Willingen (Upland): Hiking and Views

Hiking through varied landscapes

The Uplandsteig is a 66 km certified quality hiking trail. It loops around the municipality of Willingen (Upland), passing through all nine districts. The route leads through mixed, beech and fir forests, as well as across open fields, flowering meadows and marshland. It therefore encompasses more than one type of landscape: forests, open countryside and wetland areas all feature in the route described. If you are travelling with family, you can decide together whether a long hiking route or individual viewpoint experiences better suit your holiday interests.

Skywalk, ski jump and observation towers

Willingen Skywalk stretches for 665 m and hangs 100 m above the Upland landscape. These dimensions give the viewpoint a scale of its own. The Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump is another striking landmark: it is a year-round visitor attraction and a leisure tip. Its ski-jump tower is 25 m high and has a viewpoint called “Adlerhorst” (“Eagle’s Nest”).

The Hochheideturm on Ettelsberg is 62 m high; its observation platform is 875 m above sea level and is described as the highest viewpoint in northwestern Germany. A wheelchair-accessible lift that accommodates eight people leads to the platform. The tower heights can be compared directly: the Hochheideturm is 62 m high, while the ski-jump tower is 25 m high. These figures offer a practical point of reference for anyone considering including viewpoints in their holiday plans.

A practical point of reference

On the Skywalk/Schanze–Ettelsberg circular route, five free parking spaces are available at the valley station of the Ettelsberg cable car at Zur Hoppecke 5. The address and its connection to the circular route give you a specific point of reference if you are planning to visit this area during your stay.

More travel ideas in Waldeck-Frankenberg

The wider travel destination of Waldeck-Frankenberg offers other themes, too. The 66-kilometre Urwaldsteig Edersee trail can be hiked in eight stages or as part of a three-day ranger-led hike, with around 22 kilometres per stage. Check the current dates for the ranger-led hike in advance. In Korbach, the GeoFoyer Kalkturm presents the landscape and natural life around Korbach as they were 250 million years ago. Another exhibition looks at the extraction and processing of limestone, as well as its industrial use in the quarry for over 100 years.

In Frankenberg (Eder), the Historic Town Hall is a half-timbered building dating from 1509. Its ten towers represent the town’s ten guilds. Every Saturday, the Landfrauen farmers’ market is held at the Rathausschirn of the Historic Town Hall. Check the current date before your visit. The different themes—views and hiking in Willingen, geological history in Korbach and half-timbered architecture in Frankenberg—give you specific options to consider when exploring other destinations in the wider Waldeck-Frankenberg travel region.

Allendorf (Eder) adds opportunities for activity and socialising to the mix: the multi-generational park covers an area of around 3,000 square metres and has 28 stations for activities and interaction across generations. The “Im Ried” dirt-bike facility within the park offers trails of varying difficulty levels and a pump track; it opened in October 2017. The wider destination therefore offers everything from hiking stages and exhibitions to different forms of physical activity.

Discover more destinations

Usseln, Welleringhausen, Rattlar, Bömighausen, Schwalefeld, Eimelrod, Neerdar.

Back to the main travel overview: Waldeck-Frankenberg.