Westfälische Salzroute

Salt production and the salt trade have left a wealth of cultural and industrial historical evidence in the Hellweg region. This tour covers the section between Werl and Geseke.

From the spa park in Unna-Königsborn to the "Kütfelsen" in Salzkotten, there is a lot to see along the Hellweg on the subject of salt. The three spas of Bad Sassendorf, Bad Waldliesborn and Bad Westernkotten offer many health treatments based on brine and moor. The historic town centers in Werl and Soest show the influence that salt production and the hereditary salt-making families had on the development of the towns. With its few inclines, the Westphalian Salt Route is an easy route that primarily runs along asphalted farm roads away from the main traffic routes or along cycle paths next to the roads.

Numerous restaurants invite you to stop off and linger along the way. The landscape of the Hellweg-Börde is characterized by expanses, open fields, rows of trees along the paths and small agricultural villages. The Hellweg is the name of the old trade route between Duisburg and Paderborn on the road from Aachen to Goslar. Goods traded on the road included salt from the area around Soest, Werl and Unna and iron goods such as knives and scissors from the Sauerland. Goods from the Hellweg were distributed throughout the entire Hanseatic region. More information at www.westfaelische-salzroute.de