The bicycle Märchenroute is part of the much longer Deutsche Märchen Strasse or German Fairytale Road. This road traces the lifetime travels of the Brothers Grimm from their birthplace in Hanau (near Frankfurt) to Bremen, the northernmost reaches of their work in recording folk tales. Interestingly, their works first published in 1812, was an effort to record the German oral story telling tradition that they feared was about to be lost. This was a time when much of Germany was ruled by Napoleon and the language of court was French. The brothers lived in Kassel for several years and taught at a nearby university (Göttingen). On just this short ride, you will pass the settings of Hans in Luck, Hänsel and Grethel (Hansel and Gretel), Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Little Red Riding Hood. Cinderella, who lived in Polle, is just north of this tour. We touch on that tale during our Weser Tour.

Maps: Deutsche Radtourenkarte No. 21, scale 1:100,000 published by Haupka Verlag, and available in most German bookstores. Another suggestion is the guidebook Märchen Route Im Nordhessischen Bergland published by Lotterberg-Verlag and available in most German bookstores. This second suggestion is the source of much of the information below however paraphrased for ease in consumption by non-German speakers. We have taken some liberty with the route described in the reference however; we think we have improved upon it by finding less hilly routes and we have shortened it too.

Day 1: Kassel to Reinhardshagen

Day Overview: Today’s ride takes you from Kassel-Wilhelmshöher Bahnhof to the banks of the Fulda and follows the river to Hann. Münden. From there, it follows the Weser River North to Reinhardshagen. The only hill of mentionable proportion today is the 90-foot rise just before you finish for the day at Reinhardshagen. It will increase your appetite and thrust for Bier. The ride is 27 miles (43.3 km) and including a stop in beautiful Hann. Münden will take 7 hours.

Riding conditions are quite good. Once we get through Kassel and on the river path, you will be away from automobile traffic most of the day. North of Hann. Münden you ride on a lightly used road but it is more pleasant than the heavy traffic on the other side of the river. All but about 3 miles (in short chunks), are paved by my reckoning.

Mile 0: We start at the Kassel-Wilhelmshöher Bahnhof and ride east down Wilhelmshöher Allee toward the Fulda River.

Mile 1.8 (2.8 km): Here are two matching old buildings that are gate watchtowers. Unlike other watchtowers, these were not connected to a city wall because Kassel has not been a walled city since its early history. Here too is the Kassel Städtisches Museum that holds exhibits on art, architecture, the history of wallpaper manufacturing, and a history of man since the dawn of mankind. (If you have read Jean M. Auel’s Clan of the Cave Bear, you get the impression that she may have done her research right in this museum.)

Mile 1.9 (3.0 km): Turn right on to Friedrichs Strasse for one block then left one block to Obere Karl Strasse then right again on Fünffensterstrasse to the tunnel. Take the tunnel under the arterial and turn left or north. (This street changes its name several times in a few kilometers but if you follow the arterial, you’ll be on the right street.) For background, if you know a little German, you may wonder why anyone would name a street Fünffensterstrasse (five-window-street). In the days when the street was named, houses with more than five windows facing this street were taxed. When you exit the tunnel, you’ll be at the Brüder Grimm Museum. This museum is interesting but it is really helpful to be able to read German to understand everything.

Mile 3.0 (4.8 km): From Weserstrasse (the name of the arterial at this point) turn right onto Schützenstrasse. Just before the bridge (Hafenbrücke), look on the east side of the street for a path heading north. It would be the last possible path before the bridge. It will be signed with an 8” X 8” sign with R-1 and a red icon of a lion. Pick up R-1 here; it follows the left bank (as you look down river) through this part of Kassel. R-1 begins just north of the Bavarian border and ends in Bad Karlshafen. On some maps this route is alternately marked HR-1, which stands for Hessischer Radfernweg or Fernradweg (Hesse’s long distance bike route) or Fuldaradweg. We follow these R-1 signs all the way to Bad Karlshafen (except between Hann. Münden and Reinhardshagen). If you miss it one place, just get to the river on the next cross street, you’ll find the path. The government is in the process of re-routing the path so have a little flexibility. It may be on the other side of the river when you ride it.

Mile 6.5 (10.4 km): Here we come upon a two-horse carriage that was carrying celebrants to a wedding or a reception. It is loaded with flowers and the horses were all decked out in their Sunday finest harnesses. The road is narrow and the carriage driver pulls as far to the right as he can -- inviting us to pass. We do so but we are nervous about how the horses might react when bicycles suddenly pass them. These horses are well behaved and apparently well trained. The party is headed for the restaurant, Der Roter Kater, a popular spot for day-trips out of Kassel for a bite to eat and to enjoy the Fulda. We meet several of sixty-something bikers who are also just beginning their tour in Kassel. They are on a 7-day ride back to their hometown of Bremen (see our Weser Tour). They are stopping for lunch and ordering beer. We abstain from beer during the day, biking can present sudden challenges for which one needs their senses as sharp as they can be. Oh well, they were from strong local stock that may have developed more of a tolerance to beer than we have.

