Old Pilgrim Route [abbreviation variant]

The small chapel "Zur Hilligen Seele" south of Paderborn has been a place of deep cross veneration for more than 1,000 years and is therefore the destination of numerous pilgrims and pilgrims. As the only relic of the former Saxon settlement Eilhardinghausen, it stands idyllically under ancient, shady linden trees in the landscape of the Paderborn plateau.
The almost 21-kilometer-long Old Pilgrimage Route follows in parts the traces of the pilgrims who pilgrimaged to the Holy Soul via the "Via Regia", a military and trade route dating back to the Middle Ages. The "Frankfurter Weg" (Frankfurt Way), as the "Via Regia" was called since the 17th century, was also used by the Paderborn Prince-Bishops and merchants for their travels to Frankfurt, the city of imperial coronations and fairs.

The starting point of this shortcut variant of the Old Pilgrimage Route is also the Haxtergrund, a popular recreational area for the people of Paderborn, which is crossed by the Ellerbach. The path initially leads along the northern edge of the valley to the "Stern", a junction point of ancient roads. From there, it continues along the Ellerbach to Hamborn Castle. Through the secluded Despental valley, it steadily ascends through magnificent beech forests to the "Nonnenbusch". A beautiful chestnut avenue leads from the Hillige-Seele Chapel down into the valley and after a short ascent, the starting point is soon reached again.