On the countryside

Directions:
The hiking trail starts at the parking lot on "Zeppelinstraße" and leads you through a small grove over the "Alter Heerweg" to the district of Borstel (1). Turn left at the junction towards "Borsteler Hauptstraße". Cross the "Borsteler Hauptstraße" and continue hiking on the "Borsteler Weg". At the first junction, turn right through the fields until the path ends in Emsholz. Turn left here and follow the path. Along the way, you will pass by the Emsholz ponds (2). At the intersection, continue straight and turn left onto the next path. Proceed through the fields and farmland until you reach a fork where you turn right onto the paved path. You will then reach the "Schaphuser Weg", where you turn left. Stay on the path until you turn left again onto "Radekampsweg". Cross the street "Im Labusch" to return to "Borsteler Hauptstraße", which you cross for the second time. Now walk along "Claus-v.-d.-Decken-Straße" past Gut Graft (3). Then turn left onto the narrow, relatively inconspicuous path at the end of the forest (4). Through the forest, you will return to "Zeppelinstraße" and back to the starting point of your hike.

Points of Interest/Information:

(1) Borstel:
Until the end of 1928, the municipality of Borstel was politically independent, and from January 1929, it was annexed as a district of the municipality of Achim. Recognizable by the tall wind turbines, Borstel has preserved its rural character to this day. Covering an area of 577 hectares, there are green pastures with grazing cows and several agricultural farms. According to the motto "Borstel, where else?", there is a lively village community with festive activities. It is said that there is still a great emphasis on neighborly assistance. Therefore, you can still find properties connected to the next neighbor through a gate in the hedge.

(2) Emsholz Ponds:
The Emsholz ponds are standing water bodies in the Geest region. Depending on the water depth, different plant species thrive. The shore expands into an extensive meadow where reeds, rushes, and sedges provide a typical habitat for wetland inhabitants. On calm days, you can observe grey herons, cormorants, and other water birds searching for food. Together, they form a mosaic of numerous biotopes with the full diversity of their inhabitants. Especially in summer, the abundance of flowers attracts numerous butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects. The ponds have been designated as a protected area for many years.

(3) Gut Graft:
The origin of the village of Borstel dates back to the establishment of a manor (built as a water castle) by the noble family of Mandelsloh in the 16th century. Due to inheritances, acquisitions, bankruptcies, etc., there were repeated divisions. However, the original estate always remained the foundation. The family of Mandelsloh must have been very influential, as the northern transept of St. Laurentius Church is called the "Mandelsloh Chapel". Throughout history, there have been many owners of the estate. In 1846, Judge Diedrich Nicolaus von der Decken purchased the estate. It is still owned by this family today.
Around the estate, some small farmers leased pieces of land for their own cultivation, had to perform certain tasks for the estate manager, and had to pay a portion of their yields to the estate. These small farmers were called "Kötner" because their dwellings were referred to as "Katen".

(4) Deckensche Holz:
The Deckensche Holz is partly an old beech forest and represents the remaining part of a typical Geest forest, with mighty oaks also present. In the thick trunks of the old trees, you can find woodpecker holes, which are then inhabited by tits, nuthatches, and even bats. The extensive management with a lot of deadwood creates a habitat, rare today, for countless species of flora and fauna. In spring, herbs like the shadow plant cover the forest floor as long as the canopy is still light. The forest belonged to the adjacent estate, which carried out a peasant forest use.

You can also find the tour on Komoot.

Safety Information:
Throughout the entire tour, it is advised that the paths are used at your own risk. There is no guarantee of the usability of the paths. In cities/places, increased attention is generally required. Hazards such as bollards, barriers, and unsecured crossings should be expected on the tour.