Mile 8.7 (14.0 km): Continuing, we cross a cute covered bridge over one of the many streams that flow into the Fulda. We note a sign indicating that a bike friendly Gasthaus is to the left in Simmershausen. The river bends back on itself here and we are on the outside of the bend. Across the river, inside the bend is Gut Kragenhof. A Gut is a set of buildings for a large farm. A Hof is also building for a large farm but the building for a Hof is of the kind that includes dwelling for people and the barn all in the same structure. A Hof typically forms an L or a U shape with the barnyard in the middle.

Simmershausen is part of the town of Fuldatal – the town where the fairytale Hans in Luck is based. In this fairytale, Hans, who had just completed his 7-year vocational apprenticeship was paid a lump of gold. As he made his way through Fuldatal, he traded his hard earned gold first for a horse, and then he traded the horse for a cow, then the cow for a pig, then the pig for a goose and finally the goose for a grindstone. Obviously, one would question the business acumen of someone who traded away 7-years work for a grindstone, right? Well, it gets worse. Upon losing the grindstone down a well, Hans proclaimed, “I am the luckiest man on Earth.” And with a light heart and no weight of wealth upon his shoulders, he walked home to his mother. The message? Perhaps people unburdened with wealth have a happier life.

Mile 16.0 (25.7 km): After crossing a bridge over a small creek, we see a Grenzstein on the right of the path. These tombstone-like markers were used on the boundary of properties such as kingdom and fiefdoms in the past. In this case, the date is 1838 but nothing else is readable.

Mile 18.6 (29.9 km): Turn left at the Altstadt and Werratal sign. This will take you into the old town part of Hann. Münden. This is one of the best-preserved Fachwerk or half-timbered towns in Germany. The town was established before 1247. There is a small Schloss or palace here and on the hill overlooking the town is a defensive structure called the Tilly Schanze. In the Rathaus, (town hall) there are murals that tell of floods, being conquered by the Swede Tilly in the 17th Century and a doctor Eisenbart who died here in 1727. Doctor Eisenbart was thought to be a quack. Many thought his methods were ill advised and some of his patients died. However, later some of his methods were held to be correct and ahead of their time. Not soon enough though to prevent a catchy tune about his quackery becoming popular among school-age children. The Rathaus glockenspiel plays this tune at Noon, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM daily.

Mile 19.9 (32.0 km): Back on the path and traveling north toward the confluence of the Werra and the Fulda rivers, the beginning point of the Weser. The path joins the primary arterial headed out of town for a block or two. We recommend crossing the Weser at the next bridge and turning left at mile 20.6 (33.2 km) just on the other side. The sign will be for the Wesertal Radfernweg (Weser Valley Long Distance Bike Route). There is less traffic on this side of the river making the ride more enjoyable. On the upside, using this path will give you the opportunity to use one of the small ferries that cross the Weser at Reinhardshagen. On the down side, there is a hill over here. Hey, nothing is perfect, ask Hans.

We are riding between two of the largest forests in this part of Germany. On the left is Bramwald and to the right, across the river is Reinhardswald. Reinhardswald is the setting of the fairytale Hänsel and Grethel. There in the forest, poor Hänsel and Grethel got lost after the birds ate their trail of crumbs. There the hapless children stumbled upon a gingerbread house in the forest, the home of a witch. The wicked witch would have cooked and eaten them had not they used their wits and escaped her nefarious plan.

Mile 26.9 (43.3 km): Cross the ferry to Reinhardshagen. The ferry will cost €1.00 each. Reinhardshagen is a town that combines two older towns of Vaake and Veckerhagen. There is an information booth in the center of Veckerhagen on Müllerstrasse. It is about two blocks east and two blocks south of the ferry.

We take accommodations tonight in a Privatzimmer or a “room for rent.” Actually, it turns out to be more like a Pension (small hotel) than just a room because it does have a community room in which we take our breakfast then next morning (breakfast is included in the price). The room includes its own bathroom, something that is not always the case with Privatzimmer. The cost is considerably less than we normally spend and the building and furnishings are almost brand new. Our hosts have remodeled an older building that used to be a bakery. They do not speak English but they are friendly and help us secure the bikes for the night. We eat our evening meal at Hotel Peter. It is nice but we think not as nice as the Brauhaus would have been. Consider eating at the 500-year-old Historiches Brauhaus (“Historical Brewery”) in Veckerhagen, Kirchplatz 9. This is also a hotel and is great value for overnighting. Our experience here in Reinhardshagen proves that staying in the smaller villages is less expensive than staying in the larger towns and cities.

Day 2: Reinhardshagen to Hofgeismar

Day Overview: Today we ride 38 miles (61 km) to Hofgeismar. The more aggressive riders may opt to ride to the Sababurg the castle where the princess in the fairytale Sleeping Beauty awoke after her 100-year sleep to the arms of her handsome prince. This would be a hilly ride and since we are card-carrying members of the “Over 50 with Bad Knees Club,” we choose the flat river valleys.

Riding conditions are pleasant. Today’s ride has one semi-steep hill that is between Wülmersen and Trendelburg. The path is away from roads with heavy automobile traffic except for the 4 miles or so just before Bad Karlshafen. Even that portion is a separate bike path parallel to the road. And the path is paved most of the way except for about 5 miles between Bad Karlshafen and Trendelburg. During that portion, you will be riding along an abandon railroad grade through the forest – quite pleasant on a hot day.

