The Externsteine are a row of sandstone towers that rise from the Teutoburg Forest like fingers, some nearly forty metres high, weathered into strange shapes and standing apart from the surrounding hills. They are among the most famous natural monuments in Germany, and a place where history, legend and politics have mingled for centuries.
On the largest rock, a relief carved in about 1115 shows the Descent from the Cross, one of the greatest medieval stone carvings in northern Europe, with a sculpted Christ and mourners, and a path and stairs lead to a chapel carved into the rock. Many people believe that the rocks were a pagan holy place before that, though the evidence is thin. In the twentieth century, the Nazis made use of the site in their invented version of German prehistory, and the rocks are still sometimes visited by groups with questionable beliefs, which is why the guides take care to tell the history straight.
The nearest town is Horn-Bad Meinberg, with about seven thousand people in the Horn area, and the larger city of Detmold is a short ride away. The roads through the Teutoburg Forest are among the best in this part of Germany, with smooth surfaces, long bends and climbs through beech and spruce woods, past little villages and ponds. At weekends, they are busy with riders, so watch for fast groups and take your time.
Fuel and food are in Horn and Detmold, and a small cafe near the rocks sells coffee and cake. The site is easy to reach from the road. Early morning is a good time to visit, when the mist hangs between the rocks and the crowd has not yet arrived. In spring and autumn, the beech forest is at its best, and in winter the rocks can be icy.