The Volkmarser way is a 44 km long main hiking trail from Volkmarsen above Wolfhagen and Naumburg to Fritzlar. The hiking route was established in 1974/1975 and roughly follows the course of the old Fritzlar-Paderborn Heerstraße. Although the route has been changed several times, it still connects several sights in Wolfhager Land.
Route profile
- Length: 44 km. The Volkmarser Weg can be easily divided into several stages of different lengths.
- Altitude meters: About 750 meters. The two starting points, the city centers of Volkmarsen and Fritzlar, lie at different heights.
- Stages: 4 stages, the start and end points of which can all be easily reached by public transport and often have a place to stop for refreshments.
- Mark: The Volkmarser Weg is marked with a white V, mostly on a black or dark background. The stickers also bear the words "Volkmarser Weg" and "HWGHV".
- Signposting: As of August 2015, the signs for the Volkmarser Weg can be described as poor and sometimes incomplete. Signposts with kilometer information are rarely found on the hiking route.
- Suitable footwear: In dry weather, the hiking trail can be walked on with normal shoes with a good profile, apart from short sections such as at the former Monschein restaurant.
- Family suitability: Only partially given, as the Volkmarser Weg repeatedly has steep gradients and poor sections of the route, such as near Monschein or between Altendorf and Züschen.
- Mountain bike suitability: Yes, usually even for beginners with little experience.
- Best season: All year round, but preferably the Volkmarser Weg should be hiked in dry weather.
background
Volkmarsen is a small town with around 6750 inhabitants in the northern part of Wolfhager Land. The most important sights are the Kugelsburg, first mentioned in a document in 1225, which is also the symbol of the city of Volkmarsen, the Wittmark chapel between Volkmarsen and Welda from the 12th century, the Catholic Church of St. Marien, built around 1260, and the leisure facility "Volkmarser Sauerbrunnen" in Erpetal (www.sauerbrunnen-volkmarsen.de).
The Heerstrasse Fritzlar-Paderborn ran from Fritzlar above Naumburg, Wolfhagen, Viesebeck, the Scheid and Volkmarsen to Westphalia and was one of the main arteries of Upper and Niederhessen to Westphalia. The residents along the Heerstraße benefited economically from this, but were not spared from warlike influences when the troops of over a thousand men moved across the Heerstraße in the Middle Ages.
The Main hiking trails of the HWGHV were introduced from 1973 to replace the road markings with standard signs. So also the 44 km long Volkmarser Weg, which includes many sights of the Wolfhager Land, such as the nature reserve Scheid, the Scheidwarte, the nature reserve Dörneberg, the Graner Berg, the natural monument Raue Steine, the Naumburger Warte, the Burgstall Beltershausen, the natural monument Riesenstein, the Garvensburg Castle and the Donarquelle, connects with each other.
getting there
.JPG/250px-Scheidwarte_Volkmarsen_(1).JPG)
By car
Parking spaces for hikers along the Volkmarser Weg can be found at the Scheidwarte between Volkmarsen and Lütersheim, the former Monschein restaurant between Bründersen and Ippinghausen and the Donar spring between Züschen and Geismar. Since the Volkmarser Weg is a long-distance hiking trail, the use of public transport to get there is recommended.
With public transport
Both starting points of the Volkmarser Weg can be easily reached by bus and train. All stops on Volkmarser Weg or in the immediate vicinity have been linked with a photo. In addition, all bus and AST lines operating there are listed, the timetables can be downloaded directly as PDF.
Route description
.JPG/250px-Bahnhof_Naumburg_(Hessen).JPG)
The Volkmarser Weg can be divided into four stages and runs mainly over paved forest and farm roads. But even these can quickly become muddy and difficult to walk on when the weather is appropriate. Alternatively, you can also use the between Wolfhagen and Fritzlar running roughly parallel to the Volkmarser Weg Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 dodge. For a detailed hiking map, please simply click on the POIs that will immediately direct you to the described position.