Mile 0.0: We ride north from Reinhardshagen staying on the west side of the river. We are back on R-1 and this part of the path is paved and recently renovated.

Mile 3.2 (5.2 km): As we ride through the rolling hills slightly above the river we notice two wooden Hochstände in the field below us. Hochstände are a common sight in this part of Germany, especially in areas where deer abound. Hunters erect them and sit in them for hours during hunting season. I understand hunting deer by walking around is not done here.

Mile 4.2 (6.8 km): You are across from Brunsfelde. What appears to be a double spired church is actually two churches the western church was originally built sometime before 1104 as a Benedictine cloister. The eastern most church was build between 1130 and 1140. Both churches have frescos according to our Baedeker guide. We decide not to stop.

Mile 12.1 (19.5 km): North of Oberweser we lose the trail momentarily. Go straight at the corner to stay on R-1. The signs here are a little confusing here. I have a theory that little kids sometimes change the signs, then hide in the bushes, and giggle watching the confused tourists. Whenever we get confused, we try looking at the signage as if we are coming from the other direction. It doesn’t always help but sometimes you can hear the kids. No kids here though. We ride on.

Mile 13.9 (22.4 km): We are across the river from Wahmbeck. Here is a steep and dangerous drop to the ferry landing and tertiary road that is the continuation of the bike path. Don’t lose control or you’ll end up tangled in the fence. The sign says “Radfahrer absteigen” that means “bicyclists dismount” and walk your bike down. There is a sharp turn at the bottom.

Mile 14.2 (22.9 km): From here the path parallels a heavily used road the rest of the way into Bad Karlshafen.

Mile 18.4 (29.6 km): Enter Bad Karlshafen. We notice a sign to the Bahnhof and a Jugendherberge (Youth Hostel) as we get close to down town. This town has an interesting history but it is most notable for Americans as the port from which German mercenary soldiers departed for the United States during our Revolution or the Napoleonic Wars. The Napoleonic Wars were fought here in Europe but they were known as the French-Indian War in America. The “Hessens” fought on the side of the British. We take a break on the benches lining the Inner Harbor and eat our lunch. The blocks in this town laid out in squares rather than the helter-skelter plan of the typical ancient German village.

If you do not already know, the Huguenots were a sect of early Protestants who were persecuted in France and invited by Landgrave Carl from Hesse (a Count) to resettle in northern Hesse. The Huguenots were expert artisans, farmers, and architects. The count wanted them to design and build the town of Bad Karlshafen as a showplace of his wealth and power.

Mile 19.4 (31.2 km): Since R-1 ends in Bad Karlshafen, we leave the Weser and take R-4 south following the Diemel River towards Helmarshausen. The path is signed as both R-4 and R-8 as well as having a snail symbol which is the bottom of the Diemel Tour. You will want to follow R-4 until you get to Fritzlar.

Mile 21.1 (34.0 km): Here at Helmarshausen we see the Krukenburg, a thirteenth-century castle and monastery ruin overlooking the Diemel river valley. There are two ways up to the ruin and we choose the path rather than the street because it seems shorter. One can ride almost to the castle but the path gets too steep, too steep for safe riding. The monks took this path to the village below. From the valley floor, it’s 220 feet to the Krukenburg and then 125 stone steps up the tower to enjoy the panoramic vista from the top of the tower. There is a Museum Krukenburg in Helmarshausen that has a display titled Burg und Kunst or Castle and Art. They are open daily except for the midday pause. We don’t stop at the museum but the guidebook says it is worth a look.

Mile 24.0 (38.6 km): Wülmersen. Here you can take an alternate path to visit the Sababurg or the Sleeping Beauty castle. We continue straight, following R-4 signs up a gentle railroad grade for the next mile. We don’t stop to see the Wasserschloss or castle with a moat. There are several of these Wasserschlösser on this tour but many are privately owned. You can’t tell from the map.

Mile 34.3 (55.2 km): Enter Hofgeismar. You’ll find a sign where the bike path intersects the road leading into town that shows several different bike routes in the area. If you decide to stay the night here, and you want ride some more you can easily pick a route from this sign. The ride to Carlsdorf is worth the 3-mile (5 km) short trip. This village, established in 1686, is the earliest settlement of the Huguenots in Hesse. It is known for its half-timbered houses.

Mile 38 (61.2 km): We arrive at Hofgeismar just in time to be drenched by a rainsquall and we have to take shelter until it passes. We have been on the trail for 6 hours today and we look forward to a hotel room and supper. We choose the Hans im Glück Hotel, slightly more than we usually pay but it is clean and just on the edge of the down town area. We tour walk the old city wall and enjoy the town. Hofgeismar is a really old town. It was first settled over 7,000 years ago. It was a seat of power as early as 1082. Today however, one finds only the half-timbered buildings from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. For me, that is enough.

