HIKE THROUGH MOUNTAIN AND LOWLAND FORESTS, AND VALLEYS
From Ronsdorf reservoir into the Gelpe valley, Saalbach valley and back
This walk around the district of Ronsdorf is approx. 9 kilometres long and 180 metres above sea level. Starting at the reservoir, you descend through Holthausen into the Gelpe valley past Käshammer and Haus Zillertal back up to the reservoir again, from where you make a short detour to the tranquil village of Heidt before arriving back the starting point.
Start at the walkers’ car park in Talsperrenstraße
The starting point is the walkers’ car park on the corner of Talsperrenstraße and An der Blutfinke, where you can usually find a parking space even on sunny weekends. Various buses stop at the Ronsdorfer Talsperre bus stop, including number 640, direction Echoer Straße.
Leave the starting point and turn right heading down the road. Keep right at the fork in the road. After a few metres, ignore the first turn off to the right and take the second. The route continues down on a forest path. As soon as you come across a wider path, turn right again.
Into the Ronsdorf reservoir forest experience
After just a few metres, you will see a sign on the right-hand side for the forest adventure trail at the Ronsdorf reservoir. Walkers can explore the natural forest habitat here. At the next fork, take the higher path on the right. To your left, the green water of the reservoir shines through the trees.
You come to a small crossroads and switch to the somewhat wider gravel path to your left, on the side of which the Saalbach flows down to the reservoir. You will see this river again later when it has left the reservoir behind. The path becomes a little steeper and meets a paved path. Turn left here. Cross another crossroads immediately and enter a denser forest. After a slight left-hand bend you need to be a bit careful. You want to take a rather more difficult to recognise forest path that leads off to the right. It takes you past a wooden gate, out of the forest and along between two properties. You end up on Holthauser Straße where you turn left. After just a few metres, past an old tree nursery, you have a fantastic view over the valley. At the end of the road is the “Alt & Neu” restaurant on the corner. Turn left and then immediately right into Am Sonnenblick through a housing estate. Just after the housing estate, there is a beautiful panorama with a view of the district of Küllenhahn and its striking communications tower, and to the right of it the neighbouring town of Remscheid.
Hike through Eimholz forest land to the Gelpe valley
Before a tree nursery, take a path on the left across the meadow which leads downhill to the forest. Unfortunately, the old footpath is overgrown, but just to the right you can find the one you need to follow. Continue on this path downhill into the Eimholz forest land. The path has roots on it here making the circular trails hard to make out so particular caution is required. Soon you reach a wider footpath. Turn left here. It gets a little steeper. Turn right at the next crossroads.
Past former cottages and hammers
You have now reached the Gelpe valley. Cross the Gelpe on a wooden bridge and then turn left. You are now leaving the district of Ronsdorf and entering Elberfeld - a border crossing that you will make several times on this route. Stay on the wide path. To your left, the Gelpe flows along its bed and signs point out the sites of former cottages. You pass Speckshämmerchen and the Pickardtskotten. An overview of the individual cottages and hammers can be found a few metres further along on an information board at the hammer chimney, the only surviving chimney from one of these cottages. Cross the Gelpe once again by going left round the hammer chimney and then turn right. Follow the course of the Gelpe on your right on a forest path. The stream frames a wonderful floodplain forest here which is typical of the Bergisches Land. The path splits ahead after a while, but merges again after a few metres before meeting a wider footpath which you follow to the left straight to a gate.
Past Käshammer into the Saalbach valley
Head towards the former destination pub “Käshammer” which is now a private house. The actual hammer is on your right behind a fence. Turn right at the fork and continue to follow the path along the Gelpe. There are two opportunities to turn left, but take the second which leads to a narrow footpath. You can follow this path or the tarmac path that runs parallel to it.
If you want to get going straight away, turn left and begin the not too steep but long climb through the Saalbach valley. The Saalbach is dammed here in several consecutive places. Today these ponds are inhabited by fish and ducks. They were once used to operate various cottages.
Fantastic views from the Ronsdorf reservoir wall
Keep left at the next two crossroads before reaching the top of the Ronsdorf reservoir wall. Turn right to cross the reservoir wall. There is a wonderful view here in both directions, both across the reservoir with the unique colour of its water and down to the Saalbach valley. If you have tired legs at the end of the reservoir wall and would rather make your walk shorter, turn left and follow the road that leads directly back to the walkers' car park.
If you want to carry on walking, turn right and follow a forest path that once again involves a short climb and then turns left at a fork onto a farm track. From here, you can see as far as Remscheid to the right, where you can pick out the top of the historic water tower that characterises the Remscheid skyline as well as the town hall to the left of it.
At the end of the walk: back to the idyllic village of Heidt
A hedge-lined path leads to the historic village of Heidt. Not only the typical elements of the Bergisch triad design with its white half-timbering, black slate and green shutters and doors dominate the landscape, stable doors are a feature here too. Even today, the top part of the door opens to allow chatting with neighbours or passers-by, while the bottom part of the wooden door acts a barrier to animals. The old fire station dating back to 1867 is a listed building, as is most of the village.
Turn left into Dörpfeldstraße opposite house number 1. This leads past the old Heidt primary school. Keep right at the next fork and return to the walkers’ car park where the walk ends.
