🇩🇪 Hiking North Rhine-Westphalia’s "Little Dolomites"💙

A Fairytale Journey Through Time ⛰️✨ What began as a wrong turn transformed into the most magical hiking adventure in Germany’s Sauerland region – a breathtaking symphony of medieval castles, emerald valleys, and subterranean wonders that left us spellbound at every step. Here’s your ultimate guide to this 3-in-1 epic day trip from Dortmund! 🏰 Act I: Burg Altena – A Cliffside Castle from Middle-Earth (30-min train from Dortmund Hbf to Altena Station) Perched dramatically on a 120m sandstone cliff, this 12th-century fortress appears conjured from Tolkien’s imagination. Our morning ascent revealed: Spiral staircases winding through armories and dungeons (complete with creepy chains!) The world’s first youth hostel (established 1912 inside the castle walls!) 🛏️ A 360° panoramic view from the watchtower – the Lenne Valley unfolding like a living medieval manuscript 📜 Pro Tip: Time your arrival for the 9 AM opening to have the castle to yourself as morning mist clings to the turrets! 🌿 Act II: Sauerland Höhenflug Trail – Germany’s Green Cathedral (5km moderate hike from castle to Dechenhöhle) The trail unfolded like a living landscape painting: 🌱 Meadow Movement Rolling hills stitched with wildflower constellations (purple knapweed, yellow hawkweed) Curious Shetland ponies grazing under apple trees 🍏 The occasional timber-framed farmhouse straight from a Grimm fairytale 🌲 Forest Symphony At 450m elevation, we entered a primeval beech forest where: Sunlight filtered through leaves like liquid gold Moss-cushioned boulders begged for picnic stops 🧺 Woodpeckers provided rhythmic hiking beats ⛰️ Grand Finale Viewpoint The Höhenflug ridge rewarded us with: ✓ A Dolomiti-esque vista of folded green mountains ✓ Shadow puppetry of clouds dancing across valleys ✓ The surreal sight of castle and cave in one eyeline! 🕳️ Act III: Dechenhöhle Cave – Earth’s Crystal Palace (Guided tours hourly, last entry 4 PM) Descending into this 300-million-year-old limestone wonderland, we discovered: 💎 Stalactite Galaxies "Pipe Organ" formation (3m tall, rings when tapped!) "Frozen Waterfall" wall (resembling molten glass) Hundreds of soda straws growing at 1cm per century 🌌 Surreal Subterranean Scenes Mirror pools doubling crystal formations UV-light reveals hidden fluorescent minerals The eerie "Bone Chamber" with prehistoric bear fossils! 🐻 Note: Bring a light jacket (constant 10°C/50°F) and good grip shoes – some passages are slippery! 🚶‍♂️ Hike Logistics Distance: 8km loop (3-4 hours with stops) Difficulty: Moderate (300m elevation gain) Fuel Up: "Burghof Altena" serves massive schnitzels post-hike 🍽️ Ticket Combo: €18 castle+cave (student discount available) 🌍 Why This Hike is Unique ✔ Three worlds in one day (history, nature, geology) ✔ Zero crowds compared to Alps destinations ✔ Accessible via €49 Deutschland-Ticket ✔ Instagram goldmine at every turn #GermanDolomites #EpicHikes #CastleAndCaves #SauerlandMagic #FairytaleGermany 📍📍