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Start: Dreifaltigkeitskirche Dreifelden
(S) In front of the church, turn left onto Kölner Weg and walk along Kirchstraße into Eichenweg.
(1) At the end of this road, keep right and walk along the Dreifelder Weiher pond, which is hidden behind a reed belt on the left. The trail then narrows, approaches the pond, leads through reeds and finally through a riparian forest. Occasionally, the reed belt opens up, allowing a view of the pond.
(2) This brings us to the northern part of the pond, where there is a magnificent view. Shortly afterwards, the path meets the K1. We are now on the dam of the pond. On the right, we can see the point where the Wied river flows out of the pond and where the water is drained in autumn to allow fishing.
(3) We then arrive at the Haus am See restaurant. From here, the Cologne Trail leaves the shore area. Soon after, we pass the Hofmannsweiher pond on the right, continue along a side path along the K1 and arrive at Seeburg, a small village with a small castle.
The former hunting lodge, now privately owned, was built at the same time as the ponds. Prince Maximilian zu Wied-Neuwied (1782-1867) often came here for hunting trips. He was an ethnologist and naturalist who undertook extensive research trips to Brazil (1815-1817) and North America (1832-1834). His stays in Seeburg formed the basis for his records of the wildlife in the Westerwald in the 19th century. He observed 96 species of birds in the lake district.
(4) On the tree-lined K1, we arrive at the Haidenweiher pond. The path runs along the wooded shore. The ponds were not always surrounded by forests.
Until the 19th century, the ponds were bordered by large areas of heathland. These had developed in the former forest area as a result of centuries of livestock grazing.
(5) A little later, we turn right back into a forest, then left and continue straight ahead until we reach the K138, where we turn right and walk a short distance along the K138. Then we turn left and shortly afterwards pass the Brinkenweiher pond.
(6) Finally, the K leads us left to the Postweiher pond.
The ponds surrounded by forest give the landscape its distinctive character. Occasionally, you can hear the calls of moorhens, lapwings, snipe or water rails. In secluded spots, you can still find poisonous ragwort, marsh thyme, marsh forget-me-nots and marsh marigolds.
The K runs through a beautiful deciduous forest and along the Postweiher pond.
(7) It then finally comes to a weekend settlement, which the Kölner Weg bypasses until it meets the B8. There it turns right onto the B8. We turn right and pass a campsite. We continue until we reach the underpass beneath the B8. On the other side of the B8, the Kölner Weg turns right, leads across a meadow, past a mini golf course, and then turns left onto a gravel path.
(8) The path now runs along the edge of the forest. Later, Kölner Weg skirts Zürbach. At a fork before Zürbach, keep right. Continue hiking halfway up the slope through a deciduous forest.
(9) After a while, we come to a right-hand bend and meet the Saynbach, which accompanies us on our left.
(10) At the edge of Maxsain, we come to the road Am Rübengarten, which joins the K137. Then we turn left and cross the Saynbach, come to Alleestraße, cross the L304 and arrive at Kirchweg.
The Protestant parish church towers above the centre of the village. In 1786, the Romanesque building was extended with a transept. The organ was built in 1803 by the renowned Schöler family of organ builders from Bad Ems. The former mayor's house, a half-timbered building dating from 1688, is located on Kirchweg.
(11) We leave Maxsain by turning left into Schönstraße and slowly ascend into a vast high forest.
(12) On the way, not far from Selters, we pass a small forest lake on the right, surrounded by coniferous trees and nestled deep in a hollow. Gradually, we approach Selters.
(13) We cross the L305, walk towards a freight train line, turn right, pass the Oberwaldhütte hut belonging to the Westerwald Association, Selters branch, and continue towards a sports field.
(14) There, the K turns left into Jahnstraße.
If you decide to make a short detour to the museum in the school, turn right into Jahnstraße. The museum, which has limited opening hours, focuses on "Country life in the Westerwald – then and now".
(15) The Kölner Weg crosses under the railway line, leads through Heidestraße to Rheinstraße and passes the Hotel Adler and the Zur guten Quelle restaurant.
(E) A few metres further on, we reach the market square in Selters.
The market square is dominated by the Protestant church. It was built in 1842 on the site of a chapel. The unusual wooden arched windows of the church are particularly striking. To the right and left of the building, there are two wings for a four-class school. Today, these extensions are used by the local council. On the market square, a simple monument commemorates the founding of the Westerwald Association in 1888.
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