Discover Warberg: Elm Circular Trail and Hopfengraben

Warberg combines a circular hike with traces of its history. The Elm Circular Trail RW34 starts at Warberg Castle and leads to the site of the original castle. Along the way, names and distinctive places offer reasons to take a closer look—from Hopfengraben to the small pond at Güldenspring.

Hiking and discovering stories

The Elm Circular Trail RW34 is described as a circular hike: the starting point is Warberg Castle, and the destination is the site of the original castle. This gives the route two distinct points of reference, each with its own character along the way. Those interested in the history behind place names will find another clue in Hopfengraben. Its name recalls that hops were once grown there for the brewery in Warberg.

There is a small pond at Güldenspring; the hike then continues along the Schlangenweg. At Old Warberg Castle, an information board provides comprehensive information about the site. These places give the circular route different highlights: the pond is a tangible feature of the landscape, while the board provides background on the castle complex. When planning, you can therefore consider whether you want to focus primarily on the hike itself or also on the historical associations of the places.

First decide which of these topics matters more to you during your stay; this will help you tailor your search to the kind of trip you have in mind.

Culture and more discoveries in the wider destination of Helmstedt

In the wider destination of Helmstedt, the Imperial Cathedral in Königslutter is a striking example of Romanesque architecture. It is one of the most impressive Romanesque buildings in Lower Saxony. Together with the cloister and the Imperial Lime Tree on the former monastery grounds, it is a popular attraction. The Museum of Mechanical Musical Instruments offers a different kind of discovery: guided tours explain the instruments; nearly all are in working order and ready to be demonstrated. The tour becomes an experience for visitors of all ages.

Helmstedt’s architectural history can also be explored in different ways. The Juleum Novum auditorium building of the former university was built between 1592 and 1597 as a palatial Renaissance structure. An architectural tour of Helmstedt presents 1,000 years of building history, from the Romanesque period to Historicism. In the Juleum, the District and University Museum displays a model of the town as it was around 1750 and original objects from the university era, including an astronomical disc, a globe, and crockery from the university refectory.

The climb up the Juleum Tower involves 153 steps and takes place from April to October on the first Saturday of each month, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Check the date before your visit. The free public tours of the monastery and St. Marienberg Church also take place on fixed monthly dates: they are held on the first Sunday of each month at 2:00 p.m. The monastery treasury, located in the former chapter house, displays precious medieval church vestments.

In Schöningen, the research museum focuses on the Schöningen spears. Visitors can see them close to where they were found. The spears were left there around 300,000 years ago and discovered in 1994; excavations are still taking place there today. The Schöningen Discovery Trail runs for 2.5 kilometres from Burgplatz to the research museum and has eight stops with large information boards. When planning, you can choose between a museum visit and a route with several information boards.

Those interested in the landscape and getting their bearings in the wider destination will find the Geopark Information Centre in Königslutter. It offers extensive tourism and information services for the Braunschweiger Land Geopark, the Elm-Lappwald Nature Park, and the town of Königslutter. Different activities take centre stage at Lappwaldsee: it is a popular destination for cyclists, runners, and walkers. The town of Helmstedt has provided a public car park at the end of Büddenstedter Weg for visitors to the lake.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Lauingen, Königslutter Am Elm, Schöningen, Helmstedt, Mariental, Bahrdorf, Jerxheim, Räbke.

Back to the main travel guide: Helmstedt.