Werra Water Hiking 12: Witzenhausen - Hann. Münden

Through the wide fields of the Werra valley towards Witzenhausen, this final Werra Water Hiking stage passes the Witzenhausen districts of Ermschwerd (about 5.5 km), Gertenbach (8 km), and Blickershausen (9 km). Shortly after Blickershausen, the Werra forms a border again: between Hesse and Lower Saxony, which is reached at Hedemünden (approx. 11.5 km). About 1 km before the Hedemünden mill weir, the Werra is diverted left into a navigable side arm where a nice rapid section is passed.
Behind Hedemünden, the forests of the Münden Nature Park shape the narrow Werra valley between the mountain slopes. The last 11 km of the Werra flow through the Lower Saxony Nature Park Münden to Oberode, past the remotely located inn and Spiegelburg campsite to Laubach. Behind the large A7 highway bridge over the Werra, at the Statkraft hydroelectric power plant at the "Last Heller," there is a decommissioned lock that must be portaged with available boat carts. Here, the Werra flows in large bends through the forest landscape until, after about 20.5 km, the urban area of Hann. Münden at the Werra bridges is reached.
On the right Werra side arm divided by the Blümer Werder, you reach the city center of Hann. Münden at the historic Old Werra Bridge. The last Werra dam at the old large weirs is overcome by a short portage next to the Blume power plant. From here it is about 350 m to the boat landing at Tanzwerder (about 100 m upstream on the Fulda around the tip), where the endpoint of the Werra Water Hike is reached. At the Weserstein at the tip of Tanzwerder, the Werra unites with the waters of the Fulda and flows northward as the Weser. Here begins the Weser Water Hike, on which after about 430 river kilometers, one can reach Bremerhaven and the North Sea. But that's a whole other story.