The Wittgenstein region lies in the upper reaches of the Lahn and Eder rivers and forms the southeastern part of the Rothaar Mountains. The former principalities of Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg and Sayn-Wittgenstein-Hohenstein were united in 1817 to form the Wittgenstein district, which was independent until 1974.
The Wittgensteiner Panaoramaweg (Wittgenstein Panorama-Trail) leads over the ridges of the Rothaar Mountains through the Wittgenstein mountain range and into the Wittgenstein Chamber. The almost endless high-altitude forests are characteristic of the landscape between Bad Laasphe and Bad Berleburg. Siegerland-Wittgenstein is the most densely forested district in all of Germany. Unfortunately, this region has also been affected by the spruce dieback of recent years.
The Wittgensteiner Panaoramaweg runs 144 km over the heights of the Wittgenstein Mountains. The exploration tour of the southern Rothaar Mountains starts in the spa town of Bad Laasphe in the valley of the still young Lahn, which rises around 20km further in Johannland at the Lahnkopf (625m). Here you are at around 300m above sea level. But you soon climb to altitudes of around 700m. The Wittgenstein Panorama Trail then reaches its highest point at the Albrechtsberg (768m) on the Rothaarkamm.Hike over mountain ridges and through beautiful meadow valleys. The endless forests, lively streams and picturesque individual farms are characteristic of this area.
Due to its elevation profile, the trail is quite demanding, but mostly leads along easily accessible forest paths, so that even less experienced hikers can make good progress. Nevertheless, there are also a number of single trails on the route.
The Wittgenstein Panorama Trail is an independent long-distance trail and is marked throughout with a white "W" on a black background by the "Sauerland Mountain Association", (Sauerländischer Gebirgsverein, briefly "SGV").
