Helminghausen on Lake Diemel

Helminghausen lies below the dam in the Diemel Valley. The water, hiking and cycling trails, and local history give your stay several clear focal points. When choosing a destination for a hotel booking, you can then weigh up whether a single circular walk, a longer route or the reservoir is the main draw for you. The historic village also lends itself to your plans.

Dam and lido

The dam wall of the Diemel Reservoir near Helminghausen is a gravity dam of the Intze type. It is 42 metres high above the foundation. The term also classifies the structure by its construction: a gravity dam uses its own weight to withstand the pressure of the water. Helminghausen lido has a playground and also offers boat rental. The structure and water-based leisure activities are therefore distinct, clearly identifiable aspects of the village.

Hiking and cycling trails compared

For a single circular hike, the 8.1-kilometre “Berg und Tal Helminghausen HL2” trail is a good option: the start and finish are at Helminghausen church. The “Rund um den Weiher” circular trail offers a different perspective on the surrounding area. It passes the dam and power station and includes the “Ehemalige Mühle” rest area. The name of the rest area refers to its former use, not to a mill that is operating today.

At 63 kilometres, the Diemelsteig is considerably longer and covers the entire Diemelsee holiday region. You can join the trail from any of the villages along the route. In Helminghausen, it leads to the hiking car park and then continues towards the dam. This lets you choose between a local loop and a longer regional hiking route without conflating their distances or routes.

You can also plan to walk around the lake: the Fährschiff-Wanderweg makes it possible to walk around Lake Diemel and can be combined with a trip on the “MS Muffert”. The starting point is the Großparkplatz Diemelsee, Am See 8, 34431 Marsberg-Helminghausen. For a cycling trip, there is a 15-kilometre circular route around Lake Diemel; its route description recommends the Alter Gutsgarten in Helminghausen as a stop along the way. The distances given help you compare the different options by length and type.

Alter Gutsgarten and local history

Alter Gutsgarten is centrally located in Helminghausen, right next to the historic manor house. It has a Pit-Pat course, a table tennis table, multi-generational exercise equipment, a calisthenics area and a Mensch-Ärgere-Dich-Nicht playing field. The facilities range from dexterity games and table tennis to exercise and play options. The garden is also recommended to cyclists as a stop along the circular route around Lake Diemel.

The village’s history dates back at least to 1325, when Helminghausen was first mentioned in a document from Bredelar Monastery. The Alter Gutshof Helminghausen was built in 1680/81. The Catholic church was originally built in 1906/07 in the Romanesque style and was given a Dachreiter, a small tower on the roof. The old school bell is housed in a bell tower erected at the memorial in 2004. The “Am Birkenhof” chapel was built through the initiative of a local family.

A signposted circular trail presents historical events from the village and points out local attractions. It links the individual buildings and memorial sites through the village’s history. Helminghausen’s recognition as a state-recognised resort in North Rhine-Westphalia was announced on 17 December 2025.

More destinations in the wider Marsberg destination area

The wider Marsberg destination area offers more to explore. In Obermarsberg, you can see remnants of the old town wall, including the Wasserturm and Buttenturm towers. Visits and tours of the bird care station in Marsberg-Essentho are only available by prior arrangement, so please arrange your visit in advance.

At the Grube Reinhard leisure facility (Meilerplatz) on the Diemel near Giershagen, an open-sided, roofed multi-purpose pavilion houses an information centre on biomimetics, the regional mining industry and geology. Check visiting arrangements in advance. The Marsberg archery course is located on the site of a former copper mine and covers 5.9 hectares.

Discover more destinations: Padberg, Obermarsberg, Bredelar, Beringhausen, Leitmar.

Go to the main travel overview: Marsberg.