Waldeck-Frankenberg: Nature, Trails and Culture

Waldeck-Frankenberg can be explored with a variety of interests in mind: the ancient beech forests of Kellerwald-Edersee National Park have been a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site since 2011. There are also hiking options, exhibitions on nature and geological history, and historic buildings. When planning your trip, you can first decide whether to focus mainly on trails, educational experiences or cultural attractions.

Nature and hiking options

The native and formerly native wild animals at Edersee Wildlife Park live in spacious, naturalistic enclosures. Information boards, a flight show and educational activities provide insights into the animals. The different ways of sharing knowledge offer several ways to explore the park’s theme, without focusing on any one particular species.

The 66-kilometre Urwaldsteig Edersee can be hiked in eight stages or as part of a three-day ranger-guided hike. On the three-day tour, each stage is around 22 kilometres long. This provides a practical guide for planning your time: you can compare a multi-day itinerary split into stages with the three-day ranger-guided hike. No individual stage length is specified for the eight-stage route.

Wilderness and geological history

The GeoFoyer Kalkturm Korbach turns the spotlight on the landscape and wildlife around Korbach 250 million years ago. Another exhibition covers the extraction and processing of limestone and its industrial use at the quarry for over 100 years. The venue therefore focuses both on the distant natural history of the area and on the use of a particular type of rock.

The Kellerwald National Park Centre in Vöhl-Herzhausen on Lake Edersee offers a different focus: its interactive exhibition includes exhibits about the wilderness of Kellerwald, while a 4D sensory film explores the wilderness and its wildlife. Together with the GeoFoyer, it offers two distinct themes for a visit: geological history and limestone extraction on the one hand, and the wilderness of Kellerwald on the other.

Half-timbered buildings, a castle and a market

The Historic Town Hall in Frankenberg (Eder) is a half-timbered town hall dating from 1509. Its ten towers represent the town’s ten guilds. Anyone interested in architectural history will find a clear example of how architecture and local history come together: the number of towers refers to the guilds.

Landau Castle is the Waldeck counts’ castle in the old town of Landau. In 1290, an old castle was converted into a palace. The weekly market run by local countrywomen takes place every Saturday at the Rathausschirn of the Historic Town Hall in Frankenberg (Eder). As market dates may change, it is best to check the date before your visit.

Active attractions and choosing your own focus

The Allendorf (Eder) Multi-Generation Park covers about 3,000 square metres and has 28 stations for activities and communication across generations. The “Im Ried” dirt bike track, which opened in October 2017, is set within the park. It offers trails of varying difficulty levels and a pump track. Allendorf therefore offers both a range of activity stations and a dedicated facility for dirt biking.

The Skywalk Willingen is 665 metres long and suspended 100 metres above the Upland landscape. These measurements offer a different focus from planning stages on the Urwaldsteig: there, the distance and type of hike determine the time frame, while the Skywalk is defined by its length and height. As you plan your trip, consider which of these experiences suits your visit, then search specifically for a hotel in Waldeck-Frankenberg.

Discover more destinations: Bad Arolsen, Bad Wildungen, Bromskirchen, Frankenau, Waldeck, Vöhl, Volkmarsen, Korbach, Rosenthal, Battenberg, Willingen, Diemelsee, Gemünden, Edertal, Frankenberg, Basdorf, Hatzfeld, Haina, Lichtenfels, Twistetal, Diemelstadt, Allendorf, Burgwald.

View the regional travel overview: Hesse.