Discover Leisel

A cycling route to the Erbeskopf National Park Gate starts in Leisel; the area around the village also has hiking trails and routes featuring art and cultural heritage. When planning your trip, you can choose between days on your bike, walks on foot and sights along the way.

A cycling route with a clearly defined profile

National Park Cross-Country Route 6 starts at Leisel sports ground and runs via Jagdhaus Leisel, Hüttgeswasen and Hängende Birke to the Erbeskopf National Park Gate. The route is mostly covered in coarse gravel. It also includes steep climbs and descents, as well as a short stretch of asphalt. Off-road-capable bicycles or mountain bikes are recommended for the National Park cross-country routes.

Jagdhaus Leisel offers a viewpoint for a short break. The route to the Erbeskopf National Park Gate follows a forest track through the Idarwald Forestry Office area; there is a bistro at the gate. Where National Park routes cross, signs and numbers help you find your way. These details give you specific reference points for planning your tour: the start at the sports ground, the section with changing surfaces and the stated endpoint.

Routes, art and traces of the Romans

The RadLust HimmelReich loop runs through fields and forest via Oberbrombach to Leisel. The Kipp burial mound, the Avenue of the Gods and Heiligenbösch Church are directly on the route. Heiligenbösch Church stands on the ruins of an ancient villa complex. The surviving walls and room layouts belong to the villa's bathing area—a remarkable glimpse into the area's past.

The Avenue of the Gods/Sirona Trail also connects Leisel and Schwollen: sculptures of Roman deities can be seen along the 2.5-kilometre route. Alongside the forest and field sections of the cycling loop, this gives you another way to combine exercise with cultural discoveries.

Walking around Leisel

If you prefer to get around on foot, four circular hiking trails are available around Leisel, offering walks on the sunny side of the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park. Cycling and hiking offer different experiences: Cross-Country Route 6 is characterised by its coarse gravel and steep climbs and descents, while the circular trails are described as options for walks and hikes. This lets you plan your day around your preferred activity without limiting your outings to just one way of getting around.

More to discover in the wider Birkenfeld destination

Part of the Hunsrück-Hochwald National Park lies within the Birkenfeld collective municipality, in the wider Birkenfeld destination. There are other named trails to explore nature here: the one-kilometre Obere Nahe Water Discovery Trail in Hoppstädten-Weiersbach has four access points. It introduces visitors to the diversity of aquatic life in the Upper Nahe, including barbel and gudgeon, as well as waterbirds and dragonflies.

The “In the Land of Kites, Storks and Co.” nature trail has 18 stations around Niederhambach, Schmißberg and Rimsberg. Near Schmißberg, it includes an aviary with the stork pair Lotte and Bernie; the trail also provides information about the habitats of red kites, black storks and other species. Visitors interested in cultural history can find permanent exhibitions at the Birkenfeld State Museum on the Celts and Romans, Birkenfeld and the Wittelsbachs, the iron industry in Birkenfeld district, an old classroom from around 1930 and the Oldenburg period.

Choosing the right place to stay for your plans

The choice of where to stay therefore depends on the activities you actually want to enjoy.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kirschweiler, Hellertshausen, Abentheuer, Oberhambach, Elchweiler, Schwollen, Kempfeld, Hattgenstein.

Back to the wider travel overview: Birkenfeld.