Chapel Path Reiste - Main route with loop via Sögtrop.

Chapels and wayside crosses are common companions on the paths in the community of Reiste. They bear witness to a deep religiosity that the people here practiced for centuries. Faith and prayer have always been part of everyday life. The bells of the churches marked the day, religious festivals the year. Often little shrines or wayside crosses were erected out of gratitude or as a reminder of special events and have been cherished and cared for by local families to this day. Naturally, each village has its own chapel, each dedicated to a different patron saint.
The 22.6 km (25.7 km) long Chapel Trail invites you to discover this tradition and the many beautiful chapels in the chapel villages around Reiste. Hike on secluded forest paths and discover the stories of the small places of worship. Along the way, impressive views will interrupt your hike, as well as the many treasures along the wayside, framed by nature.
The Chapel Trail offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the village structure of a well-established community in the Sauerland region. You get a sense of what it was like to live "in the village," in reliable structures, but also with various challenges. It was an everyday occurrence to tackle the school route "over the hill," even in the deep snow of winter, or to walk to the nearest larger village, Reiste, for Sunday church services in wind and weather.
People maintained contact between larger and smaller villages. Footpaths were used for all sorts of occasions, at festivals and celebrations. Whether at a shooting festival, harvest festival, or the traditional Reiste market. People went to Reiste, celebrated together, and enjoyed cozy hours. These encounters still happen today. However, on such occasions, many residents nowadays tend to walk back to their home village, partly due to the beautiful nature and perhaps also because a beer or two is easier to digest while walking... Reiste and its chapel villages have preserved their lively club life to this day.
Hike the Chapel Trail and encounter a true piece of the Sauerland region with its traditions. Allow yourself to be inspired by nature between the chapels and find peace. Enter one or more chapels along the way and observe a moment of silence. Or take a seat on a bench, enjoy the nature, or admire one of the small artworks along the wayside.