Von Grenzengängern und Grenzsteinen

9.39 km long

Round trip

Difficulty: easy

Condition: easy

Regional hiking trail

Ein Wanderweg führt entlang eines Feldes mit Holzpfosten und Bäumen in einer ländlichen Kulisse. — CC-BY-SA | Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Kulturland Kreis Höxter, A. Steinnökel, Ansgar Steinnökel

Ein schmaler Wanderpfad führt durch einen lichten Wald mit kahlen Bäumen und verläuft entlang eines sanften Hangs. — CC-BY-SA | Teutoburger Wald Tourismus, Kulturland Kreis Höxter, A. Steinnökel, Ansgar Steinnökel

2:32 h
9.39 km
134 m
101 m
265 m
342 m
77 m
Start: Muddenhagen hiking parking lot, 34434 Muddenhagen
Destination: Muddenhagen hiking parking lot, 34434 Muddenhagen

Schnadgang is the term used to describe the historical process of controlling and maintaining borders and marking them. The circular walk follows these traces along the current border between the federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse. The border still corresponds to the historical border between the Prince-Bishopric of Paderborn and the County of Hesse. Sections of the hiking trail run directly along the border. Small ramparts and ditches as well as the occasional boundary stone are still witnesses to the historical border markings.

The fact that there are no longer regular crossings can be clearly seen from the fact that the boundary stones are hidden in the undergrowth and there is no longer a continuous path along the boundary line.

If you find one of the historical boundary stones, you can recognize the inscriptions on it - sometimes more, sometimes less clearly - which mark the territorial affiliation. On the Hessian side, they show the current boundary stone number at the top, below it the image of the Hessian coat of arms with the lion and the letters F.L.Z.H. for "Friedrich Landgrave of Hesse". The Westphalian side shows the current boundary stone number at the top and below it the letters W.A.B.Z.P. for "Wilhelm Anton Bischof zu Paderborn" above the Paderborn cross and the year.

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Directions

The path initially leads from the parking lot in a north-easterly direction between reforestation areas until it reaches a junction of several paths in a small arc. Turn slightly left there and keep walking in a north-easterly direction. After a short time, you cross a slight ditch with a small embankment on the other side. On the embankment, you walk between young and growing beech trees, which later change to old beech trees on one side and a clearing on the other. Several roots make the path an exciting section. Follow the path to the edge of the forest and keep right there, following the path along the edge of the forest. There you will also come across a boundary stone. From there, you have a good view across the fields to Manrode and into the valley. The border line also continues in the valley.
After a shed on the left, the path branches off to the right in a hairpin bend. It continues along a wide forest path. At the first wind turbine, the path bends to the left and at the next two crossroads, keep diagonally right. From then on, continue straight ahead until the path becomes narrower at some point, descends more steeply and ends at the edge of the forest. At the edge of the forest, turn right and walk uphill along the willows to the next crossroads. There you follow the path into the forest and find yourself back on the boundary line. At a short distance from the boundary line, the path leads through a beautiful beech forest until it meets a wide forest path again. The tour turns left, passes the barrier and ends back at the parking lot. At the last crossroads, the boundary line continues straight ahead. However, the path is difficult to walk on and the boundary stones are particularly difficult to find.

Tour information