Bonstapel, Summit in Vlotho, Kreis Herford, Germany

Bonstapel is a mountain summit in North Rhine-Westphalia with views across the surrounding forests and valleys from its peak. The trails wind through dense woodland, offering different routes to reach the top.

The Bonstapel lies in the Lipper Bergland near Vlotho, not in the Central German Uplands. On 30 June 2020, a six-tonne boulder found in Vlotho was placed on the summit, inscribed "Bonstapel 342 Meter höchste Erhebung im Kreis Herford". The nearby Linnenbeeke springs from seven sources on the mountain.

The summit's name comes from a Ravensberg legend: the devil tried to dam the Weser at Porta Westfalica with a mountain he carried from near Kassel, but a priest raised a cross, he dropped it, and it became the Bonstapel. The tale says his groans still sound and his sweat feeds the seven springs of the Linnenbeeke below.

Marked trails lead from nearby parking areas to the summit and are accessible year-round. The best hiking season runs from April to October when weather conditions are most favorable.

On 30 June 2020 a six-tonne erratic boulder found in Vlotho was placed on the summit, inscribed "Bonstapel 342 Meter höchste Erhebung im Kreis Herford". The hill is the highest point of both the town of Vlotho and the district of Herford.