Wuppertal Aboretum hike

Close to the city yet deep in the forest, passing exotic trees along the way

This 6.5 kilometre walk is great for the whole family. At only approx. 100 metres above sea level, there are very few inclines and the route takes you on firm, well-maintained footpaths.

Starting point: Kaisereiche walkers’ car park in Wuppertal Küllenhahn

The starting point for this route through the Burgholz Arboretum is the Kaisereiche walkers’ car park in the Küllenhahn district of Wuppertal. The car park is around 1 kilometre on foot from the “Wuppertal-Odenwaldweg” stop on line 613, direction Wuppertal Schulzentrum Süd and around 600 metres from the “Wuppertal-Obere Rutenbeck” stop on line 633, direction Wuppertal Am Burgholz. 

Start off in the direction of Sambatrasse

At the Kaisereiche walkers’ car park, turn left directly into the forest and follow the signs for the “A2” trail. The forest path leads gently downhill. 

After just a few metres, follow a small footpath to the right and join the Sambatrasse. The former railway line owes its name to the winding nature of this section of its route. Turn left here, follow the Sambatrasse, cross a road and pass Burgholz train station. At the next crossroads, three piles of charcoal are a reminder of the tradition of the charcoal burners' guild in Burgholz. Turn right here onto a wide tarmac path. 

Into the largest arboretum in Germany

The wide tarmac path leads into the Burgholz Arboretum, the largest arboretum in Germany. When you pass a shelter at the next crossroads, continue straight ahead. Ignore any turn offs. At a fork in the road there is another shelter. Keep left and stay on the wide path.

The path opens out into a larger space. Follow the footpath on the right that leads into the forest. The area is currently heavily furrowed and you need to look closely to see the start of the path. As you enter a beech forest, the path is easy to see again. This is a well-trodden path and leads gently downhill.

On the trail of the entomologist Wolfgang Kolbe

The route joins a wider, gravel path. From here, turn left where the path climbs a little again. A covered picnic bench is there if you want to take a break. The route runs for large sections not only on the “A2” hiking trail, but also on the Wolfgang-Kolbe-Weg which is marked by a beetle. For good reason: Wolfgang Kolbe was one of Germany's most important entomologists, who spent more than 25 years of his life as director of the Fuhlrott Museum and carrying out research in the Burgholz State Forest.

Past huge old cypress trees

To the left on the rocky slope, you can spot blueberry weed again and again. A typical sight in the Bergisches Land. At the next opportunity, turn sharp right and continue downhill along the “A2” hiking trail. You pass a mix of coastal redwoods and Leyland cypress. Pass a pond and keep left, the path bends slightly to the right. Ignore the path that slopes down to the right and stay on the wide footpath.

Being quiet as a mouse pays off here

It’s worth stopping at the rocky embankment on the left and looking around carefully, because here you can observe lots of little brown mice in their natural environment. If you have a good camera with you, you can even take some fantastic photos of them. If you prick up your ears, you won’t hear the noise of civilisation here, just the babbling of water and various bird calls.

Back on the Sambatrasse - and at your destination

The path now leads steadily but gently uphill. Other paths join it from the right and left to form a wide path. This path meets the crossroads with the shelter that you passed at the beginning of the circular walk. Turn right and then left again at the piles of charcoal and follow the Sambatrasse again, past the “Burgholz” restaurant.

On the way back to the car park, head down the old railway route a little way until you see a fence with steel posts and chains on the left hand side. Opposite the fence, turn right again onto the forest path which leads around to the left back to the walkers’ car park and to the end of the walk.