Barkhausen: Natural Area, Biodiversity and Cycling Tours

Barkhausen combines distinctive landscapes, special habitats and several opportunities for a cycling trip. The Barkhausen dry valley, the Alme Cycle Route and the Ziegenberg nature reserve each have a different focus: here, the emphasis is on extensive nature observation; there, on springs, woodland and steep slopes; and elsewhere, on a longer cycling tour through the Alme valley.

Nature in the Dry Valley and on Ziegenberg

The Barkhausen dry valley was profiled over a length of 360 metres and a width of 40 to 90 metres. Its significance is also reflected in its wildlife: monitoring in 2021 recorded more than 90 species of aculeate hymenopterans from the wild bee fauna in the area. Surveys in 2023 and 2024 also show that many threatened bird species use the dry valley as a habitat or search for food there. Those interested in nature observation will find specific subjects here that differ from a classic cycling tour.

The natural area also includes the Ziegenberg nature reserve. It covers around 80 hectares and lies on the northwestern edge of the Paderborn Plateau. Ziegenberg is registered as an FFH site in the Natura 2000 network under the identifier DE-4318-301. The area includes deciduous woodland on steep slopes up to 20 metres high to the right of the Alme valley, as well as areas on the adjacent plateau. White-throated dippers breed on the stony steep banks. Ziegenberg therefore offers another perspective on the landscape, bringing together landforms, woodland and wildlife.

Springs, Woodland and Regional History

Sammtholz, also known as Wewerscher Forst, is a spring-rich region with a total of eight springs from various partial catchment areas. Seepage springs, waterfall springs and karst springs rise there in the partial catchment areas of the Erlbach, Heder and Alme. The area lies on the northern edge of the Geseke Oberbörde, at the transition to the Geseke Unterbörde and the Borchen Platten. Larvae of the fire salamander were recorded at spring A02; earlier surveys also identified alpine newts, common toads, common frogs and several dragonfly species there, including common damselflies and darters.

History also offers its own point of access. There are two former aristocratic residences in the vicinity of Wewer: the so-called Old Castle and a Baroque palace built by the von Imbsen family in the 17th century. Barkhausen itself is considered to be the medieval settlement of Barkhusen, which disappeared in the 15th century. These historical references complement the nature-related subjects without reducing the character of a present-day stay to a single attraction.

Cycling Tours with Different Focal Points

The Alme Cycle Route is around 68 kilometres long and runs through Barkhausen in the largely protected Alme valley from the source to the mouth. Anyone looking for a longer connection through the Alme valley can include this route in their travel plans. Another option is the signposted Paderborn West Loop PB 4. The approximately 34-kilometre cycling tour leads to Wewer and continues through the western Paderborn landscape to Lake Lippesee. The two routes therefore already differ in their described course and regional focus.

To prepare for a cycling tour, the GPS data for the Alme Cycle Route can be downloaded free of charge from the route's website and the Teuto_Navigator tour portal. This makes it easier to decide before the trip whether a longer tour along the Alme or a loop through the western Paderborn landscape fits your own daily itinerary.

The Right Accommodation for Your Travel Plans

When looking for a holiday apartment in Barkhausen, it is advisable to determine your desired travel focus first. If you primarily want to combine nature observation and landscape exploration, the dry valley, Ziegenberg and Sammtholz represent different facets of the natural area. For active days on two wheels, the approximately 68-kilometre Alme Cycle Route and the approximately 34-kilometre PB 4 offer two clearly defined planning options. What matters is which experiences you want to place at the centre and how you want to divide your days between cycling routes, landscape and regional history.

Your arrival can also be included in the planning: Since 4 November 2024, the journey on line 16 departing from Schloß Neuhaus at 6:20 a.m. ends at the Barkhausen stop; on that date, the journey departing from the depot at 6:55 a.m. begins at the Barkhausen stop. Check this information for your specific travel plans and choose your accommodation so that it matches your intended daily schedule and means of transport.

Discover More Destinations

You can find more destinations in the same overview at: Hövelhof, Paderborn, Delbrück, Büren, Bad Lippspringe, Herbram, Borchen and Lichtenau.

For the higher-level travel overview: Paderborn.