1st stage: Volkmarsen - Wolfhagen 12.5 km
Of the 
town hall (Lines 130, 505 and W3) walk past the town hall on Steinweg out of the old town to a level crossing a few meters north of the 1 Volkmarsen train station (KBS 612) with the same name railway station (Lines 130, 505, 505.1 and W3). After crossing Arolser Straße (Landesstraße 3080) and the railway line Volkmarsen-Obervellmar follow the Lütersheimer Straße (Kreisstraße 6) and the Burgstraße for a short time, and then branch off to the south-east onto Ehringer Weg. Continue on Scheidwartstraße in a southerly direction to the 2 first fields, and runs either over Ellingser Straße or a field path that runs parallel to it to the west, marked with local hiking trails, to Eichenstraße. Follow this uphill to the 3 Outskirts of Volkmarsen and the beginning of the Scheid nature reserve, marked by an information board. Subsequently, the Volkmarser Weg leads poorly marked on meadow paths through the nature reserve, in order not to get lost you should always keep slightly to the right or to the west. Finally, one reaches the one that cannot be climbed via larger meadows 4 Scheidwarte, also called Lütersheimer Warte, on which there is also another information board for the Scheid nature reserve.
While the local hiking trails branch off a little later down to Kreisstraße 6, the Volkmarser Weg now runs fairly directly over the ridge between Lütersheim and Ehringen. First you hike on meadow paths, then later on gravel forest roads past an old boundary stone and through the terrain of one 5 Quarry through downhill to the side street between Ehringen (station on the railway line Volkmarsen-Obervellmar) and Lütersheim, over which the hiking routes ⊥ and ◇ run. Then follow the markings of the Volkmarser Weg up a ridge over the 6 City limit / county limit between Volkmarsen and Wolfhagen away, which is also the border between the counties Waldeck-Frankenberg and kassel and then slightly downhill again on a gravel path to Kreisstraße 93. Walk along this for a short while until you turn right and take a farm road to the entrance to Viesebeck. Via the street Zur Wünne one reaches past the cemetery and the cemetery of the same name graveyard (is currently not served) Wolfhager Straße (Kreisstraße 92), which you cross diagonally and take Elmarshäuser Straße to 7 Viesebeck village square arrives, at the edge of which the center (Line 111) is located.
From the village square, on which the “old water art” from the Middle Ages stands next to a maypole, you walk on Elmarshäuser Straße past the volunteer fire brigade and the At the city courtyard (Line 111) out of Viesebeck. After crossing the 8 Fischbaches The Volkmarser Weg branches off to the right into the Dörneberg nature reserve, which is traversed through a ground uphill over meadow paths. Once at the top of the ground, the Volkmarser Weg runs on gravel paths to the former location of the 9 Viesebecker waitingwhich, although no longer visible, is still marked on many hiking maps. Then you walk on gravel and asphalt farm roads pretty much directly towards Wolfhagen, but before you reach the city, you have to cross the small valley of the Dasebach, in which the Wolfhagen solar park is located and through which the Wolfhagen solar park is now 10 disused railway line from Wolfhagen runs to the Pommernkaserne. The Volkmarser Weg continues in curves up to the federal highway 450, which is crossed together with a noise protection dam. The first houses from are quickly behind this Wolfhagen and you hike down the Falkenstraße to the homonymous Falkenstrasse (Line 112), as well as over the Apfeltrift and the street Teichtor (Kreisstraße 105) down to the Mühlenwasser. Via Ritterstraße you finally reach the uphill along the edge of the old town 11 court House (Line 112) District office, which is also the end of the first stage after twelve and a half kilometers and on which there is an overview of the local hiking trails in the form of a hiking board. If you want to continue to Wolfhagen train station, follow the student path (X 13) and the Kassel-Edersee cycle path via Schützeberger Straße, the length of the route is just about 1.5 kilometers.
