In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Arnsberg via the Möhnesee and Sorpesee, the Kahler Asten and the Wittgensteiner Land to the Biggesee and Listersee: around 395 kilometres of low mountain country where the reservoirs set the rhythm and the cleared spruce slopes open up new views.
The spirit of the route
The Sauerland is a land of water and forest, and for a few years now also of light. Where bark beetles killed off the spruce after the drought summers from 2018, wide clearings now lie open, full of foxglove, birch saplings and stacked timber; suddenly you can see ridges from the road that were hidden behind pole-stage spruce for twenty years. Down in the valleys lie the reservoirs, built for the Ruhr region and today bathing lakes, sailing waters and pitch addresses. In the morning mist hangs over the Möhnesee; in the evening the Kahler Asten smells of heather and cool air from 840 metres up. From your sliding door you will see slate roofs, shooting-club halls and pasture fences, and in the Wittgensteiner Land there are bison. This route is no summit dash but a calm up and down: short stages, plenty of green, a rain jacket always within reach.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Arnsberg to Sorpesee (Langscheid) (approx. 55 km)
- The drive
- From the Ruhr loop at Arnsberg north via Neheim and through the Arnsberger Wald up to the Möhnesee, then along the south shore via Delecke to Günne at the dam wall. Back over the heights to the south, down via Neheim-Hüsten to Langscheid at the Sorpedamm. Well-built country roads, winding but wide in the Arnsberger Wald. Driving time just over an hour; in summer there is a lot of cycle traffic and traffic looking for parking along the lake shores.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Arnsberg old town on a rocky spur above the Ruhr: the bell tower, the castle ruins and the former Premonstratensian abbey of Wedinghausen.
- Möhne dam at Günne: the rubble-stone wall completed in 1913, breached in May 1943 in the British Operation “Chastise”; the flood wave killed well over a thousand people in the Möhne and Ruhr valleys, many of them forced labourers. Memorial plaques and exhibits can be found at the foot of the wall and on top of it.
- The view from the Sorpedamm, an earth dam, over the long lake as far as Amecke: loveliest in the evening sun, when the sailors come in.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Motorhome pitch area at the Sorpedamm in Langscheid with a good 20 pitches, electricity, fresh water and waste disposal, a few steps from the promenade. Around the lake the Sorpesee GmbH runs several campsites, including “Campen am Damm” and a family campsite with a sanitary block. If you would rather stay at the Möhnesee: ADAC Campingplatz Möhnesee with its adjoining motorhome pitch area on the north shore, Camping Delecke on the south shore, or the large Wohnmobilstellplatz Delecke Nordufer.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): At the Möhnesee and Sorpesee the lakeside car parks are full by day in summer and are not meant for overnight stays; the municipalities and the Ruhrverband point campers to the motorhome pitch areas, and many car parks carry signs banning motorhomes or overnight parking. Forest car parks in the Arnsberger Wald nature park are hikers’ car parks, not places to sleep, and in dry spells there is also an increased risk of forest fire on the cleared areas.
- Insider tip for campers
- Arnsberg has a municipal motorhome pitch area with fresh water and waste disposal within the town, ideal for filling up with water before you set off. In the old town the lanes are steep and narrow; leave the motorhome down in the valley. The road over the Möhne wall is not the fastest through route: at weekends traffic backs up at Günne and Delecke, so it pays to set off early.
2Stage 2: Sorpesee to Brilon (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- Via Sundern and Wennemen into the Ruhr valley, a short detour to the Hennesee near Meschede, then along the B7 upstream beside the Ruhr via Bestwig to Olsberg and on minor roads via Bruchhausen to Brilon. Brisk low-mountain driving as far as Meschede, with more climbing from Bestwig; the access road to the Bruchhauser Steine is narrow. Around 1.5 hours of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hennesee near Meschede: a walk across the dam with a view over the reservoir towards the Hochsauerland.
