Ottlar: Circular Trails, Dommel Tower and Local History

Ottlar is best explored via its trails and distinctive landmarks: two easy circular hiking trails have clearly named start and finish points, while other routes lead through the village or along other trails. The Dommel, the Dommel Tower and St. Margaret’s Church add landscape and local history. When choosing, therefore, consider whether you plan to take one of the two local loops, a longer hiking route or a cycling tour.

Hiking by distance and starting point

The OT1 circular trail is 3.8 kilometres long, is rated easy and starts and ends at the hiking information board in the village centre. OT2 is 2.7 kilometres long, also rated easy, and runs around the Dommel Tower; its start and finish are at the Dommel hiking car park. At 2.7 rather than 3.8 kilometres, OT2 is 1.1 kilometres shorter. The starting points also differ: OT1 begins at the information board in the village centre, while OT2 starts at the Dommel hiking car park. This lets you compare the loops by distance and starting point.

The Dommel and its views

The Dommel is around 738 metres high and is the highest mountain in the municipality of Diemelsee. The Dommel Tower offers wide-ranging views across Diemelsee Nature Park and the Sauerland mountains. This gives you two distinct points of reference: the mountain’s elevation and the panorama from the tower across these named landscapes.

More trails and cycling routes

The Diemelsteig trail passes through Ottlar and connects the village with the landscape around Lake Diemelsee. OT4 starts in the centre of Ottlar and follows part of the Uplandsteig trail around Hohe Egge. Both OT1 and OT4 therefore start in the village centre; OT1 is described as an easy circular route, while OT4 follows the Uplandsteig.

The quiet roads and trails around Ottlar are also an option for cycling: they are suitable for varied bike rides through the Upland landscape and towards Lake Diemelsee. A shelter around Niegelscheid invites you to take a break and enjoy the panoramic views. There is also a water-treading facility in Ottlar. These are suggestions for different activities and places: bike rides on the trails, a break at Niegelscheid and the facility in the village.

Church and local history

St. Margaret’s Church stands in the village centre. This hall church, built in the round-arch style, is dedicated to Saint Margaret of Antioch. A chapel already stood on this site in 1537; the present-day church was consecrated in 1874. The organ has its own history, too: it was originally built for the Waldeck castle chapel and has been in Ottlar since 1750. The years mark different milestones: 1537 for the chapel on this site, 1750 for the organ’s arrival in Ottlar and 1874 for the consecration of the present-day church. The organ’s history in Ottlar therefore goes back further than the consecration of the current church building.

Within the wider destination of Diemelsee

Within the wider destination of Diemelsee, the Diemelsteig passes through Ottlar and directly through Heringhausen, as well as around Lake Diemelsee. The Seebrücke/Hohes Rad beach is in Heringhausen. The place names are useful for finding your way: OT1 and OT2 start in Ottlar, while the bathing area is in Heringhausen.

Discover more destinations: Stormbruch, Heringhausen, Adorf, Schweinsbühl

To the overview of the wider destination: Diemelsee.