2nd stage: Wolfhagen - Naumburg (Hessen) 11.5 km
Of the court House (Line 112) you walk in a westerly direction over the Hans-Staden-Straße (Kreisstraße 106) and the Buttlarstraße to the Wilhelm-Filschner-Schule, which is not far from the Volkmarser Weg Wilhelm Filchner School (Lines 110, 112 and 120) is located. Shortly along the Ippinghäuser Straße (Landesstraße 3214) and via the street "Am Tränkeweg" you leave Wolfhagen. Following the winding course of the mill water, you continue on gravel farm roads towards the Graner Berg, in between the local hiking trail W3 branches off to the 12 Glockenborn nature reserve until the foot of the mountain is reached and the Volkmarser Weg runs steeply in places over an asphalt farm road up to the summit plateau. There are next to the 13 Wolfhagen-Graner Berg Airport (ICAO code: EDGW) the Graner Berg Towers, remains of an unfinished hunting lodge belonging to the district administrator of Buttlar, and about 300 meters south of the summit, the Drachenhöhle, which leads about 25 meters into the mountain (for more details For information, see the local information board at the car park). On a partially rutted gravel farm road you hike down along the runway of the special airfield on the south side of the Graner Berg, cross the mill water and reach "Zum Graner Berg" via the road. 14 Bründersen. In the center are the Naumburger Strasse (Lines 110 and 144) and on the federal highway 251 which was used more often Ederseestrasse (Line 110).
The Volkmarser Weg, however, does not run further into Bründersen, but again out of the village via Glockenstrasse in a westerly direction and pretty much directly via asphalt and gravel farm roads to the 15 Edge of the forest area Monschein. At this one hike first along unpaved forest paths and later with the hiking route also coming from Bründersen Wolf track briefly also through the forest. A little later the branches Wolf track But then again towards Ippinghausen and the natural monument Raue Steine, consisting of four sandstone rocks, while the Volkmarser Weg continues along the edge of the forest over a more overgrown field path to the former Monschein restaurant on the federal road 251, where the same name is also located 16 Monschein (Line 110) lies. After crossing the federal road 251, follow the markings of the Volkmarser Weg slightly uphill over old unpaved forest roads deeper into the forest and in a southerly direction over partly overgrown forest roads to a parking lot on Korbacher Strasse (district road 108). Once this is reached, the worst part of the second stage of the Volkmarser Weg is done and you now hike on gravel farm roads with a beautiful view towards Altenstädt along the edge of the Mühlenholz forest. Cross in between 17 local hiking trails to Altenstädt (in the village center (Lines 53, 55, 142, 144, 152 and 154)) and Ippinghausen the Volkmarser Weg and finally also the 18 Habichtswaldsteig, via which one should definitely make a short detour to the nearby Naumburger Warte (also called Altenstädter Warte) via meadow paths. Whoever climbs this has an attractive panoramic view; Next to the control room there is also the Himmelsschaukel's fairy tale resting place Habichtswaldsteiges.
Back on the Volkmarser Weg, continue to hike slightly downhill on gravel farm roads in a southerly direction. Finally he hits Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 Coming from the Elbe valley of Ippinghausen on the Volkmarser Weg and both routes run together shortly before the 19 R4 branches off from the hiking trail at the height of a farm, but also after Naumburg leads. Continuing straight ahead in a southerly direction you finally reach Bahnhofstraße (Landesstraße 3215) via an asphalt farm road and the street "Am Bruch", which you pass by railway station (Lines 53, 55, 142, 144, 152, 154 and 585.3) and the Naumburg (Hessen) train station of the museum railway Hessencourrier over a hill down into the Elbe valley into the old town of Naumburg follows into it. Of the 20 In the grove / In front of the gate(formerly cemetery) (Lines 53, 55, 142, 144, 152, 154 and 585.3) After the second stage of the Volkmarser Weg, it is worth making a detour via the Herkulesweg hiking route (X7) up to the market square and the St. Crescentius Church.
