Heiligenborn: Routes to Kompass and Eschengraben

In Heiligenborn, hiking takes center stage: the trails lead to Kompass, Eschengraben and onward toward Jagdberg and Ilsequelle. This lets you focus your day-trip planning on route length and the destinations mentioned. The broader destination of Bad Laasphe also offers its own hiking and cultural themes, giving your trip a different focus.

Hiking trails from Heiligenborn

From the Heiligenborn hiking trailhead, you can walk to Kompass, considered the highest elevation in southern Wittgenstein. Another option is the 4-kilometer trail to Eschengraben. The 7-kilometer route continues toward Jagdberg and Ilsequelle. The different route lengths and destinations give you a concrete guide when choosing your hiking day.

Near the hamlet of Heiligenborn, the nature park hiking car park provides a starting point for exploring the Ilse Valley. From there, you can access the Lahn Hiking Trail and the Rothaarsteig. Another option is for children to follow the 2-kilometer Kleiner-Rothaar circular trail. So, alongside longer hiking trails, there is also a shorter loop and a trail specifically mentioned as suitable for children.

Starting point and travel

The Heiligenborn hiking car park is on the K 17 between Volkholz and Heiligenborn and is accessible by car. Check local trail conditions before setting out. Trail surfaces and signage can change; in bad weather, you should also take local road and car park conditions into account.

A distinct focus within the broader destination of Bad Laasphe

Bad Laasphe complements its hiking options with an urban cultural theme. Its historic center is a rare example in Westphalia of a well-preserved old town shaped predominantly by the Middle Ages. The Protestant Town Church is the oldest surviving building in the town. Traces of Jewish life in Bad Laasphe are preserved in the Old Synagogue.

The Sculpture Walk takes you past works of art and through the historic townscape along a route of about 2 kilometers, taking around two hours. The path is paved and accessible throughout to wheelchairs and strollers. If you are interested in a longer circular route, Bad Laasphe has the 11.3-kilometer Myths & Legends Trail. It is listed as taking 3 hours and 30 minutes, with 403 meters of elevation gain; the loop returns to Bad Laasphe. The two routes therefore differ considerably in length and stated duration.

The Bad Laasphe Planet Trail also offers something distinctive: it represents the distances and sizes of the sun and planets at a scale of 1:1,000,000,000. For a more peaceful stay, the spa park is ideal for walking, relaxing and unwinding. Bad Laasphe also has a network of more than 800 kilometers of hiking trails.

Bad Laasphe is directly accessible from Marburg every hour via the Upper Lahn Valley Railway. From Siegen, the Rothaar Railway goes there with a transfer in Erndtebrück. If these train connections are important for your plans, check the timetable before your trip. The connections mentioned are to Bad Laasphe.

Choose the right focus for your trip

Plan the rest of your trip around the places and activities you want to include. The route details and different themes can help you prioritize without combining hiking, local history and relaxation into a single type of outing.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Siegen, Erndtebrück, Kreuztal, Burbach, Bad Laasphe, Hilchenbach, Freudenberg, Wilnsdorf.

Back to the main travel overview: Siegen-Wittgenstein.