The Arnsberg Forest Nature Park (german: Naturpark Arnsberger Wald) is a
nature park
A nature park, or sometimes natural park, is a designation for a protected natural area by means of long-term land planning, sustainable resource management and limitation of agricultural and real estate developments. These valuable landscape ...
in the districts of
Hochsauerlandkreis
Hochsauerlandkreis (meaning “High Sauerland District” in German) is a Kreis (district) in the east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Neighboring districts are Soest, Paderborn, Höxter, Waldeck-Frankenberg, Siegen-Wittgenstein, Olpe, Mär ...
and
Soest within the administrictive region of
Arnsberg
Arnsberg (; wep, Arensperg) is a town in the Hochsauerland county, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the location of the Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg administration and one of the three local administration offices of the Hochs ...
in the German state of
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a States of Germany, state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more tha ...
. The park was established in 1960 and covers an area of 482 km². Nearly 350 km² of the protection is forested and the park's wooded hills rise up to .
The nature park, which consists of the Arnsberg Forest in the west and the Warstein Forest in the east, is important for the regional economy both in terms of forestry and tourism. The two forests form a densely wooded part of the
Süder Uplands
The Süder UplandsRhine Massif
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, source ...
.
Geography
Location
The Arnsberg Forest Nature Park lies between the river
Möhne
The Möhne () is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Ruhr. The Möhne passes the towns of Brilon, Rüthen and Warstein. There is a large artificial lake near the mouth of the river, the Möhne Reservoir, use ...
in the north, on which the
Möhne Reservoir
The Möhne Reservoir, or Moehne Reservoir, is an artificial lake in North Rhine-Westphalia, some 45 km east of Dortmund, Germany. The lake is formed by the damming of two rivers, Möhne and Heve, and with its four basins stores as much as 13 ...
is located, and the deep valley of the
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
in the south. Between these two valleys the park is situated between
Möhnesee
Möhnesee is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
The Möhnesee municipality is situated around the Möhne Reservoir (hence the name), approx. 10 km south of Soest.
History
On the night of ...
in the northwest,
Rüthen
Rüthen () is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Rüthen is situated at the northeastern border of the natural preserve Arnsberger Wald between the Haarstrang and the valley of the river Möhne, approx ...
in the northeast,
Brilon
Brilon (; Westphalian: ''Brailen'') is a town in North Rhine-Westphalia, central Germany, that belongs to the Hochsauerlandkreis.
Geography
Brilon is situated on the Brilon Heights at an altitude of about 450 m on the upper reaches of the r ...
in the east,
Olsberg in the southeast,
Meschede
Meschede () is a town in the Hochsauerland district, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the district Hochsauerlandkreis.
Education
One of the five branches of South Westphalia University of Applied Sciences (also: Fachhoc ...
in the south and
Arnsberg
Arnsberg (; wep, Arensperg) is a town in the Hochsauerland county, in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is the location of the Regierungsbezirk Arnsberg administration and one of the three local administration offices of the Hochs ...
in the southwest;
Warstein
Warstein () is a municipality with town status in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located at the north end of Sauerland.
Geography
Warstein is located north of the Arnsberger Wald (forest) at a brook called Wäs ...
lies within the
nature reserve
A nature reserve (also known as a wildlife refuge, wildlife sanctuary, biosphere reserve or bioreserve, natural or nature preserve, or nature conservation area) is a protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or ...
. To the north is the heavily forested region of the
Haarstrang
The Haar () or Haarstrang is a ridge of hills on the southern edge of the Westphalian Basin in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. From a natural region perspective it is the southern, submontane part of the Hellweg Börde, which stands ...
, to the east are the
Brilon Heights, to the south is the
Rothaargebirge
The Rothaar Mountains (german: Rothaargebirge, , also ''Rotlagergebirge''), or Rothaar, is a low mountain range reaching heights of up to 843.1 m in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, Germany.
It is believed that its name must once have been ...
, to the southwest is the
Lennegebirge
The Lenne Mountains (german: Lennegebirge), or Lenne Uplands (''Lennebergland''), is a range of hills up to high in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It is part of the Süder Uplands within the Rhine Massif.
Geography
Location
Th ...
and to the west the terrain gradually descends towards
Dortmund
Dortmund (; Westphalian nds, Düörpm ; la, Tremonia) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the eighth-largest city of Germany, with a population of 588,250 inhabitants as of 2021. It is the la ...
into the
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
.
Rivers and lakes
The best-known water feature in the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park is the
Möhnesee
Möhnesee is a municipality in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
The Möhnesee municipality is situated around the Möhne Reservoir (hence the name), approx. 10 km south of Soest.
History
On the night of ...
, set in the
Möhne
The Möhne () is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Ruhr. The Möhne passes the towns of Brilon, Rüthen and Warstein. There is a large artificial lake near the mouth of the river, the Möhne Reservoir, use ...
valley between the Haarstrang in the north and the Arnsberg Forest in the south. Numerous
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
s run through the wooded valleys. These include the
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
and Möhne, which border the forests, as well as other water courses that feed the Möhne and Ruhr:
*
Biber (Möhne tributary near Rüthen)
*
Glenne (Möhne tributary northwest of Rüthen-Kallenhardt)
**
Lörmecke
Lörmecke is a river of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows into the Glenne near Warstein-Suttrop.