- Bruchhauser Steine near Olsberg: four rock outcrops of volcanic stone above the village, with the Feldstein carrying a summit cross and wide views over the Hochsauerland; peregrine falcons nest in the cliffs, and there is an entrance fee.
- Brilon: the historic town hall on the market square with the Petrusbrunnen, and the Propsteikirche; the town owns one of the largest municipal forests in Germany and is the starting point of the Rothaarsteig.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Wohnmobilhafen Brilon on the edge of town with about a dozen pitches, electricity, fresh water and waste disposal, within walking distance of the old town. Quieter and with sanitary facilities: Camping & Ferienpark Brilon on the edge of the village towards Hoppecke. On the way, KNAUS Campingpark and Camperpark am Hennesee as well as the pitch area at Aqua Olsberg offer alternatives.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Hochsauerlandkreis, as everywhere in North Rhine-Westphalia, wild camping is not allowed; one night to restore fitness to drive is tolerated in public car parks without camping behaviour, provided no ban is signposted. The car park at the Bruchhauser Steine is a visitor car park with opening hours, not a place to stay overnight.
- Insider tip for campers
- The A46 is finished as far as Bestwig-Nuttlar, and you can see the huge Nuttlar viaduct from the B7. If you are in a hurry, drive Meschede–Brilon via the A46 and B7 without passing through any villages. In Brilon the old town is partly traffic-calmed; the pitch area is well placed for doing everything on foot.
3Stage 3: Brilon to Willingen (Upland) (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- From Brilon east via Madfeld into the Diemel valley and on to the Hessian side to Heringhausen on the Diemelsee. From the lake via Usseln up to Willingen. Small, winding country roads with pasture gates, tractors and short climbs; beyond the state border the road numbers and signposting change. A good hour of pure driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Diemel dam: the old rubble-stone wall at Helminghausen at the north end and the lakeside path around the lake, bathing spots and boat hire in Heringhausen.
- Skywalk Willingen: the pedestrian suspension bridge over the Strycktal, opened in July 2023, about 665 metres long and some 100 metres above the valley floor; no more than 750 people at a time, no dogs, bicycles or pushchairs, closed in storms.
- Mühlenkopfschanze and Ettelsberg (838 m) with upland heath and a lookout tower, reachable by cable car in summer.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Wohnmobilpark Willingen on the edge of the village with about 50 pitches, electricity, fresh water and waste disposal and a short walk to the centre. On the Diemelsee there are several campsites around Heringhausen, such as Campingplatz Sonnenschein – Hohes Rad, Campingplatz Seebrücke and Campingplatz Goldbreite; they are strongly shaped by long-term campers, so ask in advance about tourist pitches. In the municipality of Willingen there is also Camping Bahrenberg.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Willingen and the Diemelsee are in Hesse, where the rules are similar to those in North Rhine-Westphalia: wild camping is prohibited, and the Hessian Forest Act forbids driving and parking on forest tracks. Willingen is a densely scheduled holiday resort; the car parks at the ski jump, cable car and Skywalk are not for overnight stays, so use the Wohnmobilpark.
- Insider tip for campers
- It is best to approach the Skywalk on foot from the village and to come in the morning, before the coach parties arrive; check tickets and opening times beforehand on the official site, as it closes at short notice in wind. At weekends with big events (ski-jumping World Cup in winter, bike festival) Willingen is full, so check the dates before you travel.
4Stage 4: Willingen to Winterberg (approx. 35 km)
- The drive
- Via Hildfeld and Niedersfeld back into North Rhine-Westphalia, then up the B480 to Winterberg at just under 700 m. A short but steadily climbing stage across the high plateaus of the Rothaargebirge, with many clearings to left and right, and prone to snow and ice in winter. Around 45 minutes of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Hochheide Neuer Hagen near Niedersfeld: one of the largest upland heaths in western Germany, with ling in bloom in August and September; circular trail from the hikers’ car parks.
