Haar (Westphalia)
Encyclopedia
The Haar or Haarstrang is a ridge of hills on the southern edge of the Westphalian Basin in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia
. From a natural region
perspective it is the southern, submontane part of the Hellweg Börde
, which stands opposite the northern area of the Süderbergland
(which is the natural region of the Sauerland
), north of the Möhne
and Ruhr
rivers.
Its highest elevation is the 391 m high Spitze Warte, which is situationed near Rüthen
-Hemmern at the eastern end of the Haarstrang. Further west the crest of the ridge reaches heights of generally 200 to 250 m above sea level (NN) and rises to about 100 to 150 m over the Ruhr
and Möhne
valleys in the south as well as the valley of the Lippe in the north separated by the Upper and Lower Hellweg
, both parts of the Hellweg Börde.
North Rhine-Westphalia
North Rhine-Westphalia is the most populous state of Germany, with four of the country's ten largest cities. The state was formed in 1946 as a merger of the northern Rhineland and Westphalia, both formerly part of Prussia. Its capital is Düsseldorf. The state is currently run by a coalition of the...
. From a natural region
Natural region
A Natural region is one which is distinguished by its natural features of geography and usually more important, geology. The natural ecology of the region is likely to be significant but one of these factors tends to influence the others....
perspective it is the southern, submontane part of the Hellweg Börde
Hellweg Börde
The Hellweg Börde refers to the countryside and natural region on the southern edge of the Westphalian Lowland in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which embraces the old Hellweg trading route cities and towns of Dortmund, Unna, Werl and Soest extending to Salzkotten and from there in...
, which stands opposite the northern area of the Süderbergland
Süderbergland
The Süderbergland , sometimes called the Südergebirge in German, is a major natural region of the Rhenish Massif in the German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and northwestern Hesse...
(which is the natural region of the Sauerland
Sauerland
The Sauerland is a rural, hilly area spreading across most of the south-eastern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, in parts heavily forested and, apart from the major valleys, sparsely inhabited...
), north of the Möhne
Möhne
The Möhne is a small-size river in western Germany , right tributary of the Ruhr. The Möhne passes the towns of Brilon, Rüthen, Warstein. There is large articifical lake near the mouth of the river, the Möhne Reservoir, used for hydro power generation and leisure activities....
and Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
rivers.
Its highest elevation is the 391 m high Spitze Warte, which is situationed near Rüthen
Rüthen
Rüthen is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.-Geography:Rüthen is situated at the northeastern border of the natural preserve Arnsberger Wald between the Haarstrang and the valley of the river Möhne, approx. 20 km south of Lippstadt and south-west of Paderborn...
-Hemmern at the eastern end of the Haarstrang. Further west the crest of the ridge reaches heights of generally 200 to 250 m above sea level (NN) and rises to about 100 to 150 m over the Ruhr
Ruhr
The Ruhr is a medium-size river in western Germany , a right tributary of the Rhine.-Description:The source of the Ruhr is near the town of Winterberg in the mountainous Sauerland region, at an elevation of approximately 2,200 feet...
and Möhne
Möhne
The Möhne is a small-size river in western Germany , right tributary of the Ruhr. The Möhne passes the towns of Brilon, Rüthen, Warstein. There is large articifical lake near the mouth of the river, the Möhne Reservoir, used for hydro power generation and leisure activities....
valleys in the south as well as the valley of the Lippe in the north separated by the Upper and Lower Hellweg
Hellweg
In the Middle Ages the Hellweg was an ancient east-west route through Germany, the main corridor from the Rhine east to the mountains of the Teutoburger Wald, reaching from Duisburg, at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers, to Paderborn, with the slopes of the Sauerland to its south.In the...
, both parts of the Hellweg Börde.
External links
- Natural region maps from the individual 1:200,000 sheets by the Bundesinstitut für Landeskunde - relevant here are all units beginning with "544" on
- Sheet 97 - Münster
- Sheet 98 - Detmold (west of the sheet)
- Sheet 110 - Arnsberg
- Sheet 111 - Arolsen (west)