Kaufungen Forest

The Kaufungen Forest (German: Kaufunger Wald) is a range of steep, wooded hills straddling the border between the states of Hesse and Lower Saxony in central Germany.

The southern boundary is less clearly defined, as the range merges into the gentler hills of the Söhrewald to the south-west, and climbs towards the high plateau of the Hoher Meißner to the south-east.

The area is popular for walking and especially for cycling; an extensive network of waymarked forestry and agricultural tracks provide excellent traffic-free routes.

The annual Bilstein Bike Marathon attracts hundreds of mountain bikers to compete in races of varying length and difficulty.

The controversial extension, which has been delayed and rerouted several times on environmental grounds, is part of a national strategy to improve communications between the east and west of Germany, in the wake of reunification.