- Kahler Asten (about 842 m): the Astenturm with weather station and catering, the upland-heath nature reserve at the summit and the source of the Lenne a few hundred metres below.
- Ruhr spring on the Ruhrkopf near Winterberg, the start of the Ruhrtal cycle route, a short walk through the forest.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Wohnmobilpark Winterberg: a large site on the Neuastenberger Straße near Neuastenberg, about 5 km from the centre, with fresh water and waste disposal, toilets and showers, in great demand in the ski winters. Smaller and close to town: Wohnmobilstellplatz Winterberg. Campsites include Camping Winterberg and Camping Hochsauerland on the edge of town.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The summit and the upland heaths of the Kahler Asten and the Neuer Hagen are nature reserves: do not leave the paths, no drones, no overnighting in the summit car parks. Winterberg directs motorhomes to the pitch areas, especially in the winter season.
- Insider tip for campers
- The car park at the Kahler Asten fills quickly on sunny days (note the charges on site); arrive early or in the late afternoon, when the light over the mountain ridges is also better. Winterberg has petrol stations and supermarkets; after that, supplies thin out in Wittgenstein.
5Stage 5: Winterberg to Bad Berleburg (approx. 45 km)
- The drive
- Via Neuastenberg and Langewiese over the Rothaarkamm into the Wittgensteiner Land, then through the Odeborn valley via Girkhausen down to Bad Berleburg. A winding, narrow country road with timber lorries; clearing and haulage continue on the cleared areas. Optional detour to Schanze for the Kyrillpfad. Around an hour of driving time.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kyrillpfad near Schanze (Schmallenberg) on the Rothaarsteig: an educational trail through the windthrow left by Storm Kyrill in 2007, left as a natural development area and today a good example of how forest comes back after the spruce die-off.
- The Rothaarsteig section along the ridge between Langewiese and the Wittgensteiner Land: high paths with distant views over the new clearings.
- Schloss Berleburg, residence of the Princes of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, above the upper town with its slate-grey houses.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Small Reisemobilstellplatz run by the town of Bad Berleburg with a few pitches, electricity, fresh water and waste disposal, within walking distance of the spa gardens and the castle. On the way, country inns in Wittgenstein and around Schmallenberg offer the odd pitch, for example in Latrop or at the Almhütte Schanze; ring ahead.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The forests in Wittgenstein are mostly private and princely forest; forest and farm tracks are closed to motor vehicles, and log-stacking areas and timber haulage routes must be kept clear. Wild camping is not allowed here either, and the many timber transports make forest car parks uncomfortable at night anyway.
- Insider tip for campers
- Do not climb on timber stacks by the roadside or use them as benches; stacked trunks can slip. On the clearings there are dead spruce that fall in the wind; postpone hikes when a storm warning is out, and take paths with closure signs seriously. On the Rothaarsteig there are repeated diversions because of timber harvesting; ask the Rothaarsteigverein for the current situation.
6Stage 6: Bad Berleburg to Lennestadt (approx. 75 km)
- The drive
- From Bad Berleburg to Aue and along the narrow K42 via Wingeshausen and Jagdhaus to Fleckenberg and Schmallenberg, then along the B236 down the Lenne via Saalhausen to Lennestadt. The K42 is narrow and winding, comfortable with oncoming traffic only at passing places; larger vehicles are better off taking the detour via Erndtebrück. From Schmallenberg there is a broad valley and good roads. About 1.5 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Wisent-Wildnis on the Rothaarsteig near Wingeshausen: a fenced show enclosure with a circular trail of about 3 km on which you see bison at close quarters. The association that ran the former reintroduction project filed for insolvency in 2023; since 2024 the Siegen-Wittgenstein district has kept the herd, which previously roamed free, in a large enclosure, and its future is legally disputed. The show enclosure is run by BLB-Tourismus GmbH; check operation and opening hours (closed on Mondays) before your visit.
- Schmallenberg: a compact old town with black-and-white half-timbered and slate-clad houses, the starting point of the Waldskulpturenweg to Bad Berleburg.
