Hiking trail • Loop tour

`Dollbergschleife´

Medium

4:00 h

11.43 km

249 m

Experience the history of the Celts, charcoal burners and smelters at first hand on the Dollbergschleife.

Tour details

Best time of year

Duration

4:00 h

Distance

11.43 km

Ascent

249 m

Descent

249 m

Highest point

692m

Lowest point

452m

Condition

Technique

Landscape

Experience

Specifics of the tour

Scenic / Geological highlights / Cultural highlihts / Fauna highlights

Path condition

67 % Nature trail

3 % Asphalt

28 % Gravel path

0 % Other

Tour signs

The Dollbergschleife National Park Dream Loop is an approximately 11 km long route that runs almost entirely through the landscape of the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. Through woods and meadows, past bodies of water and over steep rocky sections, it takes walkers on a journey through the history of the Celts, charcoal burners and smelters. Shortly after the starting point, the first highlight awaits: the Züscher Hammer, the largest ironworks in the Hunsrück dating from the 17th century. Exciting demonstrations are held in the reconstructed, water-powered hammer mill. If you continue to follow the Altbach stream, you’ll reach the Nonnweiler Dam, the largest drinking-water reservoir in the Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. Once you’ve left the lakeside, it’s just a few minutes’ walk to the Keltenpark National Park gateway with the Celtic village in Otzenhausen. In the meticulously reconstructed Celtic settlement, with its dwellings, workshops and storehouses, visitors gain an insight into life as it was 2,000 years ago. The subsequent, longer ascent leads over stones and rocks up to the Celtic ring wall, one of the most impressive early historical fortifications in Europe. Today, ten-metre-high stone mounds remain as the remnants of the Celtic castle walls that Caesar attempted to capture in the 1st century BC. The path leads along the ridge of the Dollberg, past old boundary stones. On the final stretch, you cross the border between the federal states of Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate without even realising it.

Author's recommendation

Otzenhausen Celtic Ring Wall

The Celtic ring wall is one of the most impressive fortifications in Europe.

Züscher Hammer

The Züscher Hammer features a reconstructed, water-powered hammer mill and offers an insight into historical ironworking.

National Park Gateway: Celtic Park

The National Park Gateway – Celtic Park offers a modern introduction to the history of the Celtic ring wall and provides information on the region’s nature, culture and archaeology. Exhibitions, guided tours and workshops make a visit a lively experience. Here, you can even visit a ‘real’ Celtic village.

Nonnweiler Dam

The Nonnweiler Dam is the largest drinking water reservoir in the Saarland and is idyllically situated in the Saar-Hunsrück Nature Park.

Directions

The tour starts at the Köhlerhütte at the foot of the Dollberge. From here, the path leads south-westwards along the edge of the forest above Neuhütten. After a short stretch through the woods, we cross the L 166, and the path turns northwards. We descend through meadows into the valley of the Altbach. We follow the course of the stream through the narrow valley, cross the water via a newly built wooden bridge and walk a short distance through the woods. Shortly afterwards, we reach the ‘Züscher Hammer’ industrial monument. In the 17th century, this ironworks was the largest of its kind in the Hunsrück. Powered by the waters of the Altbach, the hammer can now be set in motion again for demonstrations. We continue to follow the course of the stream and pass the forebay of the Nonnweiler Dam. A short while later, we catch sight of the dam. With a surface area of one square kilometre, the lake is a significant drinking water reservoir. We walk for about 2 km along the southern lakeside path, which is wide at this point. After a sweeping bend, our path leaves the lakeshore. We walk past the Kloppbruchswiese natural monument and circle the Kloppbruchweiher pond, of the same name, along a narrow path. We then reach the Hunnenring Otzenhausen forest car park, which can also be chosen as the starting point for the walk. We cross the L 147. Here, on the other side of the road, a 2.5-hectare Celtic park is being built, featuring a Celtic museum and an information centre (construction due to be completed by 2014). We continue along a forest path that climbs only gently at first, eventually reaching the Mannfelsen, a high cliff face of Taunus quartzite. Here begins a steep climb over the rocks up to the Celtic ring wall. Along the way, a sensory bench offers a magnificent view of the reservoir. This strenuous ascent involves a climb of around 200 metres in altitude. The path leads right through the hilltop fortification, which was built in the 1st century BC as one of the most significant Celtic fortifications, or oppida, in Europe. The ring wall, built from 240,000 cubic metres of stone, has been preserved to this day to a height of around 10 metres and can be walked upon. Numerous information boards transport us back to a time 2,500 years ago. We leave the site via the imposing northern rampart and reach the ridge of the Dollberge via a forest path that continues to climb gently. After a long straight stretch, we turn sharply to the left and, after 800 metres, arrive back at the Köhlerhütte, our starting point.

Source: Hunsrück Tourism

Safety information

Report the condition of a path

Have you been out walking on our trails and spotted a fault or damage? If so, please do fill in our fault reporting form. Thank you very much for your help.

Fault Reporting Form

Please note:

As a general rule, you enter the forest and walk along the trails at your own risk!

Depending on the season and weather conditions, certain sections of the trails may require extra care when walking. You should therefore wear clothing suitable for the season and weather, and walking boots with appropriate tread. Please be mindful of breaking branches and damaged trees. In strong winds, and in winter due to snow and ice, there is an increased risk of falling trees and falling branches.