The nature reserve Festberg near Philippinenthal is about 4 km as the crow flies northeast of the city center of Wolfhagen in north Hesse Habichtswald Nature Park. The limestone lawn on the rugged southern slope of the Festberg is protected. The area is certainly not a major attraction (e.g. there are large limestone grasslands on Dörnberg). But the view of the landscape away from the main tourist trails is quite nice. It is therefore definitely worthwhile to plan the Festberg as a smaller secondary point on an excursion with a different main program.
background
Colloquially, the mountain or hill group of Ofen, Fest, Helfen and Isthaberg is also known as "Wolfhager Switzerland".
Keyword lean grasslands
The limestone grassland or dry calcareous grassland is one of the most biodiverse biotopes in Europe. It often forms on warm, south-facing slopes where precipitation evaporates quickly. Another prerequisite for the formation of such a biotope is a water-permeable, calcareous soil that quickly drains the precipitation downwards. This is e.g. B. the case with karst formations. Throughout Germany, you can find lime-lean grasslands in the Swabian Alb, which is known as Karst area brings with it optimal conditions. Juniper bushes are also typical of the location. Rare flowering plants such as gentians, silver thistle or pasque flower can be found in the dry limestone grass. Today, limestone grasslands are often kept open through active nature conservation measures, as the historical migrant sheep farms no longer exist in many locations. Only in this way can the open site conditions for the rare plant species be guaranteed in the long term. Grazing with goats is sometimes used for this, or bushes and shrubs are cut back.
getting there
By train
The Festberg is quite easy to reach by train for its rural location. The area itself is only directly accessible on foot or by bike. The next train station is Altenhasungen on the Regiotram line 4 from Kassel to Wolfhagen. The official name in the timetable information of the NVV is "Wolfhagen-Altenhasungen Bahnhof". The Regiotram runs every hour on weekdays, and every two hours on Sundays and public holidays. Travel time from Kassel main train station 46 minutes.
Ticket tips: Couples (2 adults), families with up to 3 children or up to 3 young people alone can use the inexpensive multi-ticket. There is also an inexpensive group ticket for small groups of up to 5 people. From Kassel city center, price level 5 applies NVV
From the train station you walk about 2 km through the town center to the NSG. You turn from the train station on Hardtstraße in the direction of the center of the village. Here you turn right from the main road into the little street "Unter den Linden", which soon turns into a farm road. At the edge of the built-up area, turn left from the street into another asphalt farm road. This leads slightly uphill to the south to the ridge of the Festberg. During the moderate ascent you have a nice view of Altenhasungen and across to the Great Bear Mountain. Hold up on the right and the benches are in sight. After 50 meters of altitude you can relax here. The path is not signposted, so the site plan was created.
In the street
If you come by car, you can park in Altenhasungen. From there on foot to the NSG (footpath as described above from the Altenhasungen train station).
The supraregional arrival is via the A 44:
- From the north and west, leave the A 44 at the Breuna junction and drive via Niederelsungen and Nothfelden to Altenhasungen.
- Coming from Kassel, leave the A 44 at the Zierenberg junction. After the exit, turn right onto the B 251 in the direction of Korbach / Wolfhagen. Leave this before the next place at the entrance to Oelshausen. You finally reach the destination Altenhasungen via district roads via Wenigenhasungen.
By bicycle
By bike, the protected area can be reached from the south of Altenhausungen in addition to the route already described Hess. Long-distance cycle route R4: From Sleeping Beauty to the Nibelungs and from Kassel-Edersee cycle path Accessible via a roughly graveled forest path (see map).
Tourist Attractions
- view - From the 330 m high ridge of the Festberg you have a beautiful view of the landscape to the south over the hamlet of Phillippinenthal. Two free-standing benches invite you to enjoy the spring and autumn sun. In midsummer, however, it can get uncomfortably hot on the free ridge.
- Flora and fauna - The common barberry, the bee ragwort and the fly ragwort are found on the limestone grassland of the Festberg.[1] The area is 14 hectares.[2]. The ridge is kept artificially open, otherwise the area would be completely covered with bushes. The open area of the limestone lawn is important for the protection of valuable orchid species.
activities
- Walk to the NSG
- Enjoy the view
- Just relax on the benches
accommodation
The next known guest beds for the NSG can be found in the Hotel Rasenmühle (see section kitchen)
Overnight over-the-local see article City Wolfhagen.
kitchen
Self-catering is the order of the day on the Festberg.
The next well-known stop at the NSG was the "Hotel-Restaurant-Cafe Rasenmühle" about 1 km northwest of the area. As of June 2014, the lawn mill is probably closed.
Practical advice
Please observe the usual rules for entering nature reserves (do not pick flowers or plants, stay on the paths, do not leave any rubbish ...) so that the next visitors will also find beautiful nature.
security
If there is a risk of thunderstorms, you should avoid the free ridges of the Festberg.
Web links and individual references
- ↑ Hessian Ministry for the Environment, Energy, Agriculture and Consumer Protection: Standard data sheet extract for FFH area proposal: 4621-305 Festberg near Philippinenthal
- ↑Data on the Festberg nature reserve near Phillipinenthal in the Environmental Atlas of Hessen
