The Burgwaldpfad takes you with this collection on three easy to moderately challenging stages directly into the wildly romantic heart of Hesse. Surrounded by the lush greenery of deciduous trees, you hike around fifty kilometers through one of the most beautiful and historically significant regions of central Germany. On your foray through the idyllic low mountain landscape, you can expect densely overgrown forest corridors, mysterious moors, wild river meadows, bubbling springs, impressive rock formations and, last but not least, breathtaking views over the wide meadows of the hilly landscape. On your way from Marburg to Frankenberg, you will also gain insight into the extremely rich and eventful history of the region.

Your hike starts in the lively university town of Marburg. In one of the numerous cafés in the town shaped by student life, you can stock up once more. It starts at the almost eight hundred year old Elisabethkirche. After just a few minutes' walking time, you already reach the city limits and find yourself in the middle of the southern section of the Burgwaldpfad. Past abandoned quarries, you meander above the Lahn valley through a charming landscape characterized by extensive deciduous forests.

The Burgwald forms the largest contiguous forest area in Hesse and offers with its numerous hiking trails an absolute paradise for peace seekers. Along the way, you will encounter charming half-timbered settlements, imposing sacred buildings and mysterious castle ruins again and again. No wonder the Brothers Grimm are said to have collected and written down many of their fairy tales right here in this legendary region. The moorland in the Christenberger valley floor probably also served as a source of inspiration.

In contrast to the surrounding regions, it is much colder in the Burgwald. The phenomenon has diverse causes. On the one hand, the Burgwald is located in the wind shadow of the Rothaar Mountains to the west, on the other hand, large-scale cold air lakes and mystical fog banks are created by evaporation over the moors, which cool their surroundings mainly at night. This results in a nearly perfect hiking climate in summer during the main travel season. Nevertheless, you should bring sufficient warm and weatherproof clothing, especially if you are on the road in winter, spring or fall.

A hike on the Burgwaldpfad is not technically very demanding, but with stages of up to almost 19 kilometers and some altitude it is a bit more challenging in terms of condition. You don't need any special equipment beyond sturdy footwear. It is best to find out about the condition of the trails and possible closures in advance. Even if there are occasionally opportunities for refreshments, you should have some provisions and especially enough water with you on all three stages. You should book the accommodations in Oberrosphe, Münchhausen and possibly Frankenberg in advance. You can easily reach the starting point of the hike by train. From the train station in Marburg it is only a few minutes' walk to the Elisabethkirche. In Frankenberg on the Eder, the train station is located directly in the center, so the departure is also no problem.