Discover Usseln: Nature, Trails and Family Experiences

Usseln combines impressive natural areas with unusual family experiences and insights into the history of the Waldecker Upland. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment can plan their stay according to different interests: circular trails lead through the landscape, themed trails bring farming to life, and museums preserve regional history as well as curious collections.

Nature and trails around Usseln

The Kahle Pön area near Usseln has been designated a nature reserve since 1987. The high heathland on the Kahle Pön provides a habitat for rare native plant species that are threatened in their continued existence. This makes the landscape area a special natural feature for anyone who wants to discover not only villages and excursion destinations during their trip, but also characteristic plant habitats.

The Osterkopf nature reserve east of Usseln also displays a distinctive landscape form. The protected area includes montane dwarf-shrub heath, adjacent mountain meadows and mat-grass grasslands. From the Catholic church in Usseln, the Osterkopf can be reached via the Osterkopf Circular Trail.

Different routes are available for planning your walks. The U1 circular trail starts and ends at the Usseln hiking car park at Sportstraße 7, 34508 Willingen, district of Usseln. The U2 is a 3.6 km circular trail around the Hoher Pön. The access route and return from the Usseln Tourist Information Centre follow the same route as the U1 or, in part, the Uplandsteig trail. Depending on your preferred itinerary for the day, you can therefore choose between starting at the hiking car park and starting at the Tourist Information Centre.

Family experiences with a regional connection

The 6 km Milch-Erlebnispfad Usseln trail focuses on milk and farming. Quiz questions and original interactive stations accompany the themed trail. There are also films about farming at the Heustadl cinema, a telescope station, a photo point and a cow-pat trampoline. Places to stop for refreshments and rest are also available along the trail; at the end, visitors can stop at the Muhseumscafé of the Upländer Bauernmolkerei dairy. For families who want to combine a shared excursion with specific stations and a regional theme, this trail is a distinctive experience in Usseln.

The Usseln outdoor swimming pool offers another opportunity for a varied day. Its facilities include a 25 m water slide and diving towers at heights of 1 m and 3 m. There is also a separate baby pool with colourful play equipment. These different areas can be taken into account when planning a day during your stay if, in addition to nature trails, water-based experiences are also to be part of the programme.

Museums, church and special collections

The Usseln Local History Museum covers more than 250 m². It provides insights into the life, history and culture of the Waldecker Upland, as well as into the nature and landscape of today’s Diemelsee Nature Park. Numerous exhibits illustrate everyday life in earlier times, the hard work and living habits of that period. The Kilianskirche Usseln is described as the mother church of the Upland.

At the Upländer Milchmuhseum, you can discover interactive exhibits such as a museum cow for milking and a heavy milk yoke. Audio guide information in German or Dutch is available at 21 stations. The Curioseum offers a completely different experience: On two floors, a 650 m barrier-free circular tour leads through thousands of exhibits. These include 50 classic cars, 20 partly bizarre microcars and old motorcycles.

The right accommodation for your travel plans

When choosing a holiday apartment in Usseln, the main factor is therefore which experiences you want to focus on during your trip. Nature enthusiasts can make circular trails, high heathland and nature reserves the centre of their plans. Families will find different options for spending time together with the Milch-Erlebnispfad trail and the outdoor swimming pool. Those who appreciate regional history and unusual exhibitions can include the Local History Museum, Milchmuhseum and Curioseum in their plans. This allows you to tailor your accommodation search to your preferred combination of landscape, activities, water and culture.

For further orientation around the area, you can also visit the pages on Welleringhausen, Bömighausen, Eimelrod, Schwalefeld, Rattlar and Neerdar.

For the overview of the wider destination: Willingen.