Fairy tale hiking trail "Little Redhead"

1:30 h
1.80 km
62 m
62 m
595 m
657 m
62 m
Start: Hiking car park "Old Cemetery Heiligenborn"
Destination: Hiking car park "Old Cemetery Heiligenborn"

Hello, my name is "Little Redhead." Here in the land of a thousand mountains, there were many red-haired goblins like me in ancient times - that's why it's called the Rothaargebirge, I believe...

Over a length of 2.5 km, the legendary fairy tale hiking trail takes small and big visitors into a world of its own.

And that is the world of the little red-haired goblin and his friends, who take their visitors into the fascinating world of nature. With very simple means, children are encouraged to become active themselves. To find treasure chests, read stories, and act them out with things the forest offers. Here in the secret realm of the spring wizard, they can freely search for water with divining rods, build tipis with branches, and experience the legend of the spring wizard, who lived a long time ago here in the land of a thousand mountains, through hidden books.

And because playing and conquering makes you tired, there is, of course, also a perfect picnic spot directly at the legendary Ilse spring – fresh spring water included!

And where there is water, you can of course also get a little wet ;-) - don't forget a change of clothes...

"Little Redhead" looks forward to many happy and adventurous little and big visitors, to whom he will give a small break from reality!

Siegen Wittgenstein Logo

Start

Hiking car park "Old Cemetery Heiligenborn"

Ilsequelle

Spa/healing spring

Destination

Hiking car park "Old Cemetery Heiligenborn"

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
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Aug
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Dec

Directions

The well-signposted path starts from a hiking car park that you reach after a short drive through a forest path. At the beginning, there is a large information board with all kinds of important information about the little goblin and his enchanted places. Then the path winds (marked by wooden signposts with the head of Little Redhead) through the forest, sometimes on trails, sometimes on wider paths, but always well marked. After a small descent, a brook is crossed before reaching the legendary Ilse spring. Here, a rest on the forest sofa is worthwhile, and a small sip from the healing spring should of course not be missed. And if you continue on, you should be quiet... because maybe you'll be lucky and actually spot Little Redhead somewhere... The return path rises gently and leads through an area unfortunately also affected by the bark beetle... But that is part of nature as well and can be very vividly explained to the children here.

Tour information

Loop Road
Suitable for Pushchair

Equipment

Sturdy footwear and possibly rubber boots and mud clothes for the little ones are recommended. You will cross a brook once, where everyone has a lot of fun not choosing the dry option.

Directions & Parking facilities

By car, it's best to drive via Banfe, through the Ilsetal, and then reach the district "Heiligenborn," which consists of only a few individual houses. Coming from Feudingen, Banfe, turn left here; coming from Siegen, Netphen, turn right onto a narrow path that leads to the hiking car park. A small wooden signpost shows the direction from the main road.

Hiking car park "Old Cemetery Heiligenborn"

Arrival by public transport is not possible.

Literature

Little Redhead – In the realm of the spring wizard – The book for the fairy tale hiking trail

https://www.kleiner-rothaar.de/maerchenbuch-kleiner-rothaar

Author

Petra Markus

Organization

Touristikverband Siegen-Wittgenstein e.V.

Website

License (master data)

Author´s Tip / Recommendation of the author

After the short walk, it is not far to the source of the Lahn; here you can refresh yourself excellently with many delicacies at the Forsthaus Lahnquelle or at the Lahnhof.

Place of interest

Tours