District prohibits access to Willingen slopes at weekends

The current weather conditions with optimal winter sports conditions have tempted day tourists to flock to the municipality of Willingen in excessive numbers since January. Unfortunately, in many places the distance and hygiene rules could no longer be observed, and the obligation to wear masks was also neglected. The winter weather continues. People continue to be drawn to the popular winter sports region. However, as the infection figures in Waldeck-Frankenberg continue to be consistently high, the district has decided to once again ban people from entering the ski and toboggan slopes as well as the associated parking areas in Upland over the next two weekends.

On the second weekend in January, the district had already issued a general decree to this effect. Now there is another one, which is initially valid from 15 to 17 January and from 22 to 24 January. In advance, the district has again consulted with the municipality of Willingen and the Waldeck-Frankenberg police department. "We came to the conclusion that we also have to act on the two coming weeks in Willingen in order to urgently avoid rushes like the one at the beginning of January," says First District Commissioner and Head of Health Karl-Friedrich Frese. "The risk of infection is unfortunately too high."

The slopes affected by the ban are the Willingen slopes Sonnenlift, Ritzhagen, K1, Ettelsberg, Wilddieb and Dorfwiese, the Usselen slopes Kahler Pön, Bühler Höhe, Emmet and the Iberg ski lift in Schwalefeld. The ban starts on the next two Fridays and lasts up to and including the following Sundays. The district appeals to all people to comply with the rules, which will be comprehensively controlled by the regulatory authorities of the municipality of Willingen together with the police on the respective days. Violations will be punished with fines of up to 200 euros.

"We appeal to people's common sense and solidarity," says District Administrator Dr Reinhard Kubat. Last weekend, when the slopes were closed for the first time, everything went well and people followed the rules. That is what is hoped for on the next two weekends as well. "It pains us greatly as a hospitable county to make these decisions and we have not made it easy," the county chief continued. "However, we are in the midst of the ongoing pandemic. In the current situation, it is therefore with a heavy heart that we have to ask all guests not to come here and to stay at home."