3rd stage: Naumburg (Hessen) - Züschen 12 km
Of the In the grove / In front of the gate(formerly cemetery) (Lines 53, 55, 142, 144, 152, 154 and 585.3) you first follow the street "Im Hain" (Landesstraße 3214) around the old town through the Elbe valley, before passing the Fritzlarer Strasse (Lines 53, 55, 142, 144, 152 and 154) reaches the suppository water step and crosses the Elbe shortly behind it. If you do not want to hike along Landesstraße 3214 but away from the traffic, you can also do that Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 and the Eco path archeology Naumburg follow on gravel footpaths and bike paths through the Elbe valley. The following section of the path over the Elbener path can also be partly followed Eco path archeology Naumburg on park paths through the Elbetal landscape park past the Bumblebee workshop bypass. But no matter which route you choose, in the end you walk on it 21 Elven path out Naumburg out. On gravel farm roads you hike together with the Herkulesweg (X7) and the Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 up a somewhat steeper ridge with a 22 Park bench invites you to rest after mastering the ascent. Then you get back downhill into the Elbe valley over the street "Zur Schlagmühle" to the village of Elben, which together with the slightly higher Elberberg together make up the Elbenberg district of Naumburg forms. Sights in the village not far from the Volkmarser Weg are the Elberberg Castle with the English Garden, the Elbenberg tower, the rock cellar and large tunnel system "Saphir", as well as the stone cross of Elben on Landesstraße 3214. The Volkmarser Weg leads past the bridge (Lines 53, 55, 142, 144, 152 and 154) and over the Wenigenfeldweg through Elbenberg before between one 23 Sports field and fish ponds the Elbe is crossed again. You can finally reach the asphalt side road along with the Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 Altendorf. In the small village, the Volkmarser Weg runs past the 24 Community center (Lines 142, 144, 152 and 154), but the near one is often used graveyard (Lines 55, 142, 144, 152 and 154) on Landesstraße 3214, and a hiking board, as well as across Neue Straße and Lohweg uphill to the outskirts.
We continue in a southerly direction on a gravel farm road past a farm to 25 Burgstall Beltershausen, an abandoned castle from the 15th century, and over an asphalt farm road past a fish farm, slightly uphill to the edge of the Old Forest, part of the Waldecker Forest. First, you hike deeper into the forest on a gravel forest path, then later on an old unpaved forest path that is partly overgrown up the Ziegenrück, on the summit of which the Volkmarser Weg is located 26 Natural monument Riesenstein vom Heiligenberg, also called Riesenstein von Heimarshausen, is located (accessible via the local hiking trail H5). If you want to skip the Ziegenrück or the giant stone and the associated difficult to walk and partly overgrown forest paths, you can alternatively continue to follow the gravel forest path around the Ziegenrück and then return to the Volkmarser Weg via the H5 past Haus Heiligenberg. This leads over gravel forest paths past hunters' stalls from the Ziegenrück down to just before the edge of the forest, where another partly heavily overgrown forest awaits the hiker. Once this has happened, you continue down a meadow and finally come back to the local hiking trail H5. The Volkmarser Weg then runs on paved farm roads to 27 District road 114 and via this down to state road 3214 into the Elbe valley. It is advisable to end the third stage in Heimarshausen, so you would avoid the section of the Volkmarser Weg on Landesstraße 3214. In front of the "Hinter der Steinkaute" corridor, one would follow an asphalt farm road through a small forest area in a westerly direction to the "Im Steingrund" corridor and continue on the H5 to Heimarshausen center (Lines 55, 142, 144, 152, 154 and 454) (see map). If, on the other hand, you follow the Volkmarser Weg, you walk for a while on or along the state road 3214 and finally over one 28 Meadow up a ridge. Arrived at the top of the border between the district of Kassel and the Schwalm-Eder district, another overgrown field path begins, which leads almost directly in a southerly direction to Züschen. Via the Alten Weg and the Altendorfer Straße you finally reach the 29 post (Lines 154, 454 and 514), the end of the third stage of the Volkmarser Weg. Opposite the bus stop there is a hiking board on which the route of the Volkmarser Weg is sometimes incorrectly drawn. After completing the third stage of the Volkmarser Weg, it is worth making a detour to the nearby Garvensburg Castle or the Züschen stone chamber grave.