Day 3: Hofgeismar to Wolfhagen

Day Overview: Today you have two hills to climb, one first thing in the morning leaving Hofgeismar and one later in the day between Ehlen and Altenhasungen. The first hill is 370 feet and the second is 310. There are two redeeming features; first, is that the hills are gradual and second, each has a great downhill. (Every cloud has a silver lining, right?) While the path will be paved all day, you will be riding on the shoulder of lightly traveled roads over half of the time.

Mile 0: Hofgeismar Rathaus. We pick up R-4 as it crosses through the town wall on Bleichenweg and follow the signs out of town to the west.

Mile 2.4 (3.9 km): At the old pear tree you are at the top of the hill. Take a moment to look back on the valley you just left, it is beautiful. We ride on down a steep hill into Zwergen. If you are tired of riding bikes, you can trade them in on ponies at the campground here. Turn sharp left and follow R-4 toward Zierenberg.

Mile 5.6 (9.0 km): In Niedermeiser we find four waterwheels here and we note that we have started following a waterwheel bike route. Some waterwheels are open to the public but all most of them are quaint and old. I enjoy the different types and designs. Today, many are still in use for grinding grain or co-generation of electricity.

Mile 6.0 (9.7 km): We leave Niedermeiser after climbing a small hill. We will be sharing a secondary road with cars until we get to Laar. I don’t enjoy riding on roads but there aren’t any alternatives here.

Mile 10.0 (16.1 km): Here is Laar. Turn left into Laar, which is not a village but a “Gut” or collection of farm buildings. Ride past the old waterwheel that was built originally in 1599 and remodeled beginning in 1992. Today it generates a small amount of electricity for the electrical network. Continue over the small bridge and even though there is no R-4 sign here, turn right on the other side of the bridge and follow the path into the forest. Stay straight on this path until it forces you back onto the secondary road just outside of Zierenberg.

Mile 12.9 (20.8 km): We ride into Zierenberg. Although it has been threatening rain all day, we are still dry. The temperature is perfect for bicycling. We stop here for lunch in the square in front of the Rathaus. This Rathaus was originally built in 1450. It was damaged and rebuilt again in 1600 and damaged a second time before the last remodel project beginning in 1927. There is a nice restaurant inside the Rathaus with complete meal prices between 7.25 to 13.25 Euros.

Today, August 11, 1999 is the date of the nearly total eclipse of the sun in this part of Europe. We watched it come and go through the few holes in the clouds as we ate our sandwiches. Some people go nuts during these unusual natural events. We notice a local merchant taking pictures of the cloudy sky about every two minutes. He is trying to get anyone who will listen to become as excited as he is. I envy him for his childlike enthusiasm. Maybe if I am lucky, some will rub off.

Mile 14.0 (22.5 km): After a leisurely lunch, we exit Zierenberg and turn left onto a bike path toward Ehlen. After a short distance, you will join a secondary road again.

Mile 16.3 (26.2 km): Turn right following signs to Wolfhagen. Here you will begin to climb a long hill. It rises 300 feet in a mile and a half. At the top, you will have to choose between riding up another hill for another half mile to see a ruin of a cloister at Burghasungen. Since we have the choice of going up hill or down hill, we choose down hill and bypass the cloister. I am a better bike rider than a seer of sights.

Mile 19.7 (31.7 km): The downhill side is much steeper than the hill we climbed. I love to let the bike build speed on steep drops like this. I have so much fun; I miss the sign at Wenigenhasungen about halfway down directing us off to the left. Instead, I finally apply the breaks at the bottom in a small village of Altenhasungen. Our choice is once again, ride uphill and pick up the trail again or stay down on the valley floor. Guess what we do. Because of our sloth, we find a flatter (therefore better in my book) route into Wolfhagen than the R-4. We ride halfway through this village on the main road and turn right at the W6 and W10 signs.

Mile 21.0 (33.8 km): Our map shows a nice bike path through the valley floor and under a railroad bridge. In a short distance, you come to a secondary road. Turn left sharing this road for the last mile into Wolfhagen.

Mile 22.3 (35.9 km): You ride through the gates of Wolfhagen. This quaint little walled city was established in 1231. We arrive here late in the afternoon and after checking into the Hotel Zum Chattenturm we take a short walk around the town center. Wolfhagen has a lot to brag about. It has over 300 restored half-timbered or Fachwerk homes and buildings. The town square is so photogenic with the small restaurant and Konditorei in the foreground and the fourteenth century church in the background. As we snap photographs, an artist is painting the scene in watercolors – painting quickly intent on capturing the colors of the setting sun before they disappear for the night.

Wolfhagen has had a violent and tumultuous history. It has been built up and torn down, occupied, burned, and plagued throughout their long history. The citizens must have developed a sense of humor or they wouldn’t have survived. The Saxons conquered the area in a bloody rampage. Then the village was burned down (by accident or more than likely by some enemy). Then came the plague, not once but several times between the late 1500s to the late 1600. Once they even burned their own village to rid themselves of the plague carrying rats. Then came the 30-year war when the landgrave’s army occupied the village. The population of the village dropped from 370 to 81 during 1637; presumably caused by both the plague and the war. Next came the 7-year war between France to the south and England and Prussia to the north and west. Both sides occupied (were quartered in) Wolfhagen. Once Napoleon got his comeuppances at Waterloo, the Huguenots from France started moving in. Wolfhagen folks must have thought it was anther plague because the Huguenots moved in all over this region. (Remember, Landgrave Carl from Hesse had invited them.) I understand the native Wolfhagen folks did not give the Huguenots a polite welcome. But they stayed anyway.

