Main Cycle Tour 06 - Stage Bad Wildungen - Wolfhagen

First flat along the R 5 to the Eder reservoir, over the dam wall, then up to Waldeck, then a section of the Edersee railroad line, then mountainous, asphalted paths but also longer gravel tracks; some regional signposting

Difficulty level: demanding
Trail quality: ★★☆☆
Signposting: ★★☆☆

From Bad Wildungen, cycle along the R 5 to the district of Wega. Here the tour joins the Eder cycle path, which you follow to the Edersee. Leave the R 5 before the barrier wall, which is well worth seeing, and cross over the wall to the other side of the Edersee.

Along the lakeside road on the combined cycle and footpath, you soon reach Waldeck-West. From here, a strenuous ascent to Waldeck Castle begins via a steeply ascending road. Once you have made the "ascent", you can enjoy a fantastic view over Lake Edersee from the castle terrace, which is freely accessible during the day.

The route then descends rapidly via Waldeck to the former Waldeck railroad station. Here you join the Ederseebahn cycle path, which takes you effortlessly over the imposing Selbach viaduct that bridges the Reiherbach valley. To the west of the viaduct, you leave the railroad cycle path in the direction of Selbach.
From the village of Selbach, the route runs off the beaten track without any cycle path signposting on a gravel section of around 5 km. You reach the half-timbered pearl of Naumburg via the ridge of the "Old Forest". Please note: depending on the weather, the surface in the old forest may have coarse or damp gravel sections.
In Naumburg, the market square with its half-timbered buildings from the 17th century is captivating. Naumburg has also been a Kneipp spa since 1985. The Hummelwerkstatt is a special attraction on the edge of the Habichtswald forest. This unique project in cooperation with the University of Kassel offers an observation station in the red light room during the summer months. This allows you to observe the busy insects in their natural habitat.
North of the town center, slightly off the route, is the "Warte" rest area with a shelter, sky swing (also suitable for adults) and an old watchtower, which is accessible via a ladder.
From Naumburg, you cycle along the hilly Hessian long-distance cycle route R 4 to Wolfhagen. The surface is not always asphalted. There are also gravel sections.

In Ippinghausen, you can take a detour from the R 4 off the main road to Weidelsburg Castle. The imposing castle ruins can only be reached via steep gravel paths. However, it is better to leave the bike in Ippinghausen and make the detour to the castle on foot. At the top, a panoramic view of the volcanic cone landscape of the Habichtswald Nature Park awaits.
The descent to Wolfhagen takes you along gravel paths, some of which are bumpy and damp depending on the weather. This stage town also has a pretty half-timbered
half-timbered old town. On the centrally located market square there is a fountain dedicated to the town fairy tale "The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats". If you want to find out more about the town and the surrounding area, you can visit the regional museum.

*****************************************************

Service and support on site

Wolfhagen

• E-bike rental in Wolfhagen: https://www.wolfhagen.de/umwelt-mobiltaet/mobil-in-wolfhagen/e-mobilitaet.php
• E-bike charging stations:
  Wolfhagen town hall, Burgstraße 33-35
  Wolfhagen camper van site, Bruchweg
  Liemecke stadium, Liemeckestraße
  Regional Museum Wolfhager Land, Ritterstraße 1
  Weidelsburg Castle Ippinghausen

Cycle routes in Wolfhagen: https://www.wolfhagen.de/kultur-und-tourismus/mehr-als-urlaub/freizeit-in-wolfhagen-radwandern.php