Usseln: Hiking Trails, Nature Conservation and History

Hiking trails, protected landscapes and regional history shape the range of activities in Usseln. When planning a stay, visitors can use the different themes and trail lengths as a guide: from the interactive Milk Adventure Trail to a circular route around Hoher Pön, as well as nature reserves and a museum.

Hiking trails with different themes

The 6 km Usseln Milk Adventure Trail is a family-friendly themed trail about milk and agriculture. A quiz and original hands-on stations accompany the route; the hay barn cinema shows films about agriculture. Other stops include a telescope, a photo spot and a cow-pat trampoline. Places to stop for refreshments and rest are part of the trail, as is a visit at the end to the Muhseum Café at the Upländer Farmers’ Dairy. The route combines exercise with insights into agriculture and all things milk.

The U2 offers a different kind of trail: the 3.6 km circular route goes around Hoher Pön. The access route and return from the Usseln Tourist Information follow the same path as the U1 or, in part, the Uplandsteig. At 3.6 km, the U2 is shorter than the 6 km Milk Adventure Trail; the two trails also differ in their themes and routes. Trail conditions can change seasonally, so take this into account when planning.

The U1 starts and ends at the Usseln hiking car park, Sportstraße 7, 34508 Willingen, in the Usseln district. Parking options and local arrangements can change, so check the relevant information before setting off.

Nature reserves and landscape

The Kahle Pön area near Usseln has been designated a nature reserve since 1987. The high-altitude heath on Kahler Pön provides a habitat for rare native plant species that are at risk of disappearing. The focus here is on protecting a distinctive heathland area.

The Osterkopf nature reserve lies east of Usseln. It includes a montane dwarf-shrub heath, adjacent mountain meadows and matgrass swards. The reserve is easy to reach from the Catholic church in Usseln via the Osterkopf circular trail. Kahle Pön and Osterkopf thus offer different landscape features: a high-altitude heath that provides a habitat for rare and endangered plants at the former, and a mosaic of heath, mountain meadows and matgrass swards at the latter.

Local history and culture

The Usseln Local History Museum offers insights across more than 250 m² into life, history and culture in the Waldecker Upland, as well as the nature and landscape of today’s Diemelsee Nature Park. Numerous exhibits illustrate everyday life in the past, the hard work and the customs of the time. The focus is therefore both on the surrounding region and on living conditions in bygone eras.

The Kilianskirche Usseln is known as the mother church of the Upland. Together with the themes explored at the local history museum, it adds a religious dimension to the story of the region.

Seasonal outdoor swimming pool

The Usseln outdoor swimming pool has a 25 m water slide and diving platforms at heights of 1 m and 3 m. The facility also has a separate baby pool with colourful play equipment. It is open seasonally, so take this into account when planning your visit.

In the wider destination of Willingen (Upland)

In the wider destination of Willingen (Upland), the Uplandsteig is a certified quality hiking trail stretching 66 km. It loops around the municipality of Willingen (Upland), passing through all nine districts. The U2 shares part of its route with the Uplandsteig: the circular trail’s 3.6 km and the quality trail’s 66 km illustrate the difference in their lengths. The Uplandsteig’s landscapes include mixed forest, beech forest and fir forest, as well as open fields, flowering meadows and wetlands.

The wider destination of Willingen (Upland) also includes the Willingen Skywalk and the Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump. The Skywalk stretches for 665 m and hangs 100 m above the Upland landscape. The Mühlenkopfschanze has a 25 m-high ski jump tower with the “Adlerhorst” (“Eagle’s Nest”) viewpoint. The Hochheideturm on Ettelsberg is 62 m high; its observation platform is 875 m above sea level and is described as the highest viewpoint in northwestern Germany. A wheelchair-accessible lift for eight people leads to the observation platform.

Discover more destinations: Bömighausen, Neerdar, Eimelrod, Rattlar, Welleringhausen, Schwalefeld.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Willingen.