Helminghausen: Hiking, Water and Village History

Helminghausen lies below the dam in the Diemel Valley and combines a waterside landscape, hiking trails and a remarkable village history. The village is first mentioned in 1325 in a document from Bredelar Monastery and is officially recognised today as a state-approved resort in North Rhine-Westphalia. For your travel planning, this creates a diverse mix: You can go on circular hikes, experience the Diemel Reservoir, discover attractions in the Old Manor Garden and follow historical traces in the village.

Hiking between the Diemel Valley and the dam

A straightforward way to explore Helminghausen on foot is the 8.1-kilometre circular hike “Berg und Tal Helminghausen HL2”. The start and finish are at Helminghausen Church. The “Berg und Tal” Helminghausen 2 hike offers panoramic views of the Diemel Valley. If you are looking for a longer hiking connection in the holiday region, you can include the 63-kilometre Diemelsteig quality hiking trail in your plans. It is possible to join the trail from all villages along the route. The Diemelsteig leads to the Helminghausen hiking car park and then continues towards the dam.

The “Around the Pond” circular trail also focuses on the reservoir. It passes the dam and the power station and includes the “Former Mill” rest area. For a combination of hiking and water, the ferry hiking trail is an option: It allows you to walk around Lake Diemel and can be combined with a boat trip on the “MS Muffert”. The starting point is listed as the large Diemelsee car park, Am See 8, 34431 Marsberg-Helminghausen.

Water, the Manor Garden and Activities

Helminghausen Lido has a playground and offers boat hire. This allows different interests to be taken into account when planning the day without limiting the trip to a single activity. The Old Manor Garden in Helminghausen has a Pit-Pat course, a table tennis table, multi-generational exercise equipment and a calisthenics area. The facilities also include a Mensch ärgere Dich nicht game area. The Pit-Pat course in the Old Manor Garden is centrally located in Helminghausen, directly next to the historic manor house.

Cyclists also have a specific point of interest: The 15-kilometre cycle path around Lake Diemel recommends the Old Manor Garden in Helminghausen as an intermediate stop. Another special natural attraction mentioned in Helminghausen is a wildlife enclosure. When choosing your accommodation, you can therefore consider whether hiking, water activities, a cycling tour or shared activities in the village should be the focus of your stay.

Village History Around the Church, Manor House and Chapel

The dam wall of the Diemel Reservoir near Helminghausen is a gravity dam of the Intze dam type and is 42 metres high above its foundation. In the village itself, a signposted circular trail tells historical stories of the village and points out the sights. The village’s history also includes the Catholic church, originally built in 1906/07 in the Romanesque style with a roof turret, and the Old Helminghausen Manor from 1680/81.

At the war memorial, Helminghausen’s old school bell stands in a bell frame erected in 2004. Another special feature is the “Am Birkenhof” chapel, which was built through the initiative of a family living there. In addition to nature and leisure activities, these stops also give a stay in Helminghausen a historical setting. The signposted circular trail provides orientation if you would like to combine the village’s history with a walk.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

A holiday apartment or holiday house in Helminghausen can serve as a starting point for a variety of day plans. If you plan the 8.1-kilometre circular hike, the church is the designated starting and finishing point. For the ferry hiking trail, on the other hand, the large Diemelsee car park is listed as the starting point. If you would like to use the Diemelsteig or the cycle path around Lake Diemel, you can take the respective route details into account when choosing the right area of the village and planning your day. This means that your search for accommodation is guided not only by the name of the village, but also by whether hiking, water, cycling, the Manor Garden or village history is most important to you.

If you would like to compare other places, you can find Padberg, Leitmar, Obermarsberg, Bredelar and Beringhausen here.

For the higher-level travel overview: Marsberg.