Discover Brilon-Wald through its hiking trails, wildlife watching and local history. The village walk connects eleven signposted sites, the BW1 circular trail offers views of the Bruchhauser Steine, and animals can be observed at Silbersee depending on the time of day. To help plan your trip, start with a simple question: would you like to focus on hiking, the history of the district, or the landscape and wildlife watching?
Hiking trails with different focuses
The village walk, around 5.5 kilometres long, connects eleven signposted sites. Blue signs and historical photos convey an impression of the village’s history and its buildings and facilities. The route brings together local history and architecture, rather than focusing on a single building.
The Brilon-Wald circular trail (BW1) offers a different kind of route. It follows part of the Briloner Kammweg and the Rothaarsteig; the trail offers views of the Bruchhauser Steine. Visibility depends on the weather and conditions. The Brilon-Wald Gipfeltour starts at a hiking car park above the SchĂĽtzenhalle in the district of Brilon-Wald. If you would like to follow a long-distance trail stage, the Rothaarsteig stage from Brilon to Bruchhausen has an access point in Brilon-Wald. These are different options for choosing a route: a circular trail, a summit tour with a specified starting point, and access to a stage between two places.
Silbersee and the landscape
Silbersee serves as a drinking water reservoir for the town of Brilon. At the same time, animals of various species, especially birds, can be observed there depending on the time of day. This brings wildlife watching into focus alongside the reservoir’s function. If you plan to spend time doing so, take the time of day into account: it is one of the factors that affects the opportunity to observe wildlife.
Local history in buildings and interpretations
The listed Essigturm tower is a landmark of the local landscape and is considered a symbol of Brilon-Wald’s industrial development. The Catholic chapel of St. Joseph was built from July 1925 to May 1927. Franz Schneider from Düsseldorf-Oberkassel designed the church building as well as the neighbouring school, which had already been completed. The Feuereiche portrays the development of humankind in relation to the positive and negative uses of wood and fire. These themes offer different ways of exploring local history: through a prominent building, the architectural history of the church, and an artistic interpretation of how people use wood and fire.
More to explore in the wider Brilon destination
The wider Brilon destination has its own cultural and landscape highlights. Brilon’s Old Town preserves a well-maintained architectural heritage from earlier centuries, with a half-timbered ensemble on the market square. Brilon’s town hall, built around 1250, has a Baroque façade and is considered one of the oldest town halls in Germany.
The Haus Hövener Town Museum is located in the centre of Brilon, right on the market square, and has largely been preserved in its 1910 condition. An interactive town model offers insights into life in Brilon in centuries past. The museum also displays original Iguanodon bones discovered in 1978 in a quarry near Brilon-Nehden.
The Brilon Geological Trail is another highlight of the wider destination: the approximately eight-kilometre themed trail follows geological transitions and panoramic viewpoints. It brings to life two distinct features of the Devonian period: the limestone knolls of the Brilon plateau and the diabase deposits of Bilstein. One highlight is a viewing platform on the 634-metre-high Bilstein spoil heap.
Discover more destinations: Radlinghausen, Bontkirchen, Alme, Nehden, Hoppecke, Gudenhagen, Madfeld.
Go to the wider travel overview: Brilon.
