All around the Wendland region
This long-distance trail invites hikers to an exciting, but relaxing journey of several days. The Wendland Loop encloses the Elbhöhen-Wendland Nature Park in the shape of a triangular paper clip and includes a diverse selection of regional landscapes. The order in which you take your hike is up to you. We suggest dividing the loop trail into ten sections.
- Section: Hitzacker – Wietzetze
- Section: Wietzetze – Göhrde
- Section: Göhrde – Zernien
- Section: Zernien – Reddereitz
- Section: Reddereitz – Satemin
- Section: Satemin – Trebel
- Section: Trebel – Schnackenburg
- Section: Schnackenburg – Gorleben
- Section: Gorleben – Damnatz
- Section: Damnatz – Hitzacker
From Hitzacker’s historic city island, start with either the Drawehn Ridge Trail or the Klötzie Rise Trail, two premier, top quality trails on the Elbe Heights from which you can see the magical Elbe riverscape. The trails cross through the Elbe Riverscape Biosphere Reserve of Lower Saxony, designated in 2002. With a bit of luck you can also catch a glimpse of white-tailed eagles and beavers.
Then you leave the Elbe river valley, climbing to the Bahrendorf Heights. Here you cross the lily path, where you can see the beautiful fire lilies blooming in June. Then the trail goes through the forests of the imperial hunting grounds toward Göhrde. You’ll find red deer and Mouflon sheep here. Perhaps you’ll see them among the mixed deciduous forests or in the fascinating heath landscape.
As you pass through the historic Rundling villages from the time of the Slavic settlement and through the Nemitz Heath, you can visit various museums. In Schnackenburg you will find traces of the former inner German border. The final section of the trail runs along the Elbe river, where you will have a fascinating view of the river landscape and you will be able to imagine the power of the water that formed this natural area. Depending on the weather, you may also find a landscape of lakes created by flooding. The long-distance trail ends where it started in Hitzacker.