Up high & down low

“Du hast einen Pulsschlag aus Stahl” - You have a pulse of steel, my mind provides a line that makes me think of ten thousand people roaring in the Ruhrstadion on Castroper Straße. After all, “Bochum” also is the fan anthem of Vfl Bochum club. It’s not a match day today, though. Today is the day on which I will learn why the pulse of steel is beating here. What place would be better for that than the world’s largest mining museum? Just 20 metres underneath the German Mining Museum, I am travelling “down into the mine” in the pit cage, almost feeling like a miner myself as I move through the dark, narrow corridors. From down below, I move on into the air, with a winding tower affording me a special view of the city with its pulse of steel.

The Museum unter Tage, in short: MuT, which also spells “courage” in German. That is not something I need during my visit, fortunately. The path to the museum already captures my attention as I walk across the large palace park, accompanied by the twittering of birds and passing a number of sculptures. I stop at the moat as I spot an amazing sight. “Turning old into new” seems to be the motto here, where an ensemble of ruins and new building makes for a fascinating look with a modern glass cube installed in the old moated castle ruins. It houses a café, amongst other things. It’s a real highlight, not just for fans of architecture. I move further down from there to my actual destination.

Although the MuT exhibition rooms are underground, they are brightly lit and offer a friendly atmosphere. Exhibits ranging from classical oil paintings to abstract light installations are waiting for me.

I take the train towards Hohenlimburg with my “Königskrone”, an incredibly delicious oriental puff pastry from the pistachio pastry shop no more than a 10-minute walk from the station. Once there, it’s time for a mountain tour since my destination, Schloss Hohenlimburg, is towering above the district named after it. The only medieval hilltop castle in Westphalia is quite impressive, and so is the view it affords of the Lenne valley. I am particularly fond of the baroque garden and a real gothic story told during the castle tour.

I need to calm down a bit afterwards. Who would have thought that a twenty-minute train ride is actually helpful there. What an idyllic route. As an extra piece of advice, I suggest sitting on the train’s left-hand side. From where one can watch the river Lenne flowing through the window and the “Pater und Nonne” rock formation will appear just ahead when crossing the river. Fuck, I was too slow in getting my phone out for a picture. Once in Iserlohn, everything goes properly downhill. The lights go out around me, with just a few torchlights glittering and sparkling. “Is it a secret passageway?” I hear a child nearby ask – and I’m at least as excited as they are. Then everything goes quiet around me and I listen to the sound of the cave. A few moments ago, I was lady of the castle, now I’ve turned into a caveman. And one in the Dechenhöhle to boot – one of Germany’s most beautiful stalactite caves.

 

My legs feel heavy, I’m growing a bit tired, but there’s special beauty waiting for me in Altena. Burg Altena can even be accessed by adventure lift. The place is also known as the world’s oldest youth hostel. I walk along the imposing castle wall, enjoying a truly panoramic view of the region. It’s an even prettier sight from the castle towers. Inside the castle, I immerse myself deeply in the past, where various exhibitions present the site’s history to me. I’m already looking forward to my onward journey to the next Sauerland highlight. I pass some charming little towns such as Werdohl and Plettenberg, which show off their traditional half-timbered houses and historical churches. The river Lenne is also playing a part again as it continues to meander picturesquely through the landscape in the Lenne valley.