The Haxtergrund is a typical valley in the Paderborn Plateau, which consists of limestone that was deposited on the sea floor around 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.
The Paderborn Plateau is a so-called karst landscape. In such areas, streams often seep into the porous limestone. The Ellerbach stream also disappears underground in the Haxtergrund in so-called "Bachschwinden".
This is why the Haxtergrund is a dry valley for most of the year. After heavy rainfall, however, these dry valleys can suddenly be flooded by torrents.
In the Haxtergrund, the Ellerbach has cut over 50 meters deep into the Paderborn plateau, creating a steep-walled, box-shaped valley. The special shape of the valley, with a steep slope in the south and a flatter slope in the north, shows the influence of the glacial permafrost climate. During the ice age, the soil on the sunny northern side thawed and slid down into the valley, where it was washed away by the Ellerbach stream. The southern slope, on the other hand, remained frozen and thus retained its steeper shape.
The Paderborn Plateau is a so-called karst landscape. In such areas, streams often seep into the porous limestone. The Ellerbach stream also disappears underground in the Haxtergrund in so-called "Bachschwinden".
This is why the Haxtergrund is a dry valley for most of the year. After heavy rainfall, however, these dry valleys can suddenly be flooded by torrents.
In the Haxtergrund, the Ellerbach has cut over 50 meters deep into the Paderborn plateau, creating a steep-walled, box-shaped valley. The special shape of the valley, with a steep slope in the south and a flatter slope in the north, shows the influence of the glacial permafrost climate. During the ice age, the soil on the sunny northern side thawed and slid down into the valley, where it was washed away by the Ellerbach stream. The southern slope, on the other hand, remained frozen and thus retained its steeper shape.
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Verkehrsverein Paderborn e.V. - Tourist Information
Königsplatz 10
33098 Paderborn
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