Willingen (W9)

A relatively short but demanding trail, with some steeper climbs. First in the street "Am Hagen" left around the Lagunenbad and across the parking lot until before the cut of the railroad line. Here turn right and descend steeply (please be careful in wet and snowy conditions) to below the viaduct. Then to the middle of the adventure golf course, here turn sharp left and over the bridge of the Itterbach up to the road "B 251". Cross this first to the traffic island, then over and to the steps and up the narrow path. Now the forest surrounds us. Steeply up to the first small crossroads, here right up. The higher we walk, the more we see the viaduct with the railroad tracks through the trees. At the top we come across a road, which we follow in a southerly direction.Furthermore, we turn off several times - now in open fields - to come in a wide arc soon up to the cross of the Orenberg (name from the Celtic language, means either maple or elm, or capercaillie?). From the summit you can enjoy wonderful views over Willingen to the Ettelsberg (838 m) and Treis, or far into the Hoppeck valley to the Langenberg (843 m), the highest peak in NRW. After a nice rest we follow a narrow path through the small Hochheide, at the junction right down to the meadow. At the bottom of the path turn left twice, so we reach the saddle between Orenberg and Iberg (and thus avoid the steep step of the opposite direction). At the signpost turn off until just before the three-village corner (Willingen - Usseln - Schwalefeld); in a wide arc we go around the Iberg (731 m) in a northerly direction until below the Schwalefeld ski lift.Soon we meet the connecting path Schwalefeld - Willingen, which we follow to the left in the direction of our hometown. If you want to enjoy another view over Willingen, you leave the W9 for a short time at the edge of the forest (left 100 m) and enjoy the views from the nearby memorial. Back at the hairpin bend of the driveway, we now dive left on a narrow path leading downhill into the forest. Still a little way, in the slope appears a grate, the air shaft of the Christine mine. Above the first house down the stairs, and now continue along the edge of the forest on the panoramic path. On foot, with a view of Willingen, we reach the Orenberg ski jump. A mat hill for the young ski jumpers to practice in the summer. There briefly down to the road, first right, then left the footpath over a staircase down into the village. At the house number 27 we reach the "Waldeck Straße", which we follow past the town hall and Linnenkerl-Platz to the clubhouse of the Willingen ski club. Here we follow the W9 slightly uphill until we reach the visitor center, passing the evgl. church with the striking tower and the Upland School (Gymnasium/Verbundschule), also called "Eliteschule des Sports".PS: In the opposite direction at the Iberg/Orenberg saddle right across the meadow up to the steep step, so about 250 m shorter. But slippery when wet!