Nature trail Gifhorn-Winkel

Circular route in Gifhorn/Winkel
The circular route, around 3.5 kilometers long, in the rural district of Winkel in Gifhorn leads through a diverse landscape shaped by the Ice Age, with flat areas and low hills. The hills were formed from riverbank dunes of the Aller Urstromtal from the post-ice age, while the flat areas were created from former low terraces from the interglacial period. The old town center of Winkel is located on one of these low terraces, while the newer residential areas were mostly built into the dune landscape. The flat areas are now used as fields, the wetter areas as meadows and pastures. In the depressions, there are small peat areas overgrown with scrub, known as moor slats. In earlier times, the dunes were covered with heather, but with the decline of heathland sheep farming, they were largely replaced by pine forests. Along the circular hiking trail, 15 information and display boards describe the existing vegetation, highlighting the functions of the forest and the unique features of this landscape.