- Naturbühne Elspe: the Karl-May-Festspiele with riders, pyrotechnics and a big open-air setting; the 2026 season with “Winnetou I” ran from 27 June to 13 September.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: In Lennestadt there are several small pitch areas: the Wohnmobilstellplatz at the Sauerlandhalle in Altenhundem with electricity and waste disposal, and the Stellplatz Gleiertal near Saalhausen with electricity, fresh water and waste disposal at an inn. There is no large campsite right at the festival stage; for evenings at Elspe, it is better to stay close and keep the way back short.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The car parks at the Elspe open-air stage are event car parks; overnight stays are not intended there. In the Lenne valley you can legally stay only on designated sites; the roads through the villages on the B236 are noisy, and you will find peace more readily at the small sites in the side valleys.
- Insider tip for campers
- At the bison: keep your distance, dogs are not allowed in the show enclosure, and sturdy footwear is advisable for the circular trail; if you want it easier, take the shorter, level farm track. Bison are wild animals weighing several hundred kilos; take fences and notices seriously. Fill up with fuel in Schmallenberg, where it is cheaper, before heading into the Lenne valley.
7Stage 7: Lennestadt to Olpe (Biggesee and Listertalsperre) (approx. 60 km)
- The drive
- Via Grevenbrück to Attendorn and the Atta-Höhle, then along the shore road past the Waldenburger Bucht over the Biggesee and on west to the Listertalsperre. Back via Sondern to the south end of the Biggesee at Olpe. Easy-going lakeside roads with many lay-bys, with cycle and excursion traffic at weekends. A good 1.5 hours with stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Atta-Höhle in Attendorn: a stalactite cave discovered in 1907 during limestone quarrying, with guided tours on fixed paths, around 9 °C all year round, so bring a jacket.
- Biggesee: a round trip on the passenger boat, bathing spots at Sondern and Waldenburg, and the view from Burg Schnellenberg above Attendorn.
- Listertalsperre: the old dam wall of 1912 and the quiet lakeshore at the Kalberschnacke, where the Lister and the Biggesee meet.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Pitch area at the Atta-Höhle with six pitches, electricity, fresh water and cassette disposal included (about €18 in high season in 2026); entry and exit only during the cave’s opening hours. At the Biggesee: Naturcamping Kessenhammer near Olpe or Camping Waldenburg-Biggesee near Attendorn. At the Listertalsperre there are several older sites, some dominated by long-term campers, such as Campinganlage Gut Kalberschnacke.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The shores of the Bigge and Lister lakes belong to the Ruhrverband; overnighting on the lakeshore and in lakeside car parks is not allowed, and bathing is permitted only at designated bathing spots. In the Olpe district there are enough pitch areas, so no reason to fall back on lay-bys.
- Insider tip for campers
- Head for the pitch area at the Atta-Höhle early in the afternoon: payment and activation work only during opening hours, and the six pitches fill quickly in summer. In Olpe and Attendorn there are large supermarkets on the edge of town with car parks that have no height barriers; avoid the multi-storey car parks in the town centres.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- Wild camping is not allowed in North Rhine-Westphalia or in Hesse. Under road traffic law, a single night in a public car park without a ban sign is tolerated in order to become fit to drive again, in the vehicle only, with no awning, chairs, levelling jacks or grill. For a round trip this is no basis for planning.
- The Landesforstgesetz NRW and the Hessian Forest Act forbid driving and parking vehicles on forest and farm tracks. Open fires and barbecues are prohibited in and near the forest; on the dried-out clearings left by the spruce die-off the fire risk in summer is real, so heed the forest-fire danger index and no cigarettes.
- Nature reserves such as the upland heaths at the Kahler Asten and the Neuer Hagen and the Bruchhauser Steine have their own rules: stay on the paths, keep dogs on a lead, no drones. At the reservoirs (Möhne, Sorpe, Henne, Bigge, Lister, Diemel) the Ruhrverband or the operator regulates shores, bathing and boat traffic; lakeside car parks are not pitches at night.
