Plackweghöhe

The Plackweghöhe is the highest point in Warstein, the Plackwald ridge, the North Sauerland Uplands and the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park. It stands in the northern Sauerland, about five kilometres south of Warstein and three kilometres north-east of Meschede. The hill is linked by the Plackweg forest track to the Stimmstamm Pass, roughly 2.85 kilometres away on the B 55. Water from the slopes flows south into the River Ruhr and north into the Möhne, a tributary of the Ruhr. The main summit appears on maps only as an unnamed trig point, though it is the highest in the Central Uplands here. The name Plackweghöhe covers not just the hill but a twenty-kilometre ridgeline along the old Plackweg trading route. The ridge runs between the Großer Berg in the west and the Großen Storchschnabel in the east, forming the watershed between the Ruhr and Möhne valleys. The Plackweg itself follows this ridge, which slopes steeply southward toward the Ruhr. The term first appeared on the Arnsberg Sheet in 1969, having been absent from the earlier Arolsen Sheet of 1963. The ridge is part of the Süder Uplands and the North Sauerland Uplands. At the top stands the Lörmecke Tower, a popular observation point. Visitors reach the summit via the Plackweg forest track, which offers wide views over the surrounding hills. The steep southern slope drops sharply to the Ruhr valley below. The ridge’s uneven shape and the tower’s position make it a clear landmark in the landscape. The contrast between the high ridge and the deep valleys below is striking. The area remains quiet, with few buildings interrupting the natural setting.