Karl May Hiking Trail Around Pluwig
- start: Parking lot at the Pluwig Sports Field
- destination: Parking lot at the Pluwig Sports Field
- medium
- 6,65 km
- 2 hours
- 187 m
- 414 m
- 226 m
- 80 / 100
- 60 / 100
In the footsteps of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand—the route leads past the open-air stage of the nationally renowned Karl May Festival and follows the Ruwer River around the municipality of Pluwig.
The Karl May Friends of Pluwig have kept alive the enthusiasm for the writer Karl May and his blood brothers Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, and have turned the idea of the Karl May Festival into reality. The festival, known far beyond the region, attracts many thousands of visitors to Pluwig every two years! In 2003, an overgrown quarry here was transformed into an open-air stage with an impressive backdrop, which has been continuously expanded and professionalized in the years since.
The hiking trail winds its way around the local community, passing close to nature and the open-air stage. Please note that the trail is only signposted in one direction!
General information
Directions
From the parking lot (the signs start right at the very end), the trail first heads downhill toward the open-air stage of the Karl-May-Freunde Pluwig e.V. Especially on weekends in May and June, you might be lucky enough to catch part of a rehearsal there. We therefore ask that you exercise caution when approaching the grounds—horses may be present during rehearsals. After about 700 m, the trail continues to the right above the director’s house and runs parallel to the Romikaweg “Traumschleife” for a short distance.
After about 1.3 km, we leave the shared route with the “Traumschleife” and the trail turns right—heading up into the village of Pluwig.
Once at the top, the trail turns left—passing through a residential area for a short distance—and runs parallel to the municipality’s other two hiking trails. TIP: If you’d like to extend the hike a bit, switch to the Walburga Hiking Trail here to combine the two routes.
Shortly before reaching the short detour to the statue of St. Walburga (CAUTION: Please exercise caution here. The rocky outcrop is NOT secured by a railing!!) the trail leads to the right, uphill through a beautiful, light-filled section of forest to a bench offering a stunning view of the Geizenburg district.
The trail continues to climb along the pasture fences until it reaches a wayside cross. The trail climbs one last stretch—from here, we follow paved farm roads to the transmission tower. Once there, the trail turns right again, heading back down into the valley—passing pasture fences, the farm road leads back into the residential area of Pluwig—In der Weidenwies. Turning left across the church square, hikers can easily reach the parking lot at the sports complex.
Safety Guidelines
As a general rule, entering the forest and walking on the trails is at your own risk. Depending on the season and weather conditions, some sections of the trails require extra caution to ensure a secure footing. Therefore, please wear clothing appropriate for the season and weather, as well as hiking boots with adequate traction.
CAUTION: The rocky outcrop near the Walburga statue is NOT secured by a railing!
Equipment
Sturdy shoes, comfortable clothing suitable for the weather, and a snack are recommended.
Tip
Take a look behind the scenes at the Karl May Festival's open-air stage!
Getting there
via L 139 and K 57; Navigation destination: 54316 Pluwig, Kreuzgarten 17
Parking
Free parking in the parking lot at the sports field
Public transit
City Bus Routes 30 and 86
For more information, visit: www.vrt-info.de
Additional Information
If you'd like to learn more about the Karl-May-Freunde Pluwig e.V. and the festival, visit https://www.karl-may-freunde.de/!
Pavings
- Crushed Rock (29%)
- Unknown (19%)
- Hiking Trail (25%)
- Asphalt Coating (19%)
- Street (2%)
- Path (5%)
Weather
This tour is presented by: Tourist-Information Ruwer, Author: Touristinformation Ruwer