There is a castle worth seeing here, not only because of the small museum but also because it is easy to imagine fighting off the Catholics and the French from the walls of this classic structure.

The church is nice too. Construction on it began in 1250 and completed in 1350 but the tower was not completed until 1561. It is built in German special gothic style – which must be a sub-school of architecture.

Day 4: Wolfhagen to Felsberg

Day Overview: Today’s ride will be 32 miles (km) over mostly rolling terrain. The uphills are gradual but there are at least two steep downhills. The way is mostly paved except for short chunks totaling about 5 miles. Just before Fritzlar, we encounter some of the worst bike path conditions we have seen, but the good news is you can stay on the road and avoid this short stretch.

Note: 8/12, 10:15. Forecast is for broken clouds and improving weather in the afternoon. Wolfhagen has wonderful smells in the morning; bakeries and fresh coffee seem to invite travelers in for a second breakfast.

Mile 0.0: Wolfhagen Rathaus. We find it hard to leave Wolfhagen. As we pedal through the town center smelling the coffee and the bakeries we almost stop for a second breakfast but the road beckons us onward. Ride northeast toward the castle; turn left at the street and left again at Hotel Schiffchen. Bear right at the next intersection and ride the 3 or 4 blocks to the car dealership then you’ll see the R-4 bike path signs. Turn right at that sign.

Mile 0.7 (1.1 km): Turn right onto the bike path and ride under the high voltage power lines. Some say if you stay under these things, your hair will stand on end. Others claim you get cancer and still others say its all bunk. We keep pedaling because we think the worst danger is if the towers fall on us.

Mile 1.0 (1.6 km): You will see the Weidelsberg Castle above Ippinghausen on the far hill to the left and if you look back toward Wolfhagen, you’ll find a photo opportunity of a neat little walled, red tiled German town with a castle and a steepled church. Beautiful. Scenes like this make me come back to this region.

Mile 2.5 (4.0 km): At the T in the road, turn left and zigzag south along the path. Unfortunately, some little kid probably has the R-4 sign in his bedroom because we find the sign post in the weeds without a sign. We are tempted to turn right to the secondary highway. That will work but it is not the bike path and who wants to ride on highways when there are paths through the fields? Even a rough old path like this one is better than smelling diesel from trucks on the highway.

Mile 4.4 (7.1 km): Turn left on the primary highway for about a block then left at the R-4 sign back onto the path. Some people will consider detouring to the Weidelsberg Ruin on the hilltop to your right. We don’t because the castle is intermittently hidden in the clouds today so we assume that the advertised spectacular view is not so spectacular at the moment. Built on a basalt outcropping, this is an excellent example of North Hesse’s castle ruins. You will find gates, towers with steps, and expertly crafted basalt stonemasonry. You will probably have to leave your bikes at the end of the road and walk up to the ruin. (We came back later by car to explore the area. We discovered that there is no good road up to the ruin.)

If you keep on this path, you’ll have another mile of corncob-rough path to negotiate. In spite of the rough road, the forest is beautiful and quiet.

Mile 7 (11.3 km): Here is Naumburg. This is one end of the track of an antique train called the Hessencourier. You can buy tickets for €25 each at the Kassel-Wilhelmshöher Bahnhof for this train for a ride from Kassel to Naumburg and back but advance reservations are needed. It runs once or once a day on Saturday, Sunday and holidays. We lose the path in town and find our way to the Bahnhof where there is a community directional sign that will show you several possible paths through Naumburg. In the southeast corner of town is a street named Elbenerpfad. Elben is the name of the next town we need to go through and the word Pfad means path. Together, the two words mean simply, the path to Elben. Perfect.

Mile 10.5 (16.9 km): Enter Altendorf, a nice little Fachwerkstadt or half-timbered village. Follow the R-4 signs through Altendorf in the direction of Züchen. You will be riding on a lightly traveled street until you get to Züchen.

Mile 14.2 (22.9 km): Enter Züchen. This 900-year old town has Schloss Gavensberg, which has a restaurant and is open to the public. A Schloss is a palace. We have our coffee here; it’s nicely decorated in hunting lodge style but if you don’t need the break, it may not be worth the short side trip up to the castle.

Mile 16.0 (25.7 km): After the path deteriorates into a set of parallel paths, you enter a lightly traveled road. Turn right, then in just a block or so the path takes to the fields but it is such a rough path, we recommend staying on this road for the next 1.5 miles. You’ll see the R-4 signs again in Geismar and they will lead you into the center of Fritzlar. (From Fitzlar, we make our way to Wabern and Felsberg on a different bike path signed R-10.)

