Hansaweg – Etappe 1 von der Salzsiederstadt Bad Salzuflen bis zur Hansestadt Lemgo

From the small town of Salzsiederstädtchen to the Hanseatic city of Lemgo

Hikers head for the VitaSol Therme in the small town of Salzsiederstädtchen Bad Salzuflen as their starting point. Day hikers returning to Bad Salzuflen after the second stage will find plenty of parking spaces and the Flachsheide caravan site near the VitaSol Therme.

The Hansa Trail leads along a flat route through the green Salzetal valley for the first few meters.
An undulating landscape begins to the right and left of the trail and hills rise gently upwards. We loop around the 117 m high Knickberg. On the right is the "Stumpfer Turm" memorial stone, the tower and an idyllic forest lake below it.

What were the towers used for in the past?

The Stumpfer Turm was once used to spy on friend and foe. Fire signals were also sent via open fire from the tower platform.
Parallel to "Alte Vlothoer Straße", we walk a short distance in the direction of Bad Salzuflen to take the next turn-off to the left. After around one kilometer on the hay path, we reach Hühnerwiem. This vantage point offers hikers a fantastic view of the municipality of Wüsten and the hinterland.
At the Vierenberg (255 m) behind us, there are two more memorial stones, the Hasenkanzel and the Fuchstanz.

Stop at the Bismarck Tower

A narrow, sometimes gnarled hiking trail takes us up a ridge. If you look to the left, you can see an area of renaturation and the valley stretching out in front of you with a fantastic distant view over the undulating landscape of the Lipper mountains. The next resting place awaits hikers below the 18-metre-high Bismarck Tower. The tower was inaugurated in 1900. Following renovation work, the Bismarck Tower was reopened in January 2005.

Those wishing to climb the tower can pick up the key at the Hollenstein mountain restaurant. This is also where the Hansaweg trail continues.

After the small hamlet of Hollenstein is behind us, the Römerweg trail turns off to the right. We follow it and enjoy the views to our right and left.

Dreamy photo backdrop in Bergkirchen

The half-timbered church in the village of Bergkirchen is nestled in a forest setting and stands out perfectly against the forest green with its white walls.
On the following stage, we leave the Hünderser Berg (238 m) on the right and the Mönkeberg (224 m) and continue straight ahead.

The last stage of the day to Entrup offers relaxing views of meadows, fields and forests. Observant hikers will spot wild birds circling in the air, a deer at the edge of the forest or a fox scurrying across the path.

A worthwhile detour to Lemgo

The next, third stage of the Hansa Trail starts in Entrup for long-distance hikers. For an overnight stay and to get to know the historic city centre of Lemgo, it is worth walking the last few kilometers there.

In addition to the colourful, lively life in the bicycle-friendly city centre, the extraordinary Junkerhaus, the St. Nicolaikirche with its two different church towers or the Hexenbürgermeisterhaus are also worth a visit. But other magical-looking Weser Renaissance house façades also await guests.