Rothaarsteig from the source of the Lahn to Wilgersdorf

The Rothaarsteig stage begins at the source of the Lahn and leads directly to the Ilsequelle, which is known not for its size, but for its mysterious healing powers. In the Middle Ages, the Ilse was particularly considered a holy spring and was a place of pilgrimage for many years. Today, you have the opportunity to enjoy the refreshing spring water on site.
From the Ilsequelle, the Rothaarsteig leads back towards the west. The path reaches the rest area "Kaffeebuche" via the Jagdberg (674m), from where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the Johannland. Down in the valley lies the village of Hainchen with the only high water castle in Westphalia. However, the Rothaarsteig remains on the ridge and continues southwards.
The next point of interest is once again a spring: The Dill is a 55km long tributary of the Lahn and forms the natural border between the Hessian Westerwald and Lahn-Dill-Bergland. After Haincher and Gernsbacher (523m), you finally reach the Tiefenrother Höhe (551m). Here, on the viewing platform "Nase im Wind," you can enjoy a spectacular view or breathtaking sunsets.
After a small quarry, you reach the 300m long Haubergspfad, which informatively introduces the topic of Haubergswirtschaft. This special form of land use, a combination of agriculture and timber production, emerged in the course of iron smelting. After a few meters at the intersection "Kalteiche," the Rothaarsteig splits. The main path leads directly to Dillenburg. Also to Dillenburg, but via the Fuchskaute in the Hohen Westerwald, leads the Westerwald variation of the Rothaarsteig.
Here, we briefly leave the main path and follow the Westerwald variation towards the southwest. After about a kilometer, we leave this path behind us to follow the yellow-black marked access path of the Rothaarsteig to Wilnsdorf. After crossing a road, we then descend to Wilgersdorf.