Pilgrimage route Loccum-Volkenroda

A new path on old trails:
In the year 1163, 13 monks of the Cistercian order from Volkenroda set out on their way north. In Loccum, they founded a new monastery. In 2005, the two former Cistercian monasteries Loccum and Volkenroda were reconnected by a pilgrimage route.

Covering around 300 kilometers, it follows a diverse natural landscape along the Weser, Leine, and Unstrut rivers. It passes over the Weser Mountains, the Vogler, the Solling, and through the Eichsfeld region.

Over the centuries, the Cistercian reform order has left us numerous monasteries, ruins, and traces along the route. Alongside countless other notable monuments, they bring the history of faith to life. The Evangelical Lutheran State Church of Hanover is responsible for the overall project as an offering to experience Christian tradition in an ecumenical perspective.

Before you set out, here are some things you should consider:
On the website www.loccum-volkenroda.de, you will find numerous useful hints about the route, the "reliable offers" from the church communities and monasteries along the way, as well as information about tourist and church-related accommodation options.

On the website, a navigation system ("Pilgrimage Way Navigator") will swiftly guide you to the places and sections of interest, including sights and local logistics. This allows you to plan and customize the individual stages with the reliable offerings from the church communities and monasteries, on-site services (transport connections, gastronomy, and shopping), and information about tourist contacts in advance.

While on the way, you can refer to the hiking guide "Pilgrimage Way Loccum-Volkenroda". Maps and directions divide the main route into 17 daily stages, with an additional section providing information about the three side paths: "Kloster Mariensee" (near Steinhuder Meer), "Kloster Möllenbeck" (in the Weser Uplands), and "Klosterpfad" (in Thuringia).

It is advisable to plan the stages in advance and book overnight accommodations. Some guesthouses, inns, and hotels may not be open year-round or may quickly fill up during popular pilgrimage months. Accommodation directories are available in paper form and as downloadable files. Individual accommodations and pilgrimage trips can be booked as package deals through local or regional tourism associations.

Church pilgrim hostels may not be available everywhere. They are intentionally modest and suitable for youth pilgrim groups. Church communities along the way are generally hospitable – to the extent possible on-site.

Please keep in mind: many of these services within the "reliable offerings" are made possible through volunteer efforts and cannot be spontaneously accessed; they must be requested and processed in advance.
The route follows the Weser, Leine, and Unstrut rivers over approximately 300 km.

Stations on the Loccum Volkenroda Pilgrimage Way:
Stage 1 from Loccum to Stadthagen 21 km
Stage 2 from Stadthagen to Rehren 19 km
Stage 3 from Rehren to Fischbeck 16 km
Stage 4 from Fischbeck to Hameln 11 km
Stage 5a from Hameln to Grohnde 13 km
Stage 6a from Grohnde to Bodenwerder 13 km
Stage 5b from Hameln to Lüntorf 17 km
Stage 6b from Lüntorf to Bodenwerder 15 km
Stage 7 from Bodenwerder to Kirchbrak 12 km
Stage 8 from Kirchbrak to Amelungsborn 11 km
Stage 9 from Amelungsborn to Silberborn 22 km
Stage 10a from Silberborn to Uslar 19 km
Stage 11a from Uslar to Bursfelde 20 km
Stage 10b from Silberborn to Schönhagen
Stage 11b from Schönhagen to Lippoldsberg 15 km
Stage 12b from Lippoldsberg to Burgsfelde 16 km
Stage 13 from Bursfelde to Dransfeld 14 km
Excursion to Stage 13 from Löwenhagen to the Cross Stones near Bühren 7 km
Stage 14 from Dransfeld to Friedland 22 km
Stage 15 from Friedland to Heiligenstadt 21 km
Stage 16a from Heiligenstadt to Dingelstädt 23 km
Stage 17a from Dingelstädt to Mühlhausen 22 km
Stage 16b from Heiligenstadt to Beinrode 18 km
Stage 17b from Beinrode to Mühlhausen 32 km
Stage 18 from Mühlhausen to Volkenroda 15 km

The side path Kloster Mariensee leads as a circular route from Loccum in four stages around the Steinhuder Meer (82 km).

Safety instructions:
Throughout the tour, please be aware that the paths are used at your own risk. There is no guarantee of the paths' usability. In towns/places, increased attentiveness is generally required. Hazards such as bollards, barriers, and unsecured crossings may be encountered on the tour.