Rugged cliffs drop steeply into the depths, the Weser glistens at their feet, the view sweeps over gnarled old trees into the distance: if you climb the Weser Skywalk near Würgassen in the far east of North Rhine-Westphalia, you will be rewarded with a magnificent view of the upper Weser Valley. Photo and Instagram fans had better not forget their camera or smartphone.
From a height of 80 metres, the landscape of the Teutoburg Forest can be discovered from a completely new perspective. The open grating, which visitors can enter, rises more than four metres above the reddish-brown rocks of the Hanover Cliffs. If they dare, the view gives visitors the feeling of floating above the river and cliffs as a reward for their courage.
Survivalists among the plants have colonised the rocks, such as lichens, which can survive with few nutrients. Trees have also been able to flourish here for centuries, as the steep slopes made forestry practically impossible.
Butterflies on the cliffs
The abundance of butterflies on the Hanover cliffs, on the other hand, is a special feature of the northern climes. Because the south-facing cliffs heat up considerably during the day and store the heat into the night, numerous species that otherwise favour warmer regions such as the Mediterranean have settled here.
Well over 500 butterfly species have already been recorded here. Other animals and plants that are otherwise more at home in the south have also colonised the Weser.