- The Sauerland has one of the densest networks of motorhome pitch areas in Germany, often municipal or at swimming pools, inns and farms. Useful: park4night, Campercontact, the promobil pitch guide and the host directories of Sauerland-Tourismus and Siegen-Wittgenstein; during the school holidays of NRW, Hesse and the Netherlands, book early where that is possible.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Fresh water and waste disposal are available at almost all pitch areas; payment is by coins, by card at the machine or by app. Some sites at leisure pools (Aqua Olsberg, AquaMagis Plettenberg) settle up at the pool’s till, and the Atta-Höhle site only during the cave’s opening hours.
- Empty grey water only into floor drains and the chemical toilet only at designated stations; the reservoirs are drinking-water reservoirs or feed the Ruhr, from which the Ruhr region draws its drinking water. Use biodegradable sanitary additives.
- Tap water is drinking water; it is better not to drink directly from springs such as the Ruhr or Lenne spring.
- Gas: grey exchange cylinders (5 and 11 kg) are available at petrol stations, DIY stores and some campsites. LPG filling stations are more likely to be in the larger towns and on the motorways than in the high country, so fill up before Winterberg and Wittgenstein. At 700–840 m the nights are cool even in summer, and the heating runs more often than you would think.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Speed limits: motorhomes up to 3.5 t 100 km/h outside built-up areas, no general limit on the Autobahn (recommended speed 130 km/h); over 3.5 t up to 7.5 t 80 km/h outside built-up areas, 100 km/h on the Autobahn; vehicles with trailers 80 km/h, 100 km/h on the Autobahn with a 100 km/h approval. On many Sauerland motorcycle routes lower limits and overtaking bans apply in sections.
- No vignette; motorhomes are exempt from the lorry toll. On the A45 (Sauerlandlinie), traffic has been running again since 22 December 2025 over the first half of the new Rahmede viaduct near Lüdenscheid, for now on two narrowed lanes in each direction at 80 km/h; the second half of the bridge is due to be finished by the end of 2026. Further bridge renovations on the A45 are also under way, so check the current state of roadworks and closures beforehand.
- There are no low-emission zones in the Sauerland, Rothaargebirge or Waldeck. If you arrive via the Ruhr region, you need the green sticker for some cities; check the current zones with the Umweltbundesamt.
- Winter tyres are required according to conditions in snow, ice and slippery roads (tyres with the Alpine symbol). Winterberg, Willingen and the Kahler Asten regularly have snow, and the high plateaus have night frost from October; in the ski winter, parking guidance systems regulate access. Mark loads projecting more than one metre, and rear carriers need their own lights if the number plate or lights are covered.
- Alcohol limit 0.5 per mille, 0.0 for novice drivers on probation and under-21s; a brewery visit in Warstein or beer at the Schützenfest belongs to the evening at the pitch, not before you drive on. Do not hold a phone while driving; in the Rothaargebirge there are also genuine dead spots for reception, so prepare your navigation offline.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- Weatherproof rain jacket and a change of shoes: the Kahler Asten and the Rothaarkamm are among the wettest places in NRW, and fog and drizzle come even in high summer.
- Binoculars for the peregrine falcons at the Bruchhauser Steine, the bison near Wingeshausen and the birds of prey over the clearings.
- Offline hiking map or GPX tracks for the Rothaarsteig and the reservoir circuits; mobile reception is patchy in the valleys of Wittgenstein and at the Lister.
- Warm jacket for the Atta-Höhle (around 9 °C) and for evenings at 700–840 m.
- Coins and a bank card for pitch-area machines and service posts, plus a water hose with various couplings; the taps vary a great deal.
- Swimwear and perhaps a SUP: the Möhnesee, Sorpesee, Biggesee and Diemelsee have designated bathing spots, but the water stays refreshingly cool even in August.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
