The North Hessian landscape, adorned with forests and meadows between the Schwalm Valley and the Fulda Valley in Germany, exudes a fairytale charm. Fortunately, you don’t need to be afraid of wolves on the Little Red Riding Hood Country railroad cycle path. Incidentally, the route’s name wasn’t inspired by the famous fairytale, but rather by the traditional Schwalm costume featuring red bonnets.

This 60-kilometre (31 mi) cycle path stretches between Neustadt (Hesse) and Niederaula. Along the way, you’ll come across abandoned railway stations, antiquated railroad bridges, and remnants of signs – vestiges of the former Knüllwaldbahn. Information boards en route provide insights into the history of the railway and display photos from bygone eras.

Opened in 1907, the Bad Hersfeld-Treysa railway line, known as the Knüllwaldbahn, remains partially in use. Freight transport still uses the eastern section between Bad Hersfeld and Niederaula, and the paved Red Riding Hood Country rail cycle path traces the western section between Niederaula and Treysa. This path is a stress-free cycling connection between the two towns.

Your journey begins at the official starting point, the train station in Neustadt. From there, you trace the cycle path parallel to the main road, occasionally traversing farm tracks to Schwalmstadt. Beyond Schwalmstadt to Oberaula, the cycle path winds through scenic river valleys, charming villages, and half-timbered towns. Except for a gentle incline between Neukirchen and Olberode, the route is flat. Rest areas, beer gardens and restaurants beckon for breaks. After Oberaula, the path leaves the railway and heads into the Aula Valley, dropping steadily towards the official endpoint in Niederaula. You can then continue your journey on the Fulda Cycle Path to the festival town of Bad Hersfeld, which has a train station.

In this Collection, I've split the route into two manageable, family-friendly stages. The first day concludes in Oberaula. Although the second stage officially ends in Niederaula, I’ve extended it along the Fulda Valley Cycle Path to the train station.

From there, with one change at Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe, you can return to Neustadt in under two hours. Indulge in a leisurely weekend on the Red Riding Hood rail cycle route and immerse yourself in the historical charm of days gone by.