Bödefeld: Hollen Path, Nature and Cultural Heritage

On July 22, 2026, Bödefeld in North Rhine-Westphalia was officially recognized as a state-approved health resort. Several specific highlights are available to help you plan your trip: the Hollen Path, with its nature, history and folklore themes; historic churches and chapels; and Rauhe Bruch, a raised bog. A well-developed network of hiking and cycling trails rounds out the picture. When planning a trip, you can first decide whether your stay will focus primarily on outdoor activities, observing nature, or architectural and local history.

Hiking the Hollen Path

The Bödefeld Hollen Path combines historical and legendary themes and includes local flora and fauna. It also makes hiking exciting and engaging for children. The trail is marked with a gold G on a red background and with the trail symbol B5. The roof of Hollenhaus offers a very beautiful view along the Bödefeld Hollen Path.

Walkenmühle nature playground is beside a renaturalized stream, right next to the Hollen Path. It is located shortly past the Bödefeld exit, in the direction of the Hunau/Osterwald ski lift.

Nature and Wildlife Watching

Rauhe Bruch is a raised bog in the Bödefeld forest district that is over 8,000 years old. The red deer enclosure in Bödefeld gives families with children the opportunity to see red deer up close. You can help with feeding at the scheduled times by registering in advance with the tourist association at 01516 1060586. Please check the feeding arrangements before your visit.

Churches, Pilgrimage and Architectural Styles

The present-day parish church of St. Cosmas and Damian in Bödefeld was built in 1910/1911 in an octagonal form, based on a design by Joseph Buchkremer of Aachen. Octagonal means having eight sides. The middle entrance to the parish church is designated for viewing the “Black Hand.” Access arrangements may change, so please check the current access arrangements before your visit.

Built in 1729, Kreuzberg Chapel has long been a well-known pilgrimage site, particularly during Lent, when many worshippers made the pilgrimage there. In 1730, seven wayside shrines were initially erected along the path to Kreuzberg Chapel; they were replaced by the Stations of the Cross in 1856.

Bödefeld has numerous traditional Sauerland half-timbered and slate houses. When comparing architectural styles, these houses and the octagonal—that is, eight-sided—form of the parish church represent two distinct architectural themes.

Schmallenberg: Its Own Town Center and Themed Trails

In the wider destination of Schmallenberg, the old town has a uniform neoclassical architectural character and many restored half-timbered houses. In Schmallenberg-Latrop, the Forestry Museum displays historic tools, pictures of life in the forest and village in earlier times, historic forestry office records, and information about the development of the chainsaw.

Two trails in Schmallenberg can also be compared by their length and number of stops. The Family Adventure Trail is about three kilometers long and has 13 stops covering forests, animals, wood and birds. The Forestry Worker and Forester Trail in Schmallenberg-Latrop runs for 4.5 kilometers and has 17 stops on forest ecology and timber use. The Family Adventure Trail is therefore shorter and has fewer stops.

Discover more destinations: Oberhenneborn, Altenilpe, Schanze, Kirchrarbach, Niederberndorf, Obringhausen, Niederhenneborn, Kirchilpe

For the wider travel overview: Schmallenberg.