Mystical beautiesAutumn stories from the Sauerland

Here it is a sound installation that stimulates the imagination, there an impressive underground grotto. Elsewhere it is lakes, valleys, rocks or quarries. In the Sauerland, a hike quickly becomes a magical experience. Because these special places await you in the 42 award-winning Sauerland soul places. It couldn't be easier to unwind.
And especially in autumn, when the landscape with its numerous hills and forests glows red-orange, the fresh autumn wind whirls leaves from the treetops and rustles everywhere, a break in these places couldn't be more beautiful.

Everyone out to the Sauerland!

The group of friends is divided. Has a UFO landed in the treetops? "What's the oversized frisbee doing here?" you can hear them puzzling. That's how it should be. There are no limits to the imagination. But what am I actually? A fairy wreath. I can be seen in one of the award-winning hiking villages in the Sauerland. Where places for the soul await in the truest sense of the word. Where the stress of everyday life recedes into the distance. Where the mobile phone stays buried deep in the rucksack.

42 places of the soul in eleven award-winning hiking villages. They are places of retreat from everyday life. They touch and inspire. And most importantly: those seeking peace and quiet will definitely get their money's worth here.

You will meet me personally on the Landscape Therapy Path in Brilon. But before I tell you more about our meeting, I would like to dedicate a few lines to my allies, the other soul places. After all, we can all be seen and manage to impress our visitors - each in our own unique way. And of course, this time of year emphasises our beauty even more. When our Sauerland with its numerous hills and forests glows red-orange, fresh autumn wind swirls leaves from the treetops and rustles everywhere.

What makes us soul places so special? We are places that mean something to the locals and that visitors quickly take to their hearts. We are powerful and gentle at the same time. Without a doubt: we are simply good for you. Sometimes rocks and quarries or churches and hilltops lie dormant within us. Elsewhere, mighty trees and underground caves. And if you're not visiting me, you can hike along the Golden Path, up the Iron Mountain or to the Pillars of Heaven.

The group of friends is just at the beginning of the Landscape Therapy Trail - without realising what surprising experiences and resting places await them in nature. And what a view. Travelling back in time on footbridges. Tracing the footsteps of former miners. Past rock formations with small openings in the rock faces - they would never have guessed that these were mine entrances. We continue up the mountain and exactly what is supposed to happen happens. Puzzled faces look around - where is that sound coming from? The wind makes my bells ring and all eyes turn upwards. There I'm competing with the autumn leaves. Fire red. Where did I get my name? I'm definitely not just some noise installation. "I don't believe in fairy tales, but somehow I can't help thinking about forest fairies," I hear mumbling underneath me. There we have it.

Next you will come across the former ski jump. A wonderful place to take a break. This ski jump no longer provides any thrills, that is taken care of by the oversized swing on the slope. Be a child again, fly as high as you can. What a feeling! What a view!

Once on the ground, the group has settled down on the spacious loungers at the edge of the forest. Their gaze wanders over the valleys. The head is clear. And the mobile phone? It quickly disappears back into the rucksack. But first it's time to look for an appointment. The next excursion to one of the Sauerland's soulful places is coming up. There is still so much to discover.