Over Hill and Dale: Hiking in Odenthal’s Magnificent Natural Landscape
The region of Odenthal is a walker’s paradise. The hilly and forest-rich countryside is best discovered on foot. On the wayside time and time again imprints of the past invite you to explore them: quarries and ravines, ramparts and powder mills are just waiting to be discovered.
The well-developed pathway network, over 120 kilometers long, offers the hiker countless possible combinations; from barrier-free country paths to daytrips along the Dhünn’s dam – the second biggest drinking-water dam in Europe – there is something for every taste. On a visit to the wildlife park wild boars, mouflon, fallow deer and roe deer can be seen in their natural environment.
The nature and forest trail leads out from Altenberg through a species-rich valley surrounded by ancient mixed woodland.
You frequently have the chance to enjoy multi-faceted views into the natural and cultural landscape or to visit one of the places of historical interest. Particularly worthwhile are the high-gothic former Abbey Church situated in Altenberg, the so-called Altenberg Cathedral, the Romanesque St. Pankratius Church in Odenthal and the Dhünntalsperre (Great Dhünn Dam).
Concerts, Exhibitions and Markets: Cultural Odenthal
Odenthal presents its visitors with a multi-faceted cultural offering; from markets, to exhibitions in the Town Hall Gallery, to grand concerts, there is something for every taste.
In the summer countless concerts take place with the orchestra and organ in Altenberg Cathedral. Altenberg’s Cultural Summer and the International Organ Cycle attract music enthusiasts from near and far to the Dhünn.
During Advent, the Altenberg Cathedral Choir annually performs Bach’s great Christmas Oratorio on two days in the cathedral.
Alongside these cultural events, Odenthal also has a lively set of traditions to offer. During the carnival season there are three processions. In May the maypoles are put up and in the many small villages the Pentecost Boys go from house to house wishing their inhabitants a happy Pentecost. In the summer the time of the funfair and the wheelbarrow race has then come around, in which wheelbarrows, converted into themed carriages, must be pushed through an obstacle course. In Autumn, the great Harvest Festival then takes place in Voiswinkel, before, on the second weekend of advent, Altenberg’s Christmas Market opens ist gates.
Delicacies: As a Guest in Altenberg
The region contains a multitude of culinary offerings. In direct proximity to the historic heart of Odenthal, the old Bergisch Inn Zur Post can be found. The owners, the Wilbrand Brothers, have cooked up a Michelin Star and have been counted for some years amongst the top chefs in the Rhineland. Inside Altenberg‘s former monestary, a further culinary highlight can be found in the Altenberger Hof. At the time of the monks, an Inn was already housed in the old building for the accommodation of pilgrims, and as early as the nineteenth Century the first tourists to visit Altenberg revitalised themselves there. Der Hof, as the hotel is fondly called by the inhabitants of Odenthal, has its place amongst the most beautiful houses in the Bergisch Country, and the garden terrace connects directly onto the Cathedral Square. Here you can gloriously drink coffee under the old trees, and in doing so allow the simple beauty of the gothic architecture to wash over you. The sophisticated kitchen offers both international and regional dishes.
A mighty baroque archway, above which the crest of the monastery is still displayed today, makes up the entrance to the Küchenhof; a former farm in the middle of the monestary enclosure. Today a homely restaurtant is housed there, which gladly serves solid and hearty dishes to tired walkers.
A little outside of Altenberg lies Hotel Wißkirchen. A brick yard and postal station was previously located in the old Bergisch half-timbered house. Of course, a small pub room also belonged to the house, which was extended into the whole building after the departure of the postal station. Today, the hotel has got one of the nicest beer gardens in the Bergisch Country. You can sit comfortably under old linden trees and in doing so let your gaze wander over the picturesque pastures of the Dhünn. The house’s kitchen offers original dishes, from the Bergisch Pillekuchen (a kind of potato pancake), to exclusive multi-course menus.