Path of Legends

...the hiker is led along the culturally and historically influenced and adventurous Legends Trail. The Legends Trail starts at the hiking car park near the bus station in Frielingsdorf and passes by the Catholic parish church St. Apollinaris, which has existed in its planned form by Dominikus Böhm since 1927/28.

One follows the Scheelbach stream to the Scheeler Mill. From there, you continue past the ONI sports field towards Eibach. Here lies the ruins of a water castle dating back to 1356. Next to it is the farm Gut Eibach. Through the wooded slopes of the Leppetal valley, you reach Gimborn Castle. This moated castle was pawned by the Count of Berg to the Count of the Mark in 1273 and is now owned by the Baron of Fürstenberg zu Gimborn. Past the forestry house Kümmel and an important wayside cross on the St. Maternus Pilgrimage Route from Marienheide to Cologne, we reach the slopes of the Steinberg. At 376 m, this is the highest point in the municipality of Lindlar.

The trail continues to the legendary Neuenberg. Here stands the ruins of the medieval Neuenberg Castle (also called Neuenburg), first documented in 1433 and for a time the administrative seat of the former Steinbach district. Through narrow forest paths, you reach the Dwarfs' Hole (also called Dwarf Cave). This is the entrance to a limestone cave. According to legend, dwarfs lived in this cave and once helped the lady of the castle of Neuenberg during a dispute between her husband and the knight of Eibach. After a great disappointment with a "human" neighbor, the dwarfs are said to have left the cave and never returned.

The final section of the Legends Trail leads along the northern edge of the village Scheel back to the starting point in Frielingsdorf.

Start: Hiking car park Carl-Hasselbeck-Str., Frielingsdorf
Difficulty: medium
Length: 14 km
Gradient: max. 27%, avg. 6%
Elevation difference: 400m