The Weser Uplands located in Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse.
Regions
From north to south:
- Schaumburger Land, northernmost foothills of the Weser Uplands, between the Weser Mountains, Deister and Steinhuder Meer
- Calenberger Bergland, Transition region to the Leinebergland between Weser, Leine and Lenne (southern border)
- Lipper mountain country between Werre, Diemel and Weser
- Oberwälder Land between Warburger Börde, Eggegebirge, the Lipper Bergland and the Weser
- Solling - The wooded low mountain range borders the Weser between Bad Karlshafen and Holzminden. Worth seeing is the "summit region" of the Neuhaus ridge with its wildlife park and Hochsollingturm as well as the Mecklenbruch high moor near Silberborn.
- Reinhardswald in Northern Hesse with the Sleeping Beauty Castle Sababurg with zoo. The Sababurg primeval forest with its giant old trees is also known.
places
Tourist places in the Weser Uplands are:
(Schaumburger Land)
(Calenberger Bergland)
(Lipper Bergland)
(Oberwälder Land)
(Solling)
(Reinhardswald)
Other goals
- Corvey, former Benedictine abbey and later castle near Höxter (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
background
geography
The Weserbergland is a hilly and low mountain range at the transition from northern to central Germany. It is made up of several, geologically connected, but clearly demarcated low mountain ranges and mountain ranges: the Solling (up to 528 m above sea level), the Reinhardswald (472 m), the Vogler (460 m), the Süntel (440 m above sea level) ), the Bramwald (408 m), the Ottensteiner plateau (376 m), the Burgberg (358 m) and the Weser Mountains (336 m). The latter is separated from the Wiehengebirge by the Porta Westfalica, the notch-shaped breakthrough valley of the Weser.
In a broader sense, the Lipper Bergland (up to 496 m above sea level), the Alfelder Bergland (consisting of Hils and Ith, up to 480 m), the Holzberg (445 m), the Calenberger Bergland (consisting of Osterwald, Deister and Nesselberg, up to 420 m), the Elfas (410 m), the Homburgwald (406 m), the Oberwälder Land (392 m) and the Amtsberge (392 m) added. With the Leinebergland the Weser Uplands are often summarized as the Weser-Leine Uplands or Lower Saxony Uplands.
history
Until the 19th century, the area of the Weser Uplands was extremely fragmented in terms of territory. Among other things, the Grafschaft Schaumburg (from 1640 split into Schaumburg-Lippe and a part belonging to Kurhessen), the Principality of Minden and the Grafschaft Ravensberg (which both belonged to the Brandenburg Hohenzollern), the Grafschaft (from 1789 the Principality of Lippe) existed here Hochstift Paderborn, the Duchy of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, the Principality of Calenberg (which later became the Electorate and finally the Kingdom of Hanover) and the Landgraviate (from 1803 Electorate of Hesse-Kassel). In addition there was the Corvey compartment, which was directly imperial until 1803. As a result, one can find a large number of castles, palaces and monasteries in the region. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Hameln was the “main and principal fortress” of the Guelphs and was considered the impregnable “Gibraltar of the North” (but surrendered to the French in 1806 and was thoroughly razed). Significant numbers of Huguenot refugees were settled in both Hameln and Bad Karlshafen at the end of the 17th century.
In the course of the 19th century, most of the Weser Uplands became part of the Kingdom of Prussia; the principalities of Schaumburg-Lippe and Lippe-Detmold and the Duchy of Braunschweig (to which the Holzminden district belonged) remained independent. Since 1946 the northern and eastern part of the Weser Uplands has belonged to Lower Saxony, the western part to North Rhine-Westphalia and the extreme south to Hesse.
language
Traditionally, East and Westphalian dialects of Low German were spoken in the area of the Weser Uplands. Today, however, these have largely given way to standard German.
getting there
By plane
The Hanover Airport lies north or northeast of the Weser Uplands. From there it is 65 km to Hameln, 90 km to Lemgo and 105 km to Höxter. The S5 S-Bahn runs directly from Hanover Airport to Bad Münder (55 minutes), Hameln (1:05 hours) and Bad Pyrmont (1:20 hours). You can reach Stadthagen (1 hour), Bückeburg (1:10 hours) and Porta Westfalica (1½ hours) with one change in Hannover Hbf, with a change in Hameln you can get from Hannover Airport to Hessisch Oldendorf (1½ hours), Rinteln and Vlotho (1:50 hours).
