Discover Huntlosen

In Huntlosen, the topics range from prehistoric burials to the protection of moorland and forests; St. Briccius Church adds an architectural history perspective.

Moorland and Forest

Huntlosen Moor is a 150-hectare protected area. The moor, formed in the glacial valley of the Hunte, is managed and its landscape developed. Today, the moor consists mainly of birch and alder carr woodland with several damp hollows. More moorland-typical plants and animals can develop in specific places there. This connects the broader protected-area framework with a concrete habitat: carr woodland, where damp spots play a role in the potential development of moorland-typical species.

Hegeler Forest is a 765-hectare woodland in the Huntlosen district of the municipality of Großenkneten and is part of landscape conservation area LSG 037. The woodland and its protected-area designation are two details that help classify it: Hegeler Forest is part of LSG 037.

Church History and Prehistoric Graves

St. Briccius Church in Huntlosen was replaced by a new building around 1250. It was initially single-aisled, had no tower and comprised three square bays. A bay is a section of a church interior; this detail brings the church’s early architectural form to life.

The Huntlosen burial ensemble comprises a Neolithic megalithic tomb and a Bronze Age or Iron Age barrow. The two graves are about 150 metres apart. Different burial forms and periods thus come together in one ensemble.

Learning and Practical Information

At the Huntlosen learning centre, RUZ Hollen uses the surroundings near the school—with meadows, forests, moors and bodies of water—as an out-of-school learning environment. The learning activities are experience- and action-oriented; participation depends on the programme. For your planning, this makes the learning centre a distinct topic alongside nature and history excursions.

There are bicycle parking spaces and car parking at Huntlosen station. As these facilities may change temporarily, check the latest information from Deutsche Bahn before travelling.

More Topics in the Wider Destination of Großenkneten

In the wider destination of Großenkneten, the Ahlhorn Fishponds area was artificially created about 100 years ago. It includes habitats of state-wide importance for species and ecosystem conservation, as well as for protecting geological landscape features. Because some ponds and the Letheniederung floodplain have retained a natural character, the wetland is home to an amphibian population unique in north-western Lower Saxony. The protected area also includes valuable habitats for a variety of dragonfly, butterfly, breeding bird and visiting bird species.

The Sager Heide circular hiking trail starts in Sage near Großenkneten and is around 17 kilometres long. It passes through heathland and pond landscapes, surrounded by stretches of forest and their wildlife. If you are considering a longer hike, the approximate route length gives you a useful planning guide. The municipality of Großenkneten’s tour guide working group also offers visitors a varied programme of cycling and hiking tours, company visits and talks.

The “Fliegerhorst” Museum in Ahlhorn is dedicated to preserving and presenting the historical significance of Ahlhorn airbase since its establishment in 1915. This adds another historical perspective to the wider destination of Großenkneten.

Events and Local Produce

In the wider destination of Großenkneten, freshly smoked trout is available at “Mai(b)rauch” every year on 1 May, while stocks last, along with a small programme of activities and drinks. In the wider destination of Großenkneten, a large farm festival is held every odd-numbered year on the last Sunday in September at the listed pond complex, attracting many thousands of people. In the wider destination of Großenkneten, hikers can buy products from the fish smokehouse and the forestry office’s own hunting operation at the fish farm’s farm shop.

This can help you decide whether your plans should focus mainly on Huntlosen’s nature and history, or also include hiking, culture and events at the municipal level.

See the wider travel overview: Großenkneten.