Lippe: Hiking, Culture and Nature
Accommodation in Lippe
In Lippe, you can choose from extensive hiking trails, historic town centres, and cultural and natural attractions. The Lippe hiking trail network spans around 2,000 kilometres. There are also museums, places steeped in tradition, and experiences such as birds of prey flight shows and interactive exhibitions. So when choosing a holiday apartment, it is worth first considering which of these interests you would like to shape your stay.
Die Externsteine im Kreis Lippe bei Horn-Bad Meinberg.
Photo: ANKAWÜ via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hiking Trails and Multi-Day Tours
Part of European long-distance hiking trail E1 runs through the Lippe hiking trail network. The award-winning Hermannshöhen and Hansaweg hiking trails are also part of the network. If you enjoy exploring longer distances on foot, you can include these trails in your plans; the figure of around 2,000 kilometres refers to the entire Lippe trail network.
The Fürstenroute Lippe offers a different way to explore the area: it is a multi-day tour connecting the castles, fortresses and parks of the Lippe region. This brings different travel ideas together: hiking trails for your own stages, and a route focused on historic buildings and parkland.
Discover Town History and Culture
Lippe has seven historic town centres characterised by Renaissance buildings. In Lemgo, the Weser Renaissance Museum explores the cultural history of the Weser region in the 16th and 17th centuries. Those interested in architectural history and the region’s past will find a different perspective here than on the hiking trails: the museum focuses on the cultural history of a specific period.
In Detmold, the state theatre presents drama, opera and ballet at four venues. Detmold Residential Palace can be explored on guided tours. Visitors can discover its rooms through their history, architecture and ambience. Their design offers insights into the Renaissance, Neo-Renaissance, Weser Renaissance, Baroque and modern periods.
History and interpretation also come together at the Hermannsdenkmal: the Hermanneum uses digital applications and interactive exhibits to explain the history of the monument and its inspiration, Arminius. The monument stands atop the 386-metre-high Grotenburg in Hiddesen, a district in the south-west of Detmold. If you visit the panoramic viewing platform, bear in mind that it can only be reached via a steep spiral staircase with 100 steps.
Nature and Wildlife Experiences
The Externsteine are a cultural and natural monument in the heart of Lippe. In Detmold-Berlebeck, the Berlebeck Eagle Observatory is home to 180 birds of prey, large and small, from 48 species and is known for its spectacular flight shows. The education and information centre uses modern media to share information about birds of prey, the history of falconry and the observatory’s role in species conservation. It is suitable for school classes and other groups.
More than 1,000 birds and mammals from 300 different species live in large aviaries and open enclosures at Heiligenkirchen Bird Park. Visitors can feed birds by hand in the parrot aviary and the parakeet and small parrot aviary. Those looking for nature and wildlife experiences can compare these attractions with a visit to the Externsteine cultural and natural monument—though the experiences need not be alike.
The LWL Museum Hellerlecht offers a different focus: its open-air site, covering more than 90 hectares, features over 100 fully furnished buildings from all the regions of Westphalia. The museum demonstrates traditional crafts every day, including flour milling, blacksmithing and pottery. The extensive grounds and demonstrations make a visit to the museum a distinctive way to experience cultural heritage.
Spa Park, Regional Cuisine and Getting Around
In Bad Salzuflen, the spa park includes a Kneipp island with foot and arm baths, as well as an activity trail. The Wandelhalle presents the history, traditions and culture of the saltwater and Kneipp spa in themed pavilions, using digital, interactive and analogue displays. Those interested in this destination can include both a walk in the park and cultural experiences in their plans.
Lippischer Pickert, a typical potato speciality, is part of the regional cuisine. It is served at inns, farm cafés and restaurants. Another stop for nature enthusiasts is the Oerlinghausen Climate Experience Trail, which begins and ends at the Oerlinghausen Climate Experience Centre, Am Kalkofen 15, 33813 Oerlinghausen.
For travel to the Hermannsdenkmal, the Nature Park Bus on route 792 serves the “Hermannsdenkmal” stop on weekends and public holidays from Easter until 1 November. This connection may be useful when planning your excursion; it operates only during the specified period and on the specified days.
Places to Explore Further
For further inspiration, you can also explore the individual places: Lage, Barntrup, Leopoldshöhe, Augustdorf, Blomberg, Extertal, Lügde, Lemgo, Horn-Bad Meinberg, Dörentrup, Detmold, Kalletal, Bad Salzuflen, Oerlinghausen, Rott, Hörstmar, Schieder-Schwalenberg and Schlangen.
For the broader travel overview: North Rhine-Westphalia.
