Green, greener, Paderborner Höhenweg – hiking in Germany’s Egge Mountains

The forest floor is still damp from the morning fog and the sun's rays fall softly through the treetops. Despite the first days of autumn, the forests and meadows are lush green. From Neuenbeken, the easternmost district of Paderborn, I set out to spend the morning on the Paderborner Höhenweg. After only a few metres, I left Neuenbeken and entered the Eggegebirge. It was quiet. I immersed myself in its tranquility and, after only a few minutes, I


The high trail is a circular hike and 21 kilometres (13 mi) long in total. It can also be divided into two shorter stages, 14 and 11 (9 and 7 mi) kilometers long. You can find all three variants in this Collection that are also signposted along the way. The trail is called Höhenweg because it leads to the highest point of the Paderborn city area, which is of course marked with a summit cross.

Since 2014, the Paderborner Höhenweg has been a designated ‘Quality Trail Wanderbares Deutschland’. Forest, field and gravel paths characterise this high trail. Sometimes, it follows narrow and enchanted paths through the forest. All in all, the complete round has 480 metres (1,575 ft) of altitude gain. Some surefootedness and good fitness are required.

The starting point for all three tours is the Mission House in Neuenbeken where you find a parking space too. But it's even better if you take the bus to Klostergarten. You can either take bus 8 from Paderborn or bus R31 or 431 from Bad Driburg/Altenbeken.

In addition to the tranquility of the Paderborner Höhenweg, the Small Viaduct is a real highlight of the trail. I am always surprised how diverse landscapes can be in just a few kilometres. With its vibrant nature, easy to somewhat challenging trails and interesting places along the way, the Höhenweg is a great destination in East Westphalia.