Oedingen: Discover the Circular Trail and Churches

Oedingen combines a Historical Circular Trail with church buildings whose histories span different periods. When planning your trip, you can therefore choose between a hike through the landscape with historical stops and a focus on church architecture. The circular trail brings together nature and local history; St. John’s Chapel and the present-day parish church add their own architectural features.

A hike through the landscape with historical stops

The official Historical Circular Trail is 8.5 kilometres long and forms a loop. The walking time is about 2 hours and 45 minutes; there are 15 historical stops along the route. The manor house at the Old Castle Ruins is one of these stops. The route offers views across the Elspetal and passes through wooded sections. Water flows through a wooded stretch of the valley. The loop therefore brings together historical points of interest, viewpoints and a stretch of valley with water.

Check local trail conditions before setting out. Sturdy footwear is recommended. Some sections run along roads; basic sure-footedness is required on the paths around the Old Castle. When preparing, take into account both the route conditions and the specific requirements around the Old Castle.

St. John’s Chapel and the parish church

St. John’s Chapel on Oedingerberg is Baroque; its construction was initiated in 1716. During a restoration, a 13th-century column from a monastic complex came to light. The interior contains a Baroque altarpiece. The chapel thus brings together elements from different periods: the Baroque building and a much older architectural feature. This distinction helps date the column separately from the construction phase initiated in 1716.

The present-day parish church was built in 1832, while the tower of its predecessor was preserved. The history of the earlier church dates back to around the year 1000. The construction date and the earlier history therefore refer to different periods: 1832 applies to the present-day parish church, while the tower and historical accounts are linked to the older church building. Compared with St. John’s Chapel, the parish church reveals different traces of the past: the older tower was preserved at the parish church, while a 13th-century column came to light at the chapel.

Getting there and planning your trip

One option for travelling by public transport is to take a train to Grevenbrück and then the local L512 bus to Oedingen. Check current connections before travelling, as timetables can change. The car park in Oedingen is located at the Schützenhalle.

When looking for a hotel in Oedingen, it helps to first decide on the focus of your stay. For a hiking trip, the route length, approximate duration and trail conditions are important planning considerations. For a culture-focused stay, the different historical periods represented by the chapel and parish church take centre stage. This lets you tailor your travel plans to the aspects of Oedingen that interest you most.

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