H5 Circular hiking trail "Herdecke-Westende-Kirchende-Ostende"

You can start this circular route marked H5 at any point, of course. A good starting point is located southeast of the Mühlencenter in Herdecke on the Ruhr river. 200 meters away is the Hengsteyseestraße bus stop, where all Herdecke bus lines converge, and Herdecke train station is just one kilometer away.

Start heading north, passing first the Mühlencenter and the lower "Hauptstraße" to turn right into the pedestrian zone. After the "Bahnhofstraße", cross the "Hauptstraße" and climb the "Herrentisch" via "Am Pannenstiel" street. This passage is one of the steepest routes in Herdecke.

Follow the ridge in a northeast direction until you cross the "Wittbräucker Straße", then turn into the villa suburb "Ahlenberg". From here, head towards Herdecke Golf Course. From the golf course, a short detour to Haus Ende is recommended, an industrial villa in baroque style.

Back at Herdecke Golf Course, continue walking, passing the "Dortmunder Landstraße" and then the "Wittener Landstraße", following "Im Wiesengrund" street to Kirchende village church.

Turn north here to loop through the elevations of "Schraberg" and "Poethens". Finally, return to Kirchende. South of the small village center are the mill ponds, fed by the Ender stream.

After a kilometer at the idyllic ponds, you reach "Hickenstein", also one of the steepest passages in Herdecke, primarily used by charcoal burners and forestry workers until the 19th century. Cross the "Oberen Dellenweg" on the mountain ridge, walk down to the large trail intersection with the shelter, then back to the "Oberen Dellenweg". At the hiking parking lot, descend along the forest path to the banks of the Ruhr at the eastern end of Harkortsee.

Here is one of Herdecke's landmarks, the Ruhr Viaduct. Turn left here and follow the path along the Ruhr back to the starting point.