4th stage: Züschen - Fritzlar 8 km
Of the post (Lines 154, 454 and 514) follow the markings of the Volkmarser Weg and the Hessian cycle route R4 along the main road through the town center and over an old single-lane bridge over the Elbe. Together with the hiking route Δ, you branch off into the fence path and walk past another hiking board with local circular hiking trails and a pond on an asphalt farm road up a ridge. Shortly afterwards the branches 30 Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 from the Volkmarser Weg. While the cycle route in the Elbe valley leads to the Donar spring, the Volkmarser Weg runs straight up a mountain and finally back to the hiking route Δ. From the junction from this up to the Johanneskirchenkopf, the faded markings of the Volkmarser Weg point over a field path that is no longer accessible down into the Elbe valley and together with the Hessian cycle route R4 to the Donar spring. It is therefore easier to follow the cycle route instead of the Volkmarser Weg. You finally reach the Mühlenallee (Landesstraße 3214) 31 Donarquelle with a small rest area where you can tap drinking water free of charge. More information is available on the website of the Friends of Sauerbrunnen Geismar e.V.. From the Donar spring, follow the Mühlenallee one last time across the Elbe before hiking a little steeper uphill through a nature reserve on a coarse gravel path. Then you walk directly down to Geismar via an asphalt farm road.
Via the streets "Zur Donarquelle" and Verdiweg, past the cemetery, you reach Bonifatiusstraße (Landesstraße 3214) and the 32 At the cemetery (Lines 154 and 454). Then you run again together with the Hessian long-distance cycle route R4 along Bonifatiusstraße past the Bonifatius monument and the church, as well as the Bonifatiusstrasse (Line 154) and the Village community center (Lines 154 and 454) through Geismar. Shortly after leaving the village, an asphalt footpath and bike path leads to a pedestrian island over the state road 3383 and further uphill along the New Cemetery. After crossing a 33 Parking lot, follow the Geismarrain past the New cemetery (Line 452) into Fritzlar and continue along Geismarstrasse past the street of the same name Geismarstrasse (Line 452) to the old town. After 44 kilometers along the city wall, through a small park, you will reach the 34 avenue (Lines 154, 400, 401, 402, 411, 413, 450, 452, 454, 456, 459 and 500), the end point of the Volkmarser Weg. To Fritzlar train station (KBS 621) it would be another 1.3 km in a southerly direction via Fraumünsterstrasse and Gießener Strasse.
trips
During the beginning of a hike on the Volkmarser Weg a detour from Volkmarsen up to w: Kugelsburg worth going in after completing the walk Fritzlar the Gray tower visit the largest preserved urban defense tower with a height of 38 meters Germany. This can be climbed just like the keep of the Kugelsburg and offers a beautiful view over Fritzlar. The Gray Tower can be found between car parks P2 and P3 on the eastern edge of the old town. The defense tower is open daily from April to October from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., admission costs € 0.45 per person. Other worthwhile goals are the Marketplace with its well-preserved half-timbered houses or the Fritzlar Cathedral of St. Peter.
literature
- Cycling and hiking map of the Habichtswald Nature Park - scale 1:35 000, ISBN 978-3-86973-031-8 , € 4.50, published by Kartographische Kommunalen Verlagsgesellschaft mbH (2011).
- HR Habichtswald / Reinhardswald Nature Park - Topographic leisure map 1:50 000, ISBN 978-3-89446-319-9 , 9.50 €, published jointly by the Hessisch-Waldeckischer Gebirgs- und Heimatverein e.V. and the Hessian State Office for Soil Management and Geoinformation (2012).
