Westerwald

The Westerwald is a low mountain range on the right bank of the Rhine in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. It belongs to the Rhenish Massif and covers about 3,000 square kilometres. The range stretches roughly 50 kilometres by 70 kilometres, with its highest point, the Fuchskaute, reaching 657 metres. In the north it is overlaid by volcanic basalt layers from the Neogene period. The Lower Westerwald in the west has rolling hills and clay deposits, while the Upper and High Westerwald feature volcanic crests and woodlands.

The region is known for its Celtic ruins at Dornburg from the La Tène period and the mediaeval town of Limburg an der Lahn. Traditional industries include slate mining, pottery, and iron ore extraction in the Siegerland Ore Grounds. About 40 per cent of the Upper Westerwald is wooded, and the area has a mild climate with warm summers and mild winters in the lowlands. Higher altitudes experience colder winters and more snow, supporting several ski areas.

Visitors find rolling hills in the Lower Westerwald and volcanic uplands in the Upper and High Westerwald. The Kannenbäckerland region is famous for its ceramics tradition. The Westerwald Lake Plateau offers scenic water bodies surrounded by forests. The High Westerwald’s basalt tablelands and woodlands create a moderated microclimate. Towns like Bad Marienberg and Hachenburg lie at the heart of the historic Herrschaft zum Westerwald. The range is bordered by river valleys including the Rhine, Sieg, Dill, and Lahn.