M6 - Circular route Oldendorf / Gesmold

Due to construction work at the railway crossing "Stepkeweg" in the district of Bissendorf Ellerbeck, this cycling route will be diverted via the "Lange Lichtsweg" until probably 31.01.2021. The tour itinerary, GPX file, and signage below have been adjusted accordingly.

This circular route through the Grönegau between the Wiehengebirge and Teutoburger Wald offers a variety of landscapes, different manor houses, and surprising encounters with nature.

Starting in Gesmold counterclockwise, the most unusual natural phenomenon is saved almost until the end – and after a short ride, you first reach Wasserschloss Gesmold, a two-winged Renaissance complex with a residential and escape tower from the 13th century. The castle forest is open to walkers, while the gardens and the privately used castle can only be viewed from the outside.
Shortly after Oldendorf, the route passes by Grönegausee, a lovely fishing lake where, according to a local legend, a monster resides: a gigantic catfish that no credible witness has seen yet – there is only angler's tales about it. A little later, a detour to the right of the path leads past the ancient knight's seat Gut Ostenwalde to Diedrichsburg. Although the originally early medieval complex is only preserved as an archaeological site, a picturesque "new building" from the era of castle romanticism in the 19th century rises above it. From the height of the keep, there is a magnificent view over the Grönegau, and in the single-story wings, there is an opportunity for a refreshing break at the restaurant. The forest around Diedrichsburg will be permanently accessible from 01.04.21. Access is via the West and North gate.

The next detours lead to the world's most light-sensitive Newton amateur telescope at the Expo-Sternwarte Melle and to Wasserschloss Schelenburg. The Renaissance building rests on more than 1000 oak piles driven into the wet subsoil. Although a visit is not possible, the view of the magnificent Weser Renaissance facade is worth the small detour.

Passing Ludwigsee and the Grönegau-Park campsite, the route then leads to the Bifurkation, a rare natural phenomenon for which there is no German name. The river Hase divides its water here, creating the Else without its own source. The Hase flows towards Osnabrück and eventually into the Ems. The Else flows into the Weser tributary Werre at Kirchlengern. At the Bifurkation, there is an informative environmental education site with interactive stations on the topic of water.

It is not far back to Gesmold now, and from there it is only a few kilometers to Melle and the Automotive Museum, which showcases around 200 superbly maintained vehicles of all eras in the premises of a historical furniture factory – but that's already a whole different story.