The Uplandsteig trail circles the municipality of Willingen (Upland) and passes through all nine districts; the Skywalk, Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump and Hochheideturm observation tower each offer something distinctive. When choosing accommodation, you can first decide what you want to focus on: hiking, a striking structure or a viewpoint.
Hiking on a trail that circles the municipality
The Uplandsteig is a 66 km certified quality hiking trail. It circles the municipality and passes through all nine districts. Along the way, it winds through mixed forests, beech forests and fir forests, as well as cultivated fields, flower-filled meadows and marshland. These varied landscapes give the trail a different character from a single viewpoint or structure. If you want to make hiking the focus of your stay, the route around the municipality offers a clear point of focus; at the same time, the landscape ranges from forest stretches to open areas. So your trip idea can center on more than a single stop: it can be about the trail through the municipality.
Skywalk, ski jump and observation tower
The Skywalk Willingen stretches for 665 m and is suspended 100 m above the Upland landscape. At the Mühlenkopfschanze ski jump, the 25 m-high ski jump tower, with its “Adlerhorst” viewpoint, is a distinctive feature. The ski jump attracts visitors year-round and is a leisure tip.
The Hochheideturm observation tower on Ettelsberg offers a different focus: it is 62 m high, its viewing platform is 875 m above sea level, and it is described as the highest viewpoint in northwestern Germany. An accessible lift for eight people leads to the platform. The measurements describe different things: for the Skywalk, its length and height above the landscape are the main points, while for the Hochheideturm they are the tower’s height and the platform’s elevation. At the Mühlenkopfschanze, the ski jump tower and its named viewpoint go together. This comparison can help you choose destinations based on your interest in an expansive structure, a viewpoint at the ski jump or an elevated platform.
A practical reference point for the circular route
Free parking is available at the Ettelsberg cable car’s valley station, Zur Hoppecke 5, along the Skywalk/Schanze–Ettelsberg circular route. If you plan to take this route, you can use the valley station as a specific reference point for your drive. Check the latest parking information before setting off.
More topics in the wider Waldeck-Frankenberg destination
In the wider Waldeck-Frankenberg destination, the 66-kilometre Urwaldsteig Edersee offers another hiking option. It can be completed in eight stages or as part of a three-day ranger hike; on this tour, each stage is around 22 kilometres. These details describe two different formats: a route divided into stages and a three-day ranger hike with approximately 22 kilometres per stage.
Another focus is the GeoFoyer Kalkturm Korbach. It presents the landscape and wildlife around Korbach as they were 250 million years ago, as well as an exhibition about the extraction and processing of limestone and its industrial use in the quarry for over 100 years. The wider Waldeck-Frankenberg destination therefore offers not only hiking options but also topics related to geological history and limestone.
Discover more destinations: Usseln, Welleringhausen, Rattlar, Bömighausen, Schwalefeld, Eimelrod, Neerdar, Edertal.
Go to the wider travel overview: Waldeck-Frankenberg.
