Wanderfest Oberes Lahntal

Wanderfest Oberes Lahntal — the 9th edition 2026

The Wanderfest Oberes Lahntal is a must-attend hiking event in southern North Rhine-Westphalia — in the historic Wittgensteiner Land, in the far east of the state. The 9th edition will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026 — organized by Tourismus, Kur und Stadtentwicklung Bad Laasphe GmbH in cooperation with local hiking clubs and communities.

'Off to the Butterloch!' — the 2026 motto

This year's motto bears the local-folkloristic name 'Auf in's Butterloch!' — an allusion to the small hollow near Bernshausen, known in Wittgenstein as the 'Butterloch' (butter hole). All six tours converge at the destination: the small village of Bernshausen with its village community hut on the Bernshäuser Bach stream.

Bad Laasphe and the Upper Lahn Valley — historic Wittgenstein

Bad Laasphe is located in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, at the source of the Lahn river — in one of the most sparsely populated regions of North Rhine-Westphalia. The upper Lahn Valley with its streams, mixed forests, and small village structures is a hiker's paradise. There is still tranquility here — and that's what makes the hiking festival special: no tourist crowds, but local hiking in true Wittgensteiner style.

The six tours 2026

Four guided hikes

• Tour 1 — Hesselbach → Bernshausen: 14.5 km, starts 10:00 AM in Hesselbach (most demanding tour)
• Tour 2 — Bad Laasphe → Bernshausen: 10 km, starts 11:00 AM from Wilhelmsplatz
• Tour 3 — Banfe → Bernshausen: 9.5 km, starts 11:00 AM in Banfe
• Tour 4 — Feudingen → Bernshausen: 8 km, starts 11:00 AM in Feudingen (family-friendly)

Nordic Walking

• Tour 5 — Nordic Walking in Bernshausen: 7 km, starts 10:00 AM (guided by the Kneipp association)

E-Bike Tour

• Tour 6 — E-Bike Tour: 55 km, starts 9:30 AM from Wilhelmsplatz Bad Laasphe (mountain bike, gravel, or trekking)

Program at the Bernshausen festival grounds

From 12:00 PM, the Dorfgemeinschaftshütte Bernshausen (village community hut) becomes the festival stage. Between 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM, the groups arrive. Offerings include:

• Coffee and cake (homemade)
• Bratwurst, pork steaks from the grill
• Mushroom pan with fried potatoes
• Beer, apple spritzer, lemonade
• Musical program and cozy get-together

Sponsors and Partners

The hiking festival is supported by, among others, Sparkasse Wittgenstein and Edeka Kilian Bad Laasphe. Local associations like the Kneippverein (Kneipp association) take over the tour guiding — a truly local event.

Arrival and Practical Information

Getting there: by car or public transport to the starting points of the tours (Bad Laasphe, Banfe, Feudingen, Hesselbach). Return journey: shuttle bus from Bernshausen at 6:00 PM (€2.50 adults, children free) back to the starting points.