberg" and is 292 m above sea level.
Downhill and straight ahead (1.3 km), you pass three birch trees with two benches of different heights, a wayside shrine in honour of the Mother of God and reach the car park at the Ahrbachhalle via Brinkenstraße, where your hike ends.
As clay is still mined from the various pits today, it is important that you only walk along the designated routes. Please keep a safe distance from the sloping edges of the clay pits (risk of falling and injury) and watch out for transporter vehicles that might cross your path.
It is best to wear sturdy shoes and appropriate, weatherproof clothing that protects you from the cold and wet or the heat and sun.
After learning so much about the history, mining and processing of Westerwald clay, you're bound to be hungry and thirsty. The traditional restaurant "Zur Tante Anna" in the main street in Boden awaits you with typical regional dishes and cold drinks.
Ahrbachhalle Boden, Schulstraße 4 in 56412 Boden
Ahrbachhalle Boden, Schulstraße 4 in 56412 Boden
More information & GPX download
Notice
In the tour planner we inform you under the tab "Current info" about temporary route changes, closures and detours.
To the Tour Planer