Moated Castle, Mallinckrodthof and Church
Today, only the base of the former cellar house of Nordborchen’s moated castle (the former lower house) can still be seen; it is covered for protection. The moated castle is the surviving ruin of one of two former aristocratic residences in Nordborchen.
Mallinckrodthof in Nordborchen includes a landscaped park, a sensory garden and a restaurant with a beer garden. This combination of park, garden and dining offers a different focus from the moated castle. The hornbeam at Mallinckrodthof is designated as natural monument BN 13 I.
Another historic landmark is today’s St. Lawrence Church in Nordborchen. Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Nordhues solemnly consecrated it on 13 October 1968.
Cycling on the Altenau Cycle Route
The Altenau Cycle Route runs to the point where the Altenau flows into the Alme near Nordborchen. In Nordborchen, it connects directly to the Alme Cycle Route. The route runs mostly downstream through the Altenau valley and is easy for leisure cyclists to manage. The course of the river and the connection to the Alme Cycle Route give the ride its distinctive character.
Hiking and Cultural Destinations in the Wider Borchen Travel Destination
In the wider Borchen travel destination, the Old Pilgrims’ Path between Paderborn and Borchen is just over 21 kilometres long and is listed as a “dream tour.” In September 2024, the municipality reported that it had been awarded the designation of a short-quality trail.
The Wind-Wald-Wiesen-Wege are two circular hiking trails, each 15 kilometres long. Both start at the Old Church in Dörenhagen and combine experiences of nature with information about local history. For cycling tours, the signposted Borchen routes Bo 1 to Bo 7 offer a separate selection: they make day trips of 9 to 28 kilometres possible in and around Borchen. Check local route conditions before setting out.
For comparison, each hiking loop is 15 kilometres, while the Borchen cycling day trips range from 9 to 28 kilometres: the hiking routes are all the same length, whereas the cycling routes cover a wider range.
Cultural destinations in the wider Borchen travel destination include the Gellinghausen hillfort, also known as Hünenburg. In 2004, information boards about the site’s history were put up there, drawing on new scientific findings. The Old Church of St. Meinolfus in Dörenhagen is a surviving small fortified church from the early 13th century and was built around 1222. The dates refer to different events: 2004 marks the installation of the hillfort boards, while around 1222 refers to the construction of the church. This makes it easy to distinguish between the more recent presentation of history and the medieval construction date of the surviving building.
The Devil’s Stone is another scenic destination in the wider Borchen travel area: a winding path leads to this viewpoint, a rock high above the Altenau valley with a permanent platform.
Back to the wider travel overview: Borchen.
