Through the Melchiorshauser Fuhren

We take the wide forest path, which we immediately leave to the right by entering a broad grass path. Through a pine forest, we reach almost to the edge of the forest and keep left. Bizarrely shaped oaks line the edge of the path, with new plantings visible on both sides. The path bends to the right and then immediately to the left. We emerge from the forest and walk past beehives. In front of us, we see wind turbines, the former Ristedter Moor in front of the Geest slope, the Hohen Berg near Gessel with its observation tower, which is worth another walk for its possible view over Bremen and the Weser valley, and when we reach the end of the path, the fire tower of Barrien.

We keep left, but at the first opportunity, we turn left onto a small path that leads us back to a wide and hilly grass path. We follow it to the right and turn right again at the next crossing. We return to our old path at the edge of the forest. Passing by a house, we reach the B6, which we carefully cross. On the other side, we pass by another house into the forest, immediately taking the small path under tall beech trees to the left, then sharply turning right again.

The path leads us in a small arc back into the forest. At the intersection, we turn right and then immediately left. At the end of this path, we reach some houses. We take the wide path to the left, walk past the shooting hall to the Waldkater intersection, and cross the B6 safely using the traffic lights. Now we follow a short section of Ristedter Straße and have reached the starting point. Even though all of this may sound a bit complicated, don't worry, the forest is very small, and you can't get lost.

On this short walk, which may require sturdy footwear due to potential muddy spots, we see the "Fuhren," a needle forest planted about 200 years ago, consisting mostly of pines. This forest was established to protect the current B6 highway from blowing sand, which forms the small hills in the forest. There are also birch trees in this barren and somewhat damp soil, oaks as border plantings, and a small area with beech trees. The municipality of Weyhe has the least amount of forest in the Diepholz district, making a walk through this remnant of inland dunes at the edge of the Weser valley worthwhile.

In April 1945, as the English troops advanced on Bremen from the south, this forest experienced heavy shelling. Some soldiers lost their lives, initially buried on the spot, but later reinterred at an English military cemetery. Near the shooting hall, an English bomber crashed on 3.3.1943 after being shot at by the anti-aircraft position in Hörden (Weyhe). All occupants perished in the crash. Some trees in this forest still contain metal debris, making the wood unsuitable for processing in sawmills.

The pine forest was completely destroyed during the "Storm of the Century" on 13.11.1972 and subsequently replanted. The forest paths consist of the tree roots that were piled up at the time and have since settled. The oaks at the edge of the forest survived the hurricane and remain standing. The forest covers a total of 33 hectares and is managed by the "Forstinteressentenschaft Leeste/Melchiorshausen."

You can also find the tour on Komoot.

Safety precautions:
Throughout the tour, it is important to note that the paths are walked at your own risk. There is no guarantee of the usability of the paths. Increased attention is advised in cities/towns. Be aware of potential hazards on the tour, such as bollards, barriers, and unsecured crossings.