Wolf's Tour (South Route)

The wolf was originally distributed throughout the entire northern hemisphere. Conflicts between wolves and humans have greatly reduced the population and range of the species. After more than 100 years of absence, wild wolves have reestablished themselves in Germany. The animals, which have been strictly protected by the Federal Nature Conservation Act since 1980, migrate from neighboring countries. In 2000, the first wolf pups were born in the Lausitz region (Saxony) after a long absence. They are now present in several federal states, including Lower Saxony.

The approximately 100-kilometer-long, signposted bike tour "Wolf Tour" with its information boards is divided into a northern and a southern route. It aims to objectively illuminate the current topic of "The Return of the Wolf to Germany". It leads from the Wolfcenter Dörverden through large forest, moor, and heath areas, as well as extensive grassland areas around Lichtenmoor, the former hunting ground of the "Strangler of Lichtenmoor", to Wolfstein in the Schotenheide near Ahlden (Aller), where the "Strangler" was shot in 1948. This was a large male wolf. The hunting ground assigned to the "Strangler" was an area of about 30 square kilometers in the districts of Neustadt, Heidekreis, and Nienburg/Weser, with its center in the sparsely populated Lichtenmoor.

Information boards cover topics such as "Why were wolves hunted?", "The return of wolves", "What do wolves eat?", "The difference between dog and wolf", "Wolf biology", and "Wolf and human - what to do in an encounter?". The Wolf Tour is designed for all ages, from the information content of the boards to the topography of the route. Since it is a circular route, the starting point can be chosen flexibly. The Wolfcenter Dörverden is a very good starting point for the northern tour. The total tour of 100 km can also be completed in two stages due to the connecting route.

The southern route leads through the almost uninhabited landscape with large forest, moor, and heath areas, as well as extensive grassland areas around Lichtenmoor. It is a larger half-day tour, which can also be extended to a full day to enjoy the charm and solitude of this landscape.

In Rodewald, there is a detour to the local museum, which features an exhibition on the theme of "The Strangler of Lichtenmoor". This was a large male wolf that lived in Lichtenmoor after World War II.

The Strangler of Lichtenmoor.
The Strangler of Lichtenmoor is the name given to a fictional predator that is said to have killed numerous domestic and wild animals around Lichtenmoor, northeast of Nienburg/Weser in Lower Saxony in 1948. The search for the Strangler and speculations about the type of animal it could be were accompanied by a quickly growing media interest nationwide, leading to large but unsuccessful hunting efforts. A wolf shot by a hunter in August 1948 revived the almost forgotten story at that time.

Reports on the number of prey animals killed, the wounds inflicted, and other evidence make it clear that in most cases poaching and illegal slaughtering were common due to the scarcity of meat and food rationing in the post-war period. It is noticeable that the incidents attributed to the Strangler significantly decreased after the currency reform on June 21, 1948, and the subsequent easing of the food market.

A wolf is said to be the Strangler.
On August 27, 1948, when the number of animal losses attributed to the "Strangler" had already significantly decreased, 61-year-old farmer Hermann Gaatz from Eilte (Heidekreis) shot a wolf from a high seat in the Schotenheide that was stalking some deer. The next day, he found the animal, a six-year-old male wolf measuring 1.70 meters in length, 85 centimeters in shoulder height, and weighing 95 pounds. The Lower Saxony Hunting Association erected a "Wolfstone" at the spot in Schotenheide near Ahlden where the wolf was shot, in memory of the event. (Source: Wikipedia)

Here is the link to the Wolf Tour North.
You can also find the tour on Komoot.

Safety instructions:
Throughout the tour, it is advised to ride the bike paths at your own riskno guarantee is given for the usability of the bike pathspay increased attention in the citiesplease use existing bike pathsexpect danger spots on the tour, such as bollards, obstacles, and unsupervised crossings of federal roads - especially relevant for families cycling with small children.