The Hönnetal is located in north rhine-westphalia Balve in the Märkisches Kreis and thus in the Sauerland. The poet Annette von Droste-Hülshoff described the Hönnetal as the "most romantic valley in Westphalia".
background
The Hönnetal takes its name from the river of the same name, the Hönne. The Hönne is a left tributary of the Ruhr. It rises in Neuenrade, flows north through the towns of Balve and Menden (Sauerland) and flows into the at Fröndenberg / Ruhr Dysentery.
In the 19th century, the Hönnetal was a magnet for romantics and regional tourism developed. In the 1950s and 1960s, the Hönnetal was still a popular day tourist attraction, especially on Sundays and public holidays. In the last few decades, however, the valley has been somewhat forgotten.
getting there
by train
From Dortmund Hbf. Or Hagen Hbf. It is recommended to travel to Fröndenberg with the Dortmund-Sauerland-Express (RE 57) or the Sauerland-Express (RE17). From there, the Hönnetalbahn runs every hour on weekdays (unfortunately only every two hours on Sundays and public holidays) in the direction of Neuenrade. The route can be described as one of the most scenic railway lines in North Rhine-Westphalia.
Destination stations can be "Binolen", "Volkringhausen" or "Sanssouci". In any case, it is advisable to get off at Binolen station, which still has the old station building (although it is now used as a private residence). An association of railway enthusiasts is housed in the building and maintains a small museum.
ATTENTION: If beautiful sunsets are also tempting in midsummer, it should be noted that the last train from the Hönnetal to Fröndenberg leaves around 9 p.m. (half past 10 p.m.). After that, traffic on the route does not resume until around 6 a.m. There is an operating break of over eight hours.
Tourist Attractions
Klusenstein Castle
Klusenstein Castle rises on a 60 meter high cliff above the Hönne. It is located in the area of the city of Hemer. It was built in 1353 as a border castle. Even today, the Hönne is at the level of the Klusenstein, the "border river" between today's cities of Hemer and Balve.
The castle itself is privately owned and is not open to the public. There have only been exceptions in the recent past for the Open Monument Day. Due to its location on the high cliff, the castle can only be reached by a long detour on a busy road. As a pedestrian and hiker, it is therefore advisable to leave the view at the foot of the rock, the Feldhof cave or the other hiking trails.
Klusensteiner Mill
"Seven Virgins"
Small railway museum at Binolen train station
activities
The Hönnetal is a landscape for walking, contemplation and hiking. A visit to the many caves is recommended.
shop
In large parts of the Hönnetal itself there are no longer any shopping opportunities. Ordinary shops can be found in the towns of Menden (Sauerland) and Balve. While Balve mainly has small retail shops of a village character (with correspondingly short opening times, but corresponding ambience), you will also find the usual large chains in the more populous Menden.
kitchen
Cheap
medium
Haus Recke (not far from the Binolen train station) offers local cuisine. The prices are in the upper middle segment. But the portions can be described as very large.
Upscale
nightlife
As a sparsely populated landscape, there is no night life in the generally understood sense. For this purpose, the larger cities of Menden, but especially Dortmund and Hagen, should be remembered.
The Hönnetal has its very own nightlife when the moon shines on Klusenstein Castle.
accommodation
Cheap
medium
Haus Recke (3-star hotel) is currently the only remaining accommodation option in the Hönnetal.