Mile 19.1 (30.7 km): Enter the Altstadt (old town) of Fritzlar through the town wall and turn right following the wall into the town center. Fritzlar is an old historic center of power. The bombers of WWII did not damage Fritzlar much so the town square is picturesque with half-timbered buildings mixed with gothic and baroque architecture. Today the townspeople are setting up for a festival next weekend. Some of the street vendors are already open, selling their wonderful (and cholesterol loaded) Wurst to hungry customers. Every so often, I feel the need to shock my arteries with a good bratwurst smothered in Senf, or German mustard. My personal un-medical opinion is that the Bier I wash it down with dissolves cholesterol.

While here, check into the Tourist Information Bureau. It is just one block south off the town square. There you can score a city map and guidebook (in German and English) showing you where the oldest public building in Germany is and telling you about the city and its history. If they are closed, or you want to know now, here is an overview.

Almost 1,300 years ago, St. Boniface (Bonifatius), the Apostle of the Germans, felled an oak tree that was a holy shrine of the local Chatti tribe (der Chatten) and used the lumber there from to build a church. (Now, editorially speaking, I would like to know what the Chatti thought of this blasphemous treatment of their holy shrine. History - as written by the Christians, fails to inform.) That was 723 and he must have been successful in convincing the Chatti that Christianity was a good thing because they didn't kill him. He was killed (martyred) in 754 in what is now Holland. I wonder if he was in the process of chopping down another holy shrine. But I digress.

A settlement developed around the church. It was situated at an important crossroads of trade routes so it soon became a thriving community. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charlemagne, (Karl, der Grossen) endowed Fritzlar with a royal palace. From there until just recently, (measured in centuries, not months) Fritzlar was in its heyday. The home of kings, Kaisers and important clerics, Fritzlar was both a religious and a political power center until well after the thirty-years war. Which war was damaging to this part of Germany, causing the ruin and rebuilding and ruin again of almost every city and town in the surrounding area. You remember, the thirty-years war was over who gets the "hearts and minds" of the people - Catholics from Rome or Lutherans from Germany. Believe me, it was a big thing it this part of the world.

You have undoubtedly heard the tales of Lil’ Red Ridding hood and Snow White. Fritzlar has nothing to do with either of them. But from here, you can ride south 9 miles (15 km) to Bad Zwesten where Snow White lived and then another 12 Miles (20 km) to Red Ridding hood’s hometown of Schwalmstadt. Not to discourage you, but the map shows several hills if you leave the valley floor. And climbing hills is necessary to get to the small village of Bergfreiheit in the Kellerwald where Snow White cavorted with Dopey and his friends. We did not ride this alternative route, but drove it in a car instead. At the end of this travelogue is an approximation of what that ride would be like if you want to take it. By the way, there is a guidebook available that I mentioned at the beginning called the Märchen Route Im Nordhessischen Bergland published by Lotterberg-Verlag. That guidebook describes a longer ride that will take you over the ride we have done so far, then through Schwalmstadt and into Bad Hersfeld on the Fulda. From there along the Fulda to Bebra. From Bebra, over the hill to the Werra River Valley and the town of Eschwege, then to Witzenhausen and back to Kassel. Taking this longer route will add quite a few miles (or kilometers) to your experience. Worse, it will add several steep hills, that's why these two members of the Over Fifty with Bad Knees Club decided to shorten the tour at Fritzlar.

From the Zentrum Fritzlar, we make our way to Giessenerstrasse, which becomes Land Strasse B 540 (a primary road) that crosses the Eder River. We cross the bridge and turn left off this major road at the first opportunity just south of the river (take care not to get off on the little island). There is a restaurant at the corner called Da Enzo a “Pizzeria Restaurante Roma.” We are now on Wabernerstrasse (literarily, the street to Wabern) and we pickup the R-10 path toward Wabern and Felsberg.

Mile 23.8 (38.3 km): Enter Wabern. Stay on the path until you get to the Bahnhof. Then in the Bahnhof parking lot, turn left, following the R-10 signs. In the distance, you can see the burgs or castles at both Altenburg and Felsberg. The castle at Altenburg is a private residence and is not open to the public. However, it may be possible to tour the ruin at Felsberg. From that ruin, you have a great viewpoint over the Eder River Valley and the surrounding countryside.

Mile 30.9 (49.7 km): Turn left between two small lakes and in a short distance, you will enter Felsberg. There are at least three places to stay in this area. We consult our map and a nice woman walks up to us asks if she can help. (We must look lost.) She recommends Café Wagner and off we go. The other two options are staying at a Gasthaus in Gensungen, a mile or so to the southeast. Perhaps the best choice is the picturesque Old Rathaus right beneath the castle. They speak English at Old Rathaus and have reasonable prices as well. We resolve to try to spend a night with these people in the future, perhaps when we ride the Eder River Valley next year.

Mile 32.5 (52.3 km): We arrive at Café Wagner (where no English is spoken) and it is the end of the day for us. Nice place, nice people, editable food but nothing to write home about. From personal experience in business for myself, this is not all that damning of a recommendation.