See also
*List of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia
A list of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:
A
* Aa, left tributary of the M ...
(Glenne tributary between Suttrop and Kallenhardt)
**
Möhne
The Möhne () is a river in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is a right tributary of the Ruhr. The Möhne passes the towns of Brilon, Rüthen and Warstein. There is a large artificial lake near the mouth of the river, the Möhne Reservoir, use ...
(Ruhr tributary near Neheim-Hüsten)
*
Wester (Möhne tributary near Belecke)
**
Langer Bach
Langer Bach is a small river of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It flows into the Wester near Warstein.
See also
*List of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia
A list of rivers of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany:
A
* Aa, left tributary of the ...
(Wester tributary near Warstein)
**
Wideybach (Wester tributary near Warstein)
*
Heve
Heve (in its upper course: ''Bache'' and ''Lottmannshardbach'') is a river of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Its source is in the Arnsberger Wald near Warstein and it discharges into the Möhnesee
Möhnesee is a municipality in the district ...
(Möhne tributary, mouth at the southern end of the Möhnesee)
*
Ruhr
The Ruhr ( ; german: Ruhrgebiet , also ''Ruhrpott'' ), also referred to as the Ruhr area, sometimes Ruhr district, Ruhr region, or Ruhr valley, is a polycentric urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With a population density of 2,800/km ...
(
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
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, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
tributary near Duisburg-Ruhrort)
*
Wanne (Ruhr tributary near Niedereimer)
Hills
The hills and hilltops of the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park include: the Warsteiner Kopf (556.9 m; fourth-highest hill), the Gemeinheitskopf (551.9 m; fifth-highest hill) the Niekopf (550.4 m; sixth-highest hill) and the Nuttlarer Höhe (542.2 m). These are the best known hills in the nature park because, unlike the other local heights they are shown on most of the maps and the specialised reference books. There are also, as the following list shows, a number of unnamed hilltops.
* Highest hill (unnamed ''
Kuppe
A ''Kuppe'' is the term used in German-speaking central Europe for a mountain or hill with a rounded summit that has no rock formation, such as a tor, on it. A range of such hills is called a ''Kuppengebirge''. In geology the term also refers to ...
''; )
* Second highest hill (unnamed ''Kuppe''; )
* Third highest hill (unnamed ''Kuppe''; )
* Fourth highest hill (Warsteiner Kopf; )
* Fifth highest hill (Gemeinheitskopf; )
* Sixth highest hill (Niekopf; )
Villages
In or on the edge of the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park are numerous villages belonging to these municipalities and towns:
Tourism
Sights
The Bilstein Cave southwest of
Warstein
Warstein () is a municipality with town status in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located at the north end of Sauerland.
Geography
Warstein is located north of the Arnsberger Wald (forest) at a brook called Wäs ...
in the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park attracts many tourists. The cave of
Hohler Stein southwest of Rüthen-Kallenhardts is also worth visiting as are the observation towers of
Lörmecke Tower (near the highest point in the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park between Warstein and
Eversberg
Eversberg is a town with about 2000 inhabitants in the county of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
The history of the town goes back to the 11th century when Count Eberhard von Arnsberg founded the castle Eversberg. The castle today is a ruin. Th ...
), the
Küppel Tower (near Meschede-Freienohls) and the
Delecke Bismarck Tower (north of Möhnesee-Delecke).
Trails
Many trails wind through the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park and its hills and valleys. The best known are the Upland Trail (no. "X 13") and the Renn Trail (no. "X 26").
Literature
* Ralf Günther: ''The Arnsberger Wald im Mittelalter. Forstgeschichte als Verfassungsgeschichte''. Veröffentlichungen der Historischen Kommission für Westfalen, Nr. 22. / Geschichtliche Arbeiten zur westfälischen Landesforschung, Band 20. Aschendorff, Münster 1994, 345 (IX) S.,
See also
*
List of nature parks in Germany
Nature parks in Germany (german: Naturparks) have been established under section 22, paragraph 4 of that country's Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG). there were 103 nature parks, comprising about 27 percent of the total land area of Ger ...
*
Arnsberg Forest massacre
The Arnsberg Forest massacre (also known as the Massacre in Arnsberg Woods) was a series of mass extrajudicial killings of 208 forced labourers and POWs ( Ostarbeiter), mainly of Russian and Polish descent, by Nazi troops under the command of ...
References
External links
Arnsberg Forest Nature Park internet siteGeneral information etc about the Arnsberg Forest Nature Park at naturparke.deTopographical mpa from the North Rhine-Westphalia State Office for Data and Statistics (LDS NRW) at geoserver.nrw.de
{{Authority control
Central Uplands
Forests and woodlands of North Rhine-Westphalia
Sauerland
Nature parks in North Rhine-Westphalia