At this resting place on the Rahrbach Poetry Trail, the forest landscape obviously changes: here we enter an extensive beech forest area protected as a flora and fauna habitat - the "FFH area of beech and quarry forests near Einsiedelei and Apollmicke". Old, majestic-looking beech trees, some of which are already dead, dominate the landscape. On closer inspection, we can see caves in some of the trunks and get an idea of the value that the dying and dead trees have for species conservation!
The deliberate preservation of old, strong, living and dead trees in the forest is an important measure for the protection of species, because many species - birds of prey, owls, black storks, woodpeckers, bats, many insects and also wood-decaying fungi - only find ideal living conditions (breeding and feeding grounds) in forests rich in old and dead wood. The Landesbetrieb Wald und Holz NRW therefore deliberately leaves some strong trees with caves and eyries in the older forests of the state forest until the decay phase and has also designated these ecosystems as wilderness areas in addition to protecting them as FFH areas. This measure is a first step towards the "primeval forest of tomorrow". You can find out more about this at the "Lebensringe" experience station.
The wilderness areas are predominantly located in nature conservation and FFH areas, which means that entering the forest areas off the paths is prohibited, as is collecting plants or mushrooms. You must therefore stay on the marked hiking trail until you reach the next stopping point. And of course visitors to the forest, whether in the "normal" forest or in the wilderness area, must be aware of typical forest hazards such as falling branches and tripping hazards.
The resting place is located on the Rahrbacher Poesieweg circular trailwhich stretches for around 8 km.
The surroundings create a calming atmosphere. You can pause at various stations along the way. Short, inspiring poems await visitors there, encouraging them to linger, reflect and feel a closer connection to nature.
A free booklet is available to enhance the experience on the Poetry Trail. This can be obtained from the Lennestadt & Kirchhundem Tourist Information Office or downloaded online.