Day 5: Felsberg to Kassel

Day Overview: Today’s ride is a short 17 miles (26 km) back to Kassel and the Wilhelmshöher Bahnhof. It will be hilly but we’ll make it. We only push our bikes a couple of times but that is part of the experience too. The rest of the time we just geared down and chugged along. You will see some fantastic panoramas and two beautiful river valleys (Eder and Fulda). We start the day by carefully examining the map and trying to choose the easiest way to climb out of the Eder Valley and drop into the Fulda Valley. I note that there is a railroad track going exactly where we want to go. I know little about trains but I do know they don’t like steep hills. I reason that the road right next to the train track must be on the same gentle grade that the tracks are on. Wrong. What you cannot see on the map is that the street is more than 100 feet above the railroad bed. You will gain 200 feet in elevation between Altenbrunslar and the top of the hill out of Ellenberg.

According to the map we use today, there is no real easy way around. If you stay close to the Eder River following the R-10 signs, you have to climb a short but steep hill into Haldorf. From there into Grifte is either a long gravel drop or city streets. In Grifte, keep the railroad close on your right as you ride along a primitive path toward Guntershausen. If you try this alternate 2-mile longer route, you can rejoin the travelogue in Guntershausen. But you will miss a fantastic view that makes the climb worthwhile and the drop into the Fuldatal (Fulda River Valley) is fun too. After trying both, the ride to Ellenberg has its benefits.

Mile 0.0: Café Wagner in Felsberg. Ride toward the center of town and turn left or north at the VW dealership. At the end of the block, you will see signs for bike path R-10. Follow it toward Neuenbrunslar and Altenbrunslar.

Mile 3.2 (5.1 km): Enter Neuenbrunslar, turn right, and cross the Eder into Altenbrunslar. Turn left just past the railroad tracks on Ellenbergstrasse and climb the long hill.

Mile 4.9 (7.9 km): Enter Ellenberg and follow the arterial (yellow on white diamonds sign) up and out of town to the east.

Mile 5.7 (9.2 km): This is the top of the hill between the two river valleys. Looking around you will see nine or more small villages nestled among the green hill of Hessisches Bergland. In the southeast, the sun is making a Jacob’s ladder. The view is breathtaking. We need a breath after that hill anyway. From here, we cross under the Autobahn and drop down into Guxhagen.

Mile 6.8 (10.9 km): Cross the Fulda and turn left just as soon as possible. You have now joined the R-1 path that follows the Fulda River. The sign directs us to Guntershausen.

Ed. Note: When we last rode this area in August 2000, the bridge across the Fulda mentioned below was closed due to construction. There was an Umleitung or a detour. It directed bike traffic through Grifte, the next town to the northwest. We do not know when construction will be complete but if you get to this point look for R-1 signs or R-1 Umleitung. At the end of this travelogue, we have posted an alternative travelogue with the mile points of the Umleitung. We assume construction will be completed in a year so if you plan to take this tour after 2001, the detour will probably be gone.

Mile 9.1 (14.6 km): Cross Fulda on a small bridge. Turn a hairpin right just over the bridge and stay along the riverbank into Guntershausen. Then turn right just before the church following the R-1 signs.

Mile 11.4 (18.3 km): Here we cross under the bridge to Fuldabrücke and take a hairpin left up to the secondary road. You have a choice here; R-1 crosses the bridge and follows the Fulda around to the next bridge. Then R-1 winds into the Fulda and Karl’s Aue (an Aue is where a river spreads out into several channels, sort of like a river delta in the middle of the river). We choose a shorter route back to the beginning point. However, to do so we must climb this is a steep hill that climbs 200 feet in 0.4 miles. Maxa pushes, I gut it our in my lowest gear but my heart rate probably hits 180.

Mile 11.8 (19.0 km): At the top of the hill make a hairpin turn to the left following the signs to Kassel – Niederzwehren. There are some R-1 signs here too because this is the old. R-1 route and it is marked on some maps as “Alt.R-1 ” After crossing under the Autobahn A-44, you can turn right and take R-1 Alt. into Kassel city center or go straight to Niederzwehren where Dorothea Viehmann told several of the fairytales to the Grimm Brothers. It is a cute section of Kassel.

Mile 13.5 (21.7 km): You come out on Frankfurter Strasse, a major arterial in Kassel. Turn right and ride to the stop light at Altenbauner Strasse. Here, Frankfurter Strasse swings to the right and Altenbauner Strasse joins it from the left.

Mile 13.7 (km): Turn left on Altenbauner Strasse and stay on this arterial until it crosses under the railroad.

Mile 14.2 (22.9 km): When you get to the railroad bridge over Altenbauner Strasse, turn left crossing the street and take the bike path to the left of the railroad. Keep the railroad to your left for the next 2.5 miles or all the way to Kohlen Strasse, which is the last street before the Bahnhof.

Mile 14.5 (23.3 km): Cross directly over Korbacher Strasse and continue on the bike path.

Mile 15.0 (24.1 km): Cross Leuschner Strasse similarly.

Mile 15.9 (25.6 km): At the next street Helleböher Strasse, jog right under another railroad track then left on the bike path.

Mile 16.3 (26.2 km): Turn left at Kohlen Strasse (it’s a major arterial and there is a gas station on your right). It is tough to get across this busy street, so ignore the law about riding on the sidewalk and ride the sidewalk over the railroad tracks to the crosswalk, push the button and cross in safety.

