Paderborn Karst Trail - From Ellerbach Valley to the Plateau

The starting point of the Paderborn Karst Trail is at the multipurpose hall or the sports facilities on Grundsteinheimer Weg. From there, it runs past the cemetery to the parish church and then along the Ellerbach to the west. Quickly, you leave the village behind and enjoy beautiful views of the Ellerbach Valley. In summer, the stream carries no water, as it seeps into so-called "swallow holes" or "stream sinks".
Then the path ascends, crosses the district road, and then runs for a long stretch through the forest along the approximately 700-meter-long Dahler Sculpture Path, where six artworks made of oak wood or a combination of oak wood, steel, or stone can be seen. Upon reaching the edge of the forest, the view unexpectedly spans across the vast Paderborn plateau. Knipsberg, at 324 meters, is the highest point of the tour. The groups of trees seen in the fields are sinkholes, collapsed underground cavities. "Spielmanns Kuhle," the largest doline here, has a diameter of about 40 meters and a depth of 15 meters.
In the Merschetal, there is a "wilderness area" in the forest that should not be entered, which is the reason for a "detour." Upon reaching the forest edge, there are still beautiful views of Dahl before returning to the multipurpose hall.