By train
The closest ICE stops are kassel-Wilhelmshöhe in the south, Hanover in the North, Goettingen in the southeast and Bielefeld in the West. There are additional IC stops on the edge of the Weser Uplands in Minden and Bad Oeynhausen.
From Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe you can get to Hann via Kassel Hbf in half an hour. Münden. From Hannover Hbf the S-Bahn S5 goes to Bad Münder (35 min), Hameln (45 min), Emmerthal (55 min) and Bad Pyrmont (1:05 h) as well as the Westfalenbahn to Stadthagen (25 min), Bückeburg ( 35 min) and Porta Westfalica (approx. 50 min). From Göttingen you can take the Cantus train every hour to Hann in 40 minutes. Münden and with the Nordwestbahn to Bodenfelde (45 min), Bad Karlshafen (around 1 hour), Lauenförde-Beverungen (a good 1 hour) and Brakel (1: 20–1½ hours).
There is an hourly regional train from Bielefeld to Lemgo (40 minutes). Porta Westfalica is located between the two IC stops in Minden and Bad Oeynhausen, from which it can be reached several times an hour in around 5 minutes (from Bielefeld it is 25 minutes with the RE). Vlotho, Rinteln and Hessisch Oldendorf can be reached every hour with the Nordwestbahn from Bünde (there is also an IC stop there) and Bad Oeynhausen-Süd or from Hanover with a change in Hameln.
In the street
The Weser Uplands are framed in the north by the A2 Hannover – Dortmund motorway, in the east by the A7 Hannover – Kassel and in the south-west by the A44 Dortmund – Kassel. In the middle of the region leads among others. the federal highway B1 Paderborn – Hameln – Hildesheim.
mobility
By train
- Steam railway Weserbergland - The historical museum railway runs in the northern Weser Uplands in the area Minden, Buckeburg and Rinteln.
Regular rail connections within the Weser Uplands include: the regional train lines Bünde (Westf) - Bad Oeynhausen-Süd - Rinteln - Hameln - Hildesheim, Paderborn - Brakel - Bad Karlshafen - Bodenfelde (-Göttingen) and Paderborn - Brakel - Höxter - Holzminden as well as the S-Bahn line S5 Hanover - Hameln - Bad Pyrmont - Paderborn.
In the street
An important route through the Weser Uplands is the federal road B 83, which runs parallel to the Weser from Kassel via Höxter and Hameln to Minden.
A route that is popular with motorcyclists is the road from Brevörde to the Ottenstein plateau. The L 428 branches off from the B 83 here and leads over 11 hairpin bends with about 200 meters of altitude up towards Ottenstein.
By bicycle
The most important cycle route in the region is of course the Weser cycle path (Germany route D9). From this branch i.a. the Diemel cycle path (Warburg – Bad Karlshafen), the Nethe cycle path or R2 (Bad Driburg – Brakel – Höxter), the European cycle route R1 (Detmold – Höxter – Holzminden – Einbeck), the Hellweg-Weser route (Bielefeld – Lemgo – Bad Pyrmont – Hameln) and the Hanover cultural route (Elze – Hameln – Rinteln – Stadthagen).
E-bikes are relatively new fun and offer a completely different cycling experience. There are several for this in the Weser Uplands Rental stations.
Tourist Attractions
Regionally significant sights:
Historic cities
- Three river city Hann. Münden - Southern entrance gate to the Weser Uplands with a very well preserved half-timbered old town. The Weser is "born" here from the confluence of the Werra and Fulda rivers.
- Baroque city Bad Karlshafen with the Huguenot Museum and the Krukenburg above the Helmarshausen district.
- Old town of Höxter with beautiful half-timbered buildings
- Old town of Hamelin
Monasteries, castles and palaces
- lock Furstenberg - The facility with the porcelain museum and manufacture is located high above the Weser (beautiful view of the Weser valley).
- lock Hämelschenburg - The manor, located about 10 km south of Hameln, is considered to be one of the main works of the Weser Renaissance (Lock side). The castle is a bit off the Weser.
- Corvey Castle at Höxter.
- Polle castle ruins - The ruin lies with place of the same name at a loop in the Weser. Here you can find the ruin on a 25 m high knoll directly on the Weser. From the tower of the ruin you have a beautiful view of the river. There is also a small museum and an open-air theater in the castle. For those interested in technology, the yaw ferry at the foot of the castle complex is also interesting.
