Stemweder Berg circular hiking trail red-dashed

The Stemweder Berg is located in the southeast of the Dümmer Nature Park. With its 181 meters above sea level, it is the last elevation before the lowlands of northern Germany. To the south, it is bordered by the park-like cultural landscape of the municipality of Stemwede. To the east of Lake Dümmer lies the Oppenweer Moor. The Stemweder Berg consists of limestone from the Late Cretaceous period. This soft limestone contains imprints of shells, as well as whole shells. Various fossils are on display at the Dümmer Museum in Lembruch. The forest mainly consists of beech trees. Here, there are two large areas of the extremely rare masterwort beech forest. In the Stemweder Berg, various historical boundary stones can be discovered. Due to the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, Minden and thus the southern area of the Stemweder Berg came under Brandenburg (Prussia). High-stem orchards on the edge of the Stemweder Berg provide habitat for dormice, little owls, and various bat species. Water quickly seeps away again in the glacial dry valleys of the Stemweder Berg. Shallow ponds are only found on a small scale. In addition to native wildlife such as deer, hare, pheasant, and fox, one can find the white-backed and black woodpecker. Also represented are the primrose, cuckoo-pint, lily of the valley, native orchids, and masterwort. This extensive forest area is accessible through well-developed and marked hiking trails of different lengths, each starting at a hiking parking lot. The overview boards and the hiking map provide information and help with orientation. All routes are also suitable for walking or jogging.