Burschenhöhle

The Burschenhöhle is a small cave in the limestone massif of the Karhof near Volkringhausen, a district of Balve. It sits on the eastern slope of the Hönnetal valley, its entrance rising 13 metres above the valley floor. The cave itself is nine metres deep, 13 metres wide and five metres high, forming a modest chamber in the northern rock group. A second cave, the Kleine Burschenhöhle, lies just beside it, adding to the site’s modest scale. Archaeological work in the late 1920s by Julius Andree uncovered stone tools from the Old Stone Age, revealing human presence thousands of years ago. The cave was recognised as a protected monument in 1992, preserving its archaeological importance. Local historians also link the site to the social history of itinerant workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Visitors approach along the valley floor before climbing to the cave mouth. Inside, the single chamber shows the rough limestone walls and a flat floor of compacted sediment. The surrounding woodland and the steep valley sides frame the entrance, giving a quiet, sheltered atmosphere.