Discover Reiste: Church, Chapel Trail and Rock Cellar

For a stay in Reiste, the history of the church and village, along with the paths around the village, offer different points of interest. The parish church, organ and rock cellar tell stories from different historical periods; the trails focus on chapels and the surrounding landscape.

Church, Organ and Market

The listed neo-Gothic St. Pankratius Parish Church in Reiste was consecrated on 14 November 1852. Its historic organ also reaches back to an earlier period: the oldest pipes come from a Baroque organ built for Grafschaft Abbey in 1633. In total, the organ contains pipes from around 400 years of organ history. Thus, one instrument brings together the consecration of the parish church in the 19th century and the earlier origins of its oldest pipes.

The Reiste Market also has a long historical connection: it is documented as the St. Bartholomew’s Market since the Middle Ages. Together with the church and organ, it offers another perspective on local history, while the three topics span more than one historical period.

The Rock Cellar and Its History

The rock cellar is a preserved former cooling tunnel associated with Reiste’s 19th-century beer-brewing tradition. It was dug into the rock to cool Reiste beer when the available cooling facilities were insufficient. Its original function is therefore central to the site’s history: the tunnel was used for cooling, not as a brewery.

During the Second World War, the rock cellar served as an air-raid shelter. Its earlier use as a cooling tunnel and its later use as a shelter mark different chapters in its history. A visit to the rock cellar is not assumed here to be currently available.

Walking Trails and Chapels

The 12.5 km hiking trail around Reister Berg offers views over Reiste and the surrounding villages. In some sections, it follows the Sauerland-Höhenflug and the Esloher Grenzgänger trails. The route can therefore be described by its length and the stated course; no walking time or difficulty rating is specified.

The Reiste Chapel Trail offers a different way to explore the area: its southern route starts at St. Pankratius Parish Church. The Chapel Trail also has a stamp passport, which can be stamped with the seal of the relevant patron saint at the village chapels. As local organizers may adjust visitor services, it is best to check in advance whether the stamp passport will be available on your chosen date.

Plan Your Journey

A train connection runs from Dortmund or Kassel to Meschede. From there, bus route S70 towards Grevenbrück goes directly to Reiste. As timetables may change, check the current connections before travelling. This lets you plan your journey using the train and bus legs without assuming a specific travel time.

In the wider destination of Eslohe (Sauerland)

Eslohe is located in the Sauerland-Rothaargebirge Nature Park and is a state-recognized climatic health resort. In the historic center of Eslohe, half-timbered houses around 200 years old stand around St. Peter and Paul Parish Church. These townscapes and the facilities of the wider destination complement the topics relating to Reiste, but are not features of the district of Reiste.

The DampfLandLeute Museum is located in a side valley of the state-recognized climatic health resort of Eslohe. Its permanent exhibition covers agriculture, forestry, village crafts, folklore and technology. From April to October, the museum railway runs with a diesel locomotive on the first Saturday of each month, from 3 to 5 p.m. Check the current timetable for your chosen date. During steam days, historic steam engines are operated at least twice a year.

Eslohe also offers several points of interest for cycling and biking: the 84-kilometer SauerlandRadring connects Finnentrop, Eslohe, Schmallenberg and Lennestadt. The Bike Parcours Eslohe in the Fun- & Sportanlage Eslohe includes dirt lines, jumps in three difficulty levels, a flow trail and a large pump track. These are regional attractions in the wider destination; they should be considered separately from the trails and sights in Reiste when planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Niedersalwey, Wenholthausen, Lochtrop, Cobbenrode

Go to the wider travel overview: Eslohe.