Natural sights
- Schillat Cave at Hessian Oldendorf. The northernmost stalactite cave in Germany is located in the Langenfeld district. In 1992 the cave was discovered during blasting work in a quarry. The cave is barrier-free accessible via an elevator and therefore also for Visiting wheelchair users. For more information see Cave side.
- Lookout point Hanover cliffs - 2 km down the Weser from Bad Karlshafen
- Weser Gate at Porta Westfalica with the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument. The Weser breaks through the mountains here for the last time before it reaches the north German lowlands.
miscellaneous
- Waterway intersection Minden - no longer belongs to the Weser Uplands. When visiting the Kaiser Wilhelm Monument, however, it is worth making a detour.
activities
To go biking
- The Weser cycle path leads through the middle of the Weser Uplands. Side routes: Diemel cycle path, Emmertal route. Also the Europe cycle route R1 crosses the region.
- There are various mountain bike routes in the Solling-Vogler Nature Park signposted.
- Attention: Even on smaller country roads, heavy motorcycle traffic and car excursion traffic can be expected when the weather is good. It is best to use the traffic-free cycle paths and the numerous forest paths in the low mountain regions. These are not always signposted. It is therefore advisable to use an exact topographic map (preferably on a scale of 1: 50,000).
Boat trips on the Weser
There are different providers depending on the section of the Weser. In addition to the scheduled trips listed here, the companies also offer various special trips (see pages of the providers).
- Shipping Rehbein-Line Kassel: Route Hann. Münden - Bad Karlshafen
- Fleet Weser: Route Bad Karlshafen - Höxter / Corvey
- Line 2000 passenger shipping: Oedelsheim - Bad Karlshafen route, round trips from Bad Karlshafen
- Mindener passenger shipping: Excursions from Minden through the Weser breakthrough and trips through the waterway intersection.
Water hiking
The approximately 200 km long upper Weser between Hann. Münden and Minden is an excellent water hiking route. Between Hann. Münden and Hameln, the river flows completely free for more than 100 km, so that the flow of the river is completely used for movement. Noteworthy shipping on the Weser is, although the river already from Hann. Münden is classified as a federal waterway, can only be found from Minden. Only a few excursion boats operate on the Oberweser.
On the initiative of Weserbergland Tourismus e. V. canoe docks were uniformly marked. Large signs with a "yellow wave" indicate the docks. Depending on the equipment of the pier, you will find tables, benches and an information board about the sights on site. Sometimes there are also toilets. The docks are listed in the leaflet "Canoe docks on the Weser". Here you can also see whether the jetty is accessible by car as an entry or exit point. To the leaflet as PDF file with about 1.5 Mb.
Canoe rental company
The list is arranged downstream by canoe station or head office. There is no claim to completeness.
- Canoe Schumacher with canoe station in Bad Karlshafen and the headquarters in Trendelburg an der Diemel
- Canoe rental in Hamelin at Hamelin
- Canoe rental in Grossenwieden at Hessian Oldendorf
Draisine routes
The increasingly popular leisure time fun is also possible on two routes in the Weser Uplands. The routes can be discovered with rented draisines.
- Buchhagen route near Bodenwerder - Dielmissen - 5 km route length; Vehicles: hand lever trolleys for 8 - 12 people. When it rains, a flat roof can be stretched over the seating platform (Side of the track).
- Draisine route Extertalbahn - about 18 km from Rinteln to Alverdissen. The route has about 200 meters in altitude. Vehicles: bicycle trolleys for 4 people. As a special vehicle, a "Rolli-Draisine" be hired. This bicycle trolley offers space for a wheelchair instead of a bench and also has a manual drive. (Side of the track).
miscellaneous
- hike - There are numerous signposted hiking trails in the low mountain range. A long-distance hiking trail is the "Weserberglandweg" (info).
- Bodenwerder summer toboggan run - The 950 m long facility with a 60 m difference in altitude is a particularly attractive destination for families (Side of the train).
- Gliding - There are airfields e.g. at Höxter or on the Ith
kitchen
- Allersheim beer
- "Arften un 'Klümpe", a vegetarian stew with peas and chopped carrots.
- "Joy and Sorrow Cake"
nightlife
security
climate
literature
Important dates for events in the region are contained in the magazine "Weg und Fähre", which is available free of charge from the region's tourist information points.
