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In the Burgwald between Frankenberg und Marburg, there are 10 circular routes awarded by the German Hiking Institute, where you can hike without any map thanks to their good marking.

For me, one of them is particularly interesting and beautiful – the 12 km extra tour Knebelsrod. It owes its name to the highest elevation in the Burgwald, the Knebelsrod, which is 443 m high. The starting point lies somewhat hidden at the beginning of the Listenbachtal between Frankenberg and Burgwald-Bottendorf.
From Frankenberg, you drive in the direction of Rosenthal. Shortly before the intersection to Bottendorf, you turn left into a gravel road and keep right until you get to the parking space with the hiking portal. Also the R6 motorway and the Lahn-Eder Cycling Road pass by the hiking portal. There you can get a map and a short description of the road and its marking – a red K on a white background.
Close by, I hear the babbling of the Listenbach which comes out of the depths of the Burgwald. The road follows this brook for quite a while, then it climbs up to the edge of the forest, and after 2.8 km it reaches a first elevation with a beautiful view on Willersdorf, a part of the town of Frankenberg. Then it runs through fields and meadows to the wooden panoramic platform on the Knebelsrod. Since the weather is clear, I can see beyond the low mountain landscape up to Hesse’s Upland. I decide to take a short rest at the tables and benches. Here is the watershed between the rivers Rhine and Weser.
Now the road goes on in the direction of Friedrichhausen, another part of Frankenberg. After having crossed the L3073 I climb through fields and meadows up the Basitenberg and from there, I have a marvelous view over Friedrichshausen, Frankenberg and the Ederbergland. After having plunged into the forest again, I arrive at a mysterious place – the Hexentanzplatz (Witches’ Dancing Place). Here, trees are arranged in an odd circle and there is a very old oak tree. According to the flyer of the extra tour Knebelsrod, which I obtained from the Burgwald-Touristservice, the speculations reach from a pagan sacrificial place up to the hut of a charcoal burner. Now, there is just one more kilometre till the starting point of the road. It was nice here – not so overcrowded as some other hiking routes!
 

Information/Contact
Burgwald-Touristservice
Dr. Armin Feulner
Marktplatz 1
35083 Wetter
Phone: +49 (0) 6423-8270
Fax: +49 (0) 6423-8221
info@burgwald-touristservice.de
www.burgwald-touristservice.de