Westerwald

"Like a fresh breeze" - is how this region likes to describe itself and it truly is a refreshing, verdant area of largely unspoilt countryside with vast forests and tranquil river valleys. It is ideal for walkers and fans of the new sport of Nordic walking. The new long-distance walking trail "Westerwald-Steig" has recently been opened, leading for exampel to a rocky area called "the end of the world". The rivers Sieg, Dill, Lahn and Rhine encircle the Westerwald forest, many parts of which still remain completely wild. Westerwald people, or "Wällers", are very close to their roots and celebrate their local festivals and fairs each year with pride.
Outside the region the Westerwald is known for its ceramics, giving rise to the traditional nickname of "Kannenbäckerland", literally "pot baker country". As well as pots, tiles and crockery, the high-tech ceramics used in innovative technology are also manufactured here.
Basalt is another of the Westerwald's natural resources. Visitors to the Basalt Park can find out more about the rock and its use, for instance as a traditional building material. The Westerwald Country Museum in the picturesque little town of Hachenburg is a prime example. As soon as you see yellow-painted Montabaur castle in the distance, perched on a hilltop overlooking the town, you can be sure you are in a region of open, friendly people.