Kleiner Wäller Hessentag hiking trail - Herborn

Description

The starting point of this varied walk - Kleiner Wäller Hessentag hiking trail - is the 17 m high Dillblick observation tower. Here you can enjoy the beautiful panoramic view before starting.

The trail leads through the game reserve from the tower. The goats, llamas, and donkeys look forward to visitors. The fallow deer can be observed from a viewing platform. There are great playground and climbing facilities for children.

On the circular route past the war cemetery – in summer you can also make a detour to the outdoor pool – you reach the old town with its many half-timbered houses, alleys, and corners, cafés and bistros for a short break. In the city park, you can relax under the shady trees with many seating areas and playground equipment. The circular route passes through parts of the pedestrian zone past many small shops. Parking is available at the starting point.

Alternatively, you can also start at the station. City maps, information, and many cafés, bistros, and ice cream parlors in the old town are available at the local tourist information!

Approach

A45 Sauerland line, exits Herborn West and South, B255 from Westerwald or from Marburg, B277 Dillenburg-Wetzlar.

Public transport

By train to Herborn station, about 200 m walk to the tour start. Bus connections available at Herborn bus station (ZOB, directly at the station).

Parking

Free parking at the Dillblick observation tower (turnoff in Kallenbachstraße, follow signs for Dillblick/Game Reserve) and parking options at Herborn station, Littau (free commuter parking).

Directions

The route starts through Bahnhofstraße. I choose the steep variant and first cross the city park to the right, pass the Dillturm, cross the street ahead and pass the ice cream parlor (here I quickly get a little snack before going uphill!). Then I turn left by the ice cream parlor back into the pedestrian zone. I leave Obere Hauptstraße behind me to shortly after turn left into the alley "Breiter Winkel" at the distinctive half-timbered building with the “Aufhocker” figure sticking its tongue out to hikers. There I am greeted by the flowers of a private property, immediately after which I pass the city library. At Mühlgasse 5 at the end of the angle, I admire Herborn's oldest residential house, built in 1445, which today houses a small restaurant. I walk a few meters straight ahead through Dreihäusergasse and then continue straight up the historic stairway "Kleine Grede." The river stone pavement here is partially preserved from ancient times. For the steep variant, I keep right immediately at the end of the stairs and walk about 100 meters straight ahead below the house Schulberg 22 to the oldest preserved city gate. I pass through the "Steinerne Pforte," continue straight and watch out for road traffic crossing Kallenbachstraße and Nassaustraße. Then my path becomes a bit more demanding: directly ahead is the very steep, about 600 meter-long section of Dollenbergstraße. This leads me first through a residential area and then through nature up to the Dillblick observation tower, which was opened shortly before the Hessentag 2016.

The 17-meter-high tower is an architectural gem and impresses me greatly. But I want to see more and climb the 80 steps up to the viewing platform. There I am greeted by a panoramic view over both sides of the Dill River, which as a natural boundary separates the Westerwald to the west from the Lahn-Dill Highlands to the east. After so much climbing, I treat myself to a picnic on the meadow below the tower. Then I continue to follow the Hessentag hiking trail signposting – below the observation tower is an information sign as a guidepost, and a few steps away is the information board of the Hessentag hiking trail portal, already at the height of the parking lot, which of course also offers the possibility to park the car here when arriving by car and start the hike. I now walk across the parking lot and continue on a forest path towards the Herborn game reserve, which begins immediately after crossing under the highway. In the game reserve, I can visit red deer, goats, llamas, and donkeys in lovingly designed enclosures. Families with children enjoy themselves on the playground and climbing equipment. I prefer to use one of the nice seating areas and let the park with its small viewing platforms, pond and fountains along the path take effect on me. Then I continue until at the end of the game reserve I cross the highway once via a bridge. After a residential street (Arnoldistraße), I cross the street directly below the outdoor swimming pool and walk past the war cemetery. On the following street, I have to turn left once onto the small forest and meadow path (Hasenpfad) and arrive above the Bürgerturm, past the Corvin printing house and the Hohe Schule back into the historic old town of Herborn. (This variant runs counterclockwise.)

And because it was so nice, I come again. Because I also want to try the less steep variant of the circular route, where I can explore Herborn's old town more extensively right at the beginning. It is the same path, only this time seen clockwise and with less steep climbs. This time I leave the city park from the station and go straight ahead through Bahnhofstraße, pass through the gate tower "Leonhardsturm" and arrive at the market square past the Hohe Schule and up to the right onto Schulberg. The striking passage of the Countess Widow Zinsendorf is an architectural peculiarity. I continue straight ahead, pass above house Schulberg 22 and already see the Corvin printing house. At this monument, I turn left and walk to the Bürgerturm, continue along the street and finally cross Nassaustraße and turn right after a few meters into Schützenpfad. At the end of this approximately 300 meter-long residential street, I cross a road again and get onto Hasenpfad to the left of the Hotel Garni. The name is program, because this is really a small path that winds about 300 meters through bushes up to where I—following the markings—reach the small stairs on the left going up to Olevianweg. Here, at the end of the path—even if a small path straight ahead tempts me—I go left and cross Friedrich-Birkendahlstraße.

From there I quickly reach the war cemetery and the striking East Cross, as well as seats where I take a rest. At the end of the approximately 400 meter-long round between cemetery and war cemetery, I cross Friedrich-Birkendahlstraße again somewhat further up and reach the game reserve from above via Arnoldistraße. Then I follow the trail markings through the extensive area of the game reserve. After a while and a stop at the Dillblick observation tower, I walk back down Dollenbergstraße into the old town. I walk through the alleys “Kleine Grede,” “Breiter Winkel,” as well as the city park, back to the station.

Safety instructions

Bridge construction work on the highway bridge underpass of the highway in the game reserve leads to temporary and partial closures of the path (as of May 2020 until probably summer 2021) in the area of the game reserve entrance at the observation tower and from the other side at the intersection in the game reserve. The closure is lifted on weekends when no work is scheduled. A detour is signposted. Please observe the closures.

Tips

Within the game reserve is a half-timbered "house" made only of beams, suitable for picnicking. The highlight for children is the nearby zip line/rope slide.

Literature

Hiking map around Herborn 1:25,000 Dr. Münzer

Destination

Parking at the Dillblick observation tower or at Herborn station parking lot Littau

Starting Point

Parking at the Dillblick observation tower or at Herborn station parking lot Littau