Maple Lane

Whoever follows the trail marker of the strikingly jagged maple leaf will discover traces of earth's history, rare orchids in species-rich beech forests, and other highlights of the nature and geopark TERRA.vita.

In historic locations, you will also experience the rich history of the region south of the city of the Westphalian Peace. And last but not least: Treat yourself well in our spa towns Bad Rothenfelde, Bad Iburg, and Bad Laer. The Ahornweg is one of the oldest and most popular hiking trails in the Osnabrück region. Hiking enthusiasts who knew the region like the back of their hand developed the route around 50 years ago.

One path, five towers, countless views
They paid special attention to enjoying the landscape: Five observation towers and numerous other high points always offer new views of impressive panoramas. From the "Hermannsturm" on the Dörenberg, the highest point of the trail at 331 meters, you can see the ridges of the Teutoburg Forest stretching far into the North German Plain and enclosing the Münsterland Bay. From the "Varusturm," on the other hand, three charming kilometers away along a ridge path, you look in the other direction towards Georgsmarienhütte, Osnabrück, and - on a clear day - the Wiehengebirge far in the distance.

The two towers are neighbors of the Iburg, an almost 1,000-year-old hilltop castle that was expanded during the Baroque period into the magnificent residence of the Osnabrück Prince-Bishops. It towers high above Bad Iburg, the hub of the total 100-kilometer-long loop, which the Ahornweg describes on the hiking map.

Flower magic on the forest floor and in orchards
The smaller, approximately 40-kilometer-long loop mainly runs on the ridges of the Teutoburg Forest through deep beech forests, which are full of woodruff, wood anemones, corydalis, and countless other spring flowers from March onwards. In Hagen a.T.W., you can experience the bloom of more than 3,000 sweet cherry trees from mid-April, some of which grow on traditional orchards, while others stand as ancient solitaires on farms. The harvest and snacking season lasts from late May into August.

The larger loop takes you at times into the plains and to Melle, to the source of the Hase River, and to the charming hilly landscape of Borgloher Schweiz. In Bad Laer and Bad Rothenfelde, you can enjoy one of the exciting chapters of earth's history told by the TERRA.vita Nature Park: The brine trickling through the graduation towers of the two spa towns is a remnant of the ocean that once crashed against the cliffs of the Teutoburg Forest millions of years ago. More traces can be found along the way - such as shells of prehistoric sea creatures in the limestone of the mountain ridges. But do not search for too long - otherwise, you might miss the next enchanting panorama.