Mile 16.7 (26.9 km): Enter the Bahnhof Wilhemshöhe parking lot.

Ed. Note: Here is the mile points if you ride this tour while the R-1 Umleitung or detour is in place between Guxhagen and Guntershausen.

Mile 6.8 (10.9 km): Here is the start of the R-1 Umleitung or Detour. This detour is necessary because they are remodeling the small bridge over the river just outside of Guntershausen. The Umleitung will take you through Grifte and along the railroad into the upper part of Guntershausen.

Ed. Note: Of course if you knew where to turn, you could have turned off a few blocks before this bridge. Unfortunately, we have mileage from the bridge and not from the turnoff on road coming down the hill from Ellenberg. This little piece of data ties into several other tours as well, but we just need to improve our act and be more accommodating to you, our customer. Next time, OK?

Mile 7.0 (11.3 km): Start of a brand new (1999/2000) bike path parallel to the Landstrasse leading to Grifte.

Mile 8.1 (13,0 km): Just a tenth of a mile past the Grifte city limit sign, turn right and ride a short path that seems to end at a gravel path alongside the railroad. Do take that primitive looking gravel path; it will follow the railroad for just over 1 mile then go up a very steep gravel footpath (you will have to push your bike). At the top, you’ll find another R-1 sign.

Mile 9.4 (15.1 km): Enter Guntershausen after climbing that ugly, steep, dangerous gravel hill from the railroad grade to this horse pasture. From here, follow the signs back down the hill, past the Guntershausen Bahnhof, to the other end of the R-1 Umleitung.

Mile 10.0 (16.1 km): This is the other end of the Umleitung in Guntershausen.

Mile 11.8 (19.0 km): Here is the bridge into Fuldabrück (Dittershausen).

Another Ed. Note: Of course, the mileage at the end will not tie exactly into the mileage without the Umleitung.

Here are some translations relating to the fairytales mentioned here:

*German Name*	English Name	Location or Site
Aschenputtel	Cinderella	Polle
Dornröschen	Sleeping Beauty	Sababurg
Hans im Glück	Hans in Luck	Fuldatal
Hänsel und Grethel	Hänsel and Grethel	Reinhardswald (by Reinhardshagen)
Rapunzel	Rapunzel	Trendelburg
Rotkäppchen	Little Red Riding Hood	Schwalmstadt
Schneewittchen	Snow White	Zwesten and Bergfreiheit

The Alternate Route from Fritzlar to Bad Zwischen and Schawlmstad and dead ending there

Mile 0 (0.0 km): From the bridge on Giessenerstrasse or Land Strasse B450 ride straight across the bridge and straight down the Land Strasse B540 towards Borken.

Mile 2.0 (3.2 km): Start to climb the first hill. It is a deceptive little thing, you think its topped out but no, not until you get to Mile 3.2 (5.1 km). You will climb 180 feet. Not too tough really, but your knees will probably feel it (if you're a member of the Over Fifty with Bad Knees Club).

Mile 5.5 (8.8 km): There is the T in the road at Kleinenglis. If you turn right you will find where R-5 and other trails cross the road and that is an alternative. However, we are in a car so we have to turn left toward Trockenerfurth. Another option here is to turn right and continue into Bad Zwesten the former home of Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs, etc. Actually, they probably lived in the small village of Bergfreiheit, another 2.8 miles (4.5 km) and a couple of good sized hills down the road toward the Kellerwald. But that side trip will be a dead end and you will probably have to come back to this crossroads eventually.

Mile 7.6 (12.2 km): Here is Trockenerfurth (what a name - it means "dry ford," I think). Ride through town and take a left at the sign toward Römersberg. You will cross under the freeway just out of town in a one way tunnel. The Red arrow in your direction means you yield to traffic from the other direction, the white arrow in your direction means you have the right-of-way.

Mile 9.0 (14.5 km): Climb another 180 feet into Römersberg and continue on the road toward Zimmersrode.

Mile 10.5 (19.9 km): This is Zimmersrode, keep on riding straight toward Waltersbrück and Dornheim.

Mile 12.1 (19.5 km): In Waltersbrück turn left toward Dornheim. Once there, keep going straight to Michelsberg.

Mile 14.6 (23.5 km): From the T at Michelsberg, turn right following the main road then right again toward Allendorf.

Mile 15.9 (25.6 km): Climb another small hill into Allendorf and follow the bike route signs and the road toward Ziegenhain.

Mile 19.6 (31.5 km): When you get to Ziegenhain, you are in Schwalmstadt, the home of Lil' Red Riding Hood. But you aren't done yet. I suggest you ride over to the other half of Schwalmstadt and check out the Altstadt (old town). It is one of the 10 towns on the Deutsche Fachwerkstrasse (German Half-Timbered Tourist Route). While not as quaint or as large as Hann. Münden, it is nice and, after all, you have ridden all this way. (By the way, Lil' Red Riding Hood died some time ago. Folks here don't even remember her family. And while I am at it, Santa Clause and the Easter Bunny, well ... Oh, forget it.)

Revised: June 15, 2008