Lieberhausen combines two described circular routes with its own village and cultural heritage. The Bunte Kerke, winding lanes and old half-timbered houses offer a different focus from the hiking trails with their stops and information panels. You can plan your stay around specific interests: village history, a circular hike or a stage on a long-distance trail.
Village history and architecture
Lieberhausen lies in a wooded, hilly landscape on a mountain spur. Winding lanes and old half-timbered houses shape the character of the village. The Bunte Kerke is a small late-Romanesque pillar basilica with a wide central nave dating from the 11th century. Its architectural form and period give the village a clearly defined architectural theme.
Another cultural highlight is the Lieberhausen Faust organ. It is a listed organ monument from the late Romantic period of organ building. The church and organ thus represent distinct historical and architectural themes that complement each other when exploring Lieberhausen.
Hiking: two circular routes and a long-distance trail
The 11.5-kilometre Luther Trail is a meditative circular route that starts at the Bunte Kerke and features reflection stops. Its circular layout and stops define its distinctive focus. If you are planning a hike with a contemplative theme, this route is a specific option; its length should be factored into your day’s plans.
At 11.9 kilometres, the Energy Trail is a similar length but has a different focus. The loop leads from the hiking car park at the dam of the Aggertalsperre reservoir through the forest and uphill to Lieberhausen, then back again. It runs mostly along forest and farm tracks. The Energy Trail has a total of eight information panels and three activity stations. The two routes can therefore be distinguished mainly by their paths and stops. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out.
Lieberhausen and the Bunte Kerke are also stops on Stage 7 of the Bergisches Panoramasteig between Marienheide and Bergneustadt. So, alongside the local circular routes, a stage of the long-distance trail is another option. For planning purposes, this is a different type of route from a single loop: the village is part of a longer section with specified endpoints.
More hiking trails in Gummersbach
Gummersbach has around 180 kilometres of hiking trails marked by the Sauerländischer Gebirgsverein. There, an “A” marks local circular routes and an “X” marks regional hiking trails. These markings help you navigate the trail network in Gummersbach; the information about the Luther Trail and Energy Trail, by contrast, describes specific routes with their own features.
The trail distances around the Genkeltalsperre reservoir in Gummersbach also offer different points of comparison: the circular trail around the reservoir is 9.3 kilometres long. On the peninsula between the Genkel and Agger arms near Bredenbruch, there is a mostly level walk of just under 4 kilometres. Together with the 11.5- and 11.9-kilometre loops in Lieberhausen, these routes illustrate a range of specific distances. The shorter walk is explicitly described as mostly level; for the Lieberhausen trails, their lengths, circular layouts and respective stops are the more specific planning details.
For an overview of the wider area: Gummersbach.
