Werther (Westphalia) can be explored via a variety of routes and art venues: the circular hiking trail connects the town center with the districts, the Böckstiegel Path passes a museum, and a sculpture trail connects two points in the town. There are also bookable city tours. When planning, the main consideration is which of these different perspectives you want to shape your stay.

Routes on foot and by bike

The Werther Circular Hiking Trail, or RW for short, is around 31 kilometers long and connects the town center with all of Werther’s districts. Its length makes it an extensive hiking option that you can plan as an activity in its own right. There is a rest stop along the route at the Arminius Spring. A fragrance post invites you to take in typical woodland aromas mindfully.

The R13 cycle route offers a different perspective: It is around 20 kilometers long and runs through the Werther area, including Rotingdorf, Rotenhagen, Häger, and Arrode, as well as partly through the Bielefeld area. The two routes therefore differ both in their stated lengths and in the type of route and areas they cover. If you are weighing up hiking versus cycling, these specific differences can help you choose your day’s activities.

Art and history in the town

The 4.85-kilometer-long Böckstiegel Path passes the Peter August Böckstiegel House Museum. Seventeen bright red steles mark places that repeatedly inspired Peter August Böckstiegel to create paintings and feature in his work. The route’s length and number of stops give it a clear framework; at the same time, it connects these places with the artist’s work. The museum opened on April 7, 2018, on the grounds surrounding his former home in Werther. If you are planning a museum visit, check the current visitor guidelines in advance.

Since 2008, the Peter August Böckstiegel Foundation has been responsible for communicating the artist’s life and work, preserving and promoting his work, and making the artist’s house in Werther accessible to the public. The foundation’s work and the trail emphasize different aspects: one focuses on the art itself, while the other leads to places associated with recurring motifs in Böckstiegel’s paintings.

The ever-growing sculpture trail runs from the town park to HAUS WERTHER. The art event “Werther Sculpture Trail 2003” provides a historical connection: At the time, works by artists from the region were installed from the town park along the Mühlenwiese to the HAUS WERTHER civic center. Steles marking the locations of former photographers in Werther offer another way of looking into the past. They provide a perspective on these places through the eyes of the photographers.

Caramel candies are also a well-known part of Werther’s identity. This adds a culinary connection to the town alongside its art and routes, without shifting the focus of your plans away from the specific trails and sights.

Planning city tours

In Werther, you can book a city tour with one of the ten trained tour guides. Group requests can be accommodated; arrange dates directly with the guides. A city tour is also available for deaf people, allowing them to visit the sights with the help of background information on an iPad provided by the town, including as part of a group. The iPad is loaned out by prior reservation. Arrange the details with the town in advance.

When looking for accommodation in Werther, you can first consider whether the RW’s roughly 31 kilometers, the art trails, or a city tour will shape your plans. This lets you tailor your stay to the things you want to discover locally.

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