Discover Brilon-Wald: Hiking Trails, Silbersee and Local History

Brilon-Wald offers hiking routes, wildlife watching and local history as different focal points for planning your trip. If you are looking for a hotel in Brilon-Wald, consider what interests you most during your stay: marked trails, wildlife at Silbersee or the village’s architectural and industrial history. These local themes give you concrete points of reference when choosing your destination.

Hiking routes in Brilon-Wald

The village walk, about 5.5 kilometres long, links eleven signposted locations. Blue signs and historic photographs give an impression of the village’s history and its buildings and facilities. Its approximate length, the number of stops and the picture panels make the walk one way to explore the development of the village.

The Brilon-Wald circular route (BW1) has different features: it follows parts of the Briloner Kammweg and the Rothaarsteig. The route offers a view of the Bruchhauser Steine; visibility depends on the weather and conditions. The Brilon-Wald Gipfeltour starts at a hiking car park above the shooting hall in the village. The Rothaarsteig stage from Brilon to Bruchhausen also has an access point in Brilon-Wald.

The routes mentioned can be distinguished by their different points of reference: an approximate length is given for the village walk, a starting point for the Gipfeltour, and an access point in Brilon-Wald for the Rothaarsteig stage. BW1, in turn, is characterised by its partly following two named trails and by its view of the Bruchhauser Steine. This gives you a starting point for considering the route features that matter for planning your trip.

Silbersee and local history

Silbersee serves as a drinking water reservoir for the town of Brilon. Depending on the time of day, you can also observe different kinds of wildlife there, especially birds. If you include wildlife watching in your plans, take this connection with the time of day into account.

Local history is also reflected in a variety of themes. The Essigturm is a listed building, shapes the village’s appearance and is considered a landmark of Brilon-Wald’s industrial development. The Catholic St. Joseph’s branch church was built between July 1925 and May 1927. Franz Schneider from Düsseldorf-Oberkassel designed the church and the neighbouring school, which had already been completed.

The Feuereiche presents the history of human development in relation to the positive and negative uses of wood and fire. Together with the Essigturm and the church, it offers another way to explore the village’s history: while the tower represents industrial development, the Feuereiche focuses on the use of wood and fire. The church adds a specific construction period and a named architect to these themes.

More to explore in the wider destination of Brilon

The wider destination of Brilon offers further historical points of interest. Brilon’s old town preserves a well-maintained built heritage from earlier centuries, and the market square is home to a group of half-timbered buildings. The town hall, built around 1250 with its Baroque façade, is also part of this townscape and is considered one of the oldest town halls in Germany.

The Haus Hövener Town Museum is in the centre of Brilon, directly on the market square, and has largely been preserved in its 1910 condition. Original Iguanodon bones are on display there; they were discovered in 1978 in a quarry near Brilon-Nehden. An interactive town model offers insights into life in Brilon in past centuries. Brilon therefore provides a distinct focus for travellers interested in town history and exhibits as well as the local themes of Brilon-Wald.

Brilon is also a point of reference for long-distance trails: the certified Rothaarsteig starts at Brilon’s market square, as does the certified Briloner Kammweg. This is distinct from the access point in Brilon-Wald for the Brilon–Bruchhausen stage of the Rothaarsteig. This stage is 17.02 kilometres long and passes through Olsberg. The approximately eight-kilometre-long Geologischer Sprung Brilon adds geological transitions and panoramic views to the hiking themes of the wider destination. It brings two geological features from the Devonian period to life: the limestone hills of the Briloner Hochfläche and the diabase deposits of the Bilstein. Highlights include a viewing platform on the 634-metre-high Bilsteinhalde.

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Back to the overview of the wider destination: Brilon.