In Heringen (Werra), you’ll find a variety of themes to consider when planning your day: wetlands in the Werra floodplain, historic memorial sites, tours of Monte Kali and a cycling route that passes Heringen. If you want to focus on nature, you can explore the habitats of Rohrlache and Säulingssee; for a historical element, Waldradeberg and the Bodesruh Memorial offer specific points of interest. There are also set time slots for the Monte Kali tours and a specified length for the cycling route. These differences can help you plan your days around your own interests.

Wetlands in the Werra floodplain

Rohrlache is a large, riverside floodplain and wetland area in the Werra Valley between Heringen and the districts of Leimbach and Widdershausen. Many bird species use it as a breeding and resting site and for foraging. Salt-dependent plant species also grow where saline water emerges. This means the area is home both to bird habitats and to plants that depend on saline conditions.

The Säulingssee and Rohrlache nature reserves near Widdershausen are important stepping stones in a chain of wetlands in the Werra floodplain. Säulingssee is also a nature reserve and, following a period of drainage and cultivation, is once again developing into a wetland that is particularly important for amphibians. The two areas therefore have different ecological focuses: bird species and salt-dependent plants are important aspects of Rohrlache, while Säulingssee is significant for amphibians.

Historical traces and views

Waldradeberg was described as an abandoned settlement in 1331. Whether the place was resettled later is uncertain; by 1579, the village site had definitively fallen into ruin. This chronology records both the early description and the uncertainty surrounding possible resettlement.

The Bodesruh Memorial commemorates the division of the region by the inner German border until 1989. The memorial’s observation tower offers wide-ranging views across the Gerstungen Basin and the Werra Valley to the Thuringian Forest. Here, the remembrance of the division and views across the landscape go hand in hand.

Plan tours and cycling routes

Tours of Monte Kali are available on weekends from March to October. Times vary by day of the week:

• Saturdays: 12:30 and 15:00.
• Sundays: 10:00 and 12:30.
• On public holidays in Hesse: 10:00, 12:30 and 15:00.

Advance registration is required. As tour times and registration details may change, check with the operator before your visit.

The 52.6 km Ronshausen-Werratal-Seulingswald cycling route starts at the Werra Potash Mining Museum and is one of the routes that pass Heringen. The town does not guarantee the routes’ suggested course or surface quality. Bear this in mind when including the route in your plans.

For planning purposes, there is a clear distinction: the tour is set out in more detail, with a season, fixed times and advance registration; the cycling route’s distance is specified, but its course and surface are not guaranteed.

Discover more destinations: Neuenstein, Philippsthal, Niederaula, Hohenroda, Breitenbach Am Herzberg, Alheim, Rotenburg, Bebra

Return to the regional travel overview: Hersfeld-Rotenburg.