On the way to the "Little Lord"

The Willebadessen castle and former monastery is a great place to start the tour. It is worth visiting the grounds, which are also home to a sculpture park with works by renowned European sculptors.

From Willebadessen, the trail leads up a steep climb to the Eggegebirg ridge. The Hirschstein nature reserve and the wild and romantic "Alte Eisenbahn" gorge offer wonderful natural beauty. The gorge takes its name from the failed construction of a railroad tunnel by the Cologne-Minden-Thuringia Railway Company here in 1848. 500 workers toiled here for three years on a huge construction site, which was shut down due to a lack of funds. The resulting rugged cliffs and dark pools look like a wild mountain gorge. It's hard to imagine that this paradise is not a naturally formed gorge, but an abandoned construction site!

On the Eggeweg trail, you first pass the Eggekreuz and then come to the historic Karlsschanze fortifications. Follow in the footsteps of the Saxons as you reach the Eggeweg, which is lined with Germanic cult sites. The "Kleiner Herrgott" sandstone monument dates back to the time of Charlemagne and was erected here to commemorate the Christianization of the region.

A sloping path leads you down to the Gertrudenkammer, also known as the Drudenhöhle. According to a Saxon legend, it was once inhabited by the priestess "Wise Wala". Through the unspoilt Teutonia forest, the route follows winding paths along the edge of the Teutonia cliffs. The 15m high, steeply sloping rock face on the eastern slope of the Egge ridge offers rewarding views. If you look down the precipice, you can see impressive formations of fallen rocks.

You also have a wonderful view from the observation tower.
A gentleman named Bierbaum, owner of the Borlinghausen manor, had the "Bierbaums Nagel" observation tower built in 1849 to provide the rural population with an opportunity to earn a living in economically difficult years. The tower was a surprise gift for his wife, who came from Kassel and was very homesick. From the tower, she was to have the opportunity to see the landmark of her beloved home town, Hercules on Wilhelmshöhe. Whether Mrs. Bierbaum was cured of her homesickness in this way is not known. It is still worth climbing the tower today for the beautiful view.

The route continues along the Burgweg to Borlinghausen. Here you will find the privately owned Borlilnghausen Castle, a Renaissance castle.

History:
In 1338, the Knights of Spiegel left their ancestral castle on the Desenberg near Warburg and settled in Peckelsheim, Schweckhausen and Borlinghausen. From the beginning of the 15th century, the village, castle and church were owned by the von Spiegel family of Peckelsheim. Werner and Katharina von Spiegel had the Weser Renaissance castle built in the second half of the 16th century. The moated castle consists of a south and west wing and an octagonal stair tower on the courtyard side. The Weser Renaissance complex was completed in 1587. Older building fabric from the late Gothic period was probably also used in the construction of the castle. The north gable dates from the early 17th century. The south wing underwent Baroque alterations in the 18th century and was rebuilt at the end of the 19th century with Neo-Renaissance style elements and fitted with a south and east gable.
Unfortunately, there are no public tours of the castle, but it is possible and worthwhile to visit the grounds.

The Wappenweg trail takes you to charming Hardehausen with its old, mighty monastery complex. Another attraction is the nature experience area with wild animals. At the foot of the Eggegebirge mountains, you walk past the Hammerhof forest information center. You can observe the bison, wild horses, wild boar and red deer that live here on a 2 km section of the trail.

On the Goldberg, you have an excellent view of the Diemel floodplains towards Warburg, the Desenberg and Kassel.