Hermannshöhen - Stage 12 from Willebadessen to Blankenrode

The stage in overview:
Short stage overview
The starting point of this stage is Willebadessen train station. From here, you hike up to the Egge via the access road towards the telecommunications tower. The Eggeweg leads you along the ridge to the "Little Herrgott" - the remains of a stone monument. Afterwards, you walk through a beech forest above the rugged sandstone cliffs of the Teutonia Cliffs. Passing cliffs and a sea of rocks, you continue to the summit of the "Nadel" - a mountain peak - via a steep path into the Schwarzbachtal, a European protected area. Along the further course of the stage, you reach the medieval town ruins of Blankenrode. The stage 12 of the Hermannshöhen hiking trail ends in Blankenrode. Stage length in kilometers / altitude meters / route character
The stage is 19 kilometers long and has an altitude difference of 270 meters. It is of medium difficulty and suitable for experienced hikers. Landscape highlights
Rugged rock faces, dark waters, a bird sanctuary, romantic gorges, beautiful views of the landscape of the Teutoburg Forest/Egge Mountains Nature Park and down into the abyss on impressive rock formations, beech forests, and natural deciduous forests await you on this stage. With a bit of luck, you may see the black stork that inhabits the bird sanctuary. There are numerous springs surrounded by lush herbaceous vegetation such as ferns, horsetails, and sedges, streams, and diverse vegetation. At the Teutonia Cliffs, you will see collapsed tunnels, mines, heaps, and pits as witnesses of the iron industry. In the nature reserve "Bleikuhlen," you can discover the blue to violet flowering calamine violet, which as an endemic species only occurs at this location in Europe. Break tip: At the viewing tower "Bierbaums Nagel": Here you have a beautiful view in good weather, according to legend, all the way to Kassel - as the legend goes... Highlights on the route The gorge of the "Old Railway": A natural monument with rugged cliffs and dark waters. The gorge was formed by former tunnel constructions. However, these were discontinued due to water inrushes and difficulties in track construction. A nature trail from the Teutoburg Forest/Egge Mountains Nature Park informs about the events surrounding this historic construction site. Here again, there is an audio station where Anna & Hermann, a local senior with his granddaughter, reveal details about the historic construction site. The Teutonia Cliffs are an impressive natural spectacle. This is the site of an abandoned iron ore mine, where collapsed tunnels, mines, heaps, and pits remind of the iron industry. Did you know? The area got its name from the purchase of the forest by the Teutonia Society. The former Hardehausen Monastery was founded in 1140 by the Cistercian monks, making it the oldest Cistercian monastery in Westphalia. The bison enclosure at the Hammerhof Forest Information Center near Warburg-Scherfede is a showcase enclosure for bison and other wildlife. A new viewing tower allows views into the facility. The medieval town ruins of Blankenrode are a border fortification built in the mid-13th century AD by the Prince-Bishop of Paderborn on the spur of the Egge. Although the city was completely destroyed in 1390, isolated wall, moat, and wall remains are still visible today, bearing witness to the city's former existence. Family tip: In the town ruins, there is a sound museum where Agnes and Konrad, two children from the old town of Blankenrode, take visitors on a special adventure. In this way, the medieval town comes back to life. You can find a good alternative interactive tour map of the stage here