If you want to explore and experience the region's more than 250 years of exciting industrial history, set off on the fascinating DeilbachSteig. It connects the three cities of Essen, Hattingen and Velbert over a distance of 33 kilometres and leads through beautiful landscapes with wonderful views. The trail takes its name from the Deilbach in the valley of the same name, today one of the most interesting cultural landscapes in the Ruhr region. In addition to the technical monuments from this period, the hiking trail also leads to even In addition to the technical monuments from this period, the trail also leads to even older buildings and ruins that bear witness to the exciting cultural history of this region. You should not be a complete hiking novice on the DeilbachSteig, as the paths are sometimes quite demanding. You will walk over rock formations and through sections with jungle character. But you will be rewarded with wonderful views, panoramas and natural beauty all along the way. By the way: If you can't get enough of hiking on the DeilbachSteig, take the opportunity to turn off onto the BaldeneySteig, which crosses the inter-municipal hiking trail at one point.
Route information
Length: 33 km
Metres in altitude (ascent): 1.060 m
Difficulty: high
Physical condition: medium to high
Family suitability: only in a few sections
Landscape/nature: Along the Deilbach stream, through hilly forest areas, agricultural areas and settlements alternating mixed
The quarry stone building was built in 1880 and listed in 1987. Until 1929 it was the town hall of the Kupferdreh mayoralty, which at that time was not yet part of the city of Essen. Today the building belongs to the "Integrationsmodell, Ortsverband Essen e.V." association.
In the middle of the 16th century, the Kupferhammer was founded as a hammer mill for processing copper. The ensemble that still exists today dates from the second half of the 19th century. The copper hammer, which was shut down in 1940, is now part of the Deilbachtal Museum Landscape.
The listed Deilmannhof, consisting of a main house, a stable building and a cross wing, was built in 1840. In the immediate vicinity is the listed Deiler Mill. It is the oldest surviving water mill in Essen and the only one with a complete historic machine inventory.
Coal was mined at Victoria Colliery until 1925. The six-metre-high weather chimney base next to the company building is a reminder of the glorious days of black gold. Both are now listed monuments and part of the Deilbachtal cultural landscape.
This listed church in the Deilbach Valley was originally built in 1900 as an emergency church. Ruhr sandstone was used for the construction. The interior of the church is reminiscent of a barn due to the uncovered truss of the wooden roof.
In the small side valley between the ridge of the Isenberg and the Winzermark, you would hardly think you were in the Ruhr region. Rather, it feels like being in the Black Forest or even the Alps. Some finds from the Balkhaus valley date back to around 2000 BC.
Today only an imposing ruin remains of the former Isenburg Castle, which was built in the 12th century for Count Arnold von Altena on the Isenberg. In the midst of the ruins rises the Custodis House, which was built in the classicist style around 1855.
What used to be a quarry is now a paradise for all climbers. Whereas a few decades ago it was mainly bouldering on the wall, which is a maximum of 17 metres high, today it is more for route climbing. The routes are mainly of lower to medium difficulty.
Directly on the border between Velbert-Langenberg and Hattingen, on the street Am Isenberg, there is a memorial to the victims of the First and Second World Wars. World War II. In the roundabout with seating, hikers can look as far as the Langenberg transmitter.
The two masts of the Langenberg transmitter are a good landmark because they are visible from a distance. The mast, which is 360 metres higher, is a popular destination for excursions because of its location on the Hordtberg. The Langenberg site is one of the oldest in the history of German radio broadcasting.
The Bismarck Tower, a landmark of Langenberg, was built of mighty quarry stone ashlars at the beginning of the 20th century. The almost 30-metre-high tower is located in the immediate vicinity of the Waldkletterpark, one of the most beautiful climbing parks in North Rhine-Westphalia.
The old town of Langenberg is one of the most beautiful and picturesque in the region with its quaint half-timbered houses, winding alleys and small stairways. Also worth seeing are the New Church in late Gothic style, which is used as an event church, and the Old Church.
In the middle of the old town stands the listed and completely renovated Historisches Bürgerhaus Langenberg. Cultural and artistic events take place in the imposing castle-like building. The impressive art exhibition "Grundsteinkisten" ("Foundation Stone Boxes") is located in the ambulatory of the Bürgerhaus.
The Voßnacker Brickworks was built in 1899 to use the local clay deposits for brick production. Three brickyard buildings and the 53-metre-high chimney still exist today. The listed brickworks is the last surviving 19th century brickworks in Essen.
The Hundebrücke (Dog Bridge) takes its name from "dog" for small lorries that carried stones, ore and coal. In this case, the bridge served to transport sandstone. Built in the mid-19th century, it consists of a stone arch bridge and an iron truss bridge.
The Deilbachhammer is a historical-technical cultural monument, as it is the last surviving iron hammer on its original site in the whole of Essen. The listed ensemble consists of the hammer building situated directly on the Deilbach, the former foreman's house and a workers' house.
Until the end of the 19th century, this former farming community belonged to the district of Mettmann, before it became part of the Essen district of Kupferdreh. An architectural highlight of the district is the listed Catholic church of St. Mary's Birth, built between 1876 and 1879 in the neo-Gothic style.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the industrial magnate Karl Funke donated a considerable sum of money to Kupferdreh for ecclesiastical purposes. The money was used to build today's Karl-Funke-Stiftung in neo-Romanesque style. While it served charitable purposes until 2008, it is now an apartment building.
The forerunner of today's bridge was opened in 1872 as part of the "Lower Ruhr Valley Railway". Blown up by the German Wehrmacht in 1945, it was subsequently rebuilt as a single-track bridge. Since 1984 it has been a footpath and cycleway linking the districts of Kupferdreh and Heisingen.
In 1898 the reception building of the former "Königlich Preußischen Bahnhof zu Kupferdreh" was built. After the entire station was closed down in 1967/1968, the listed building now houses a restaurant. The listed building is now home to the "Lukas" restaurant (see "Gastronomy").
