Melle: River Bifurcation, Windmills and Discoveries
Accommodation in Melle
A river bifurcation, a planetary trail and a historic windmill give Melle very different sides. There is also a museum showcasing rural working life and activities at the bifurcation that bring nature and movement together. Which of these discoveries interests you most may also influence your choice of accommodation.
Where the Hase Splits
Near Melle-Gesmold, the Hase splits in two. One branch continues towards the Ems and the North Sea; the other branch, the Else, flows via the Weser to the North Sea as well. Cyclists can reach the bifurcation directly via the Else-Werre cycle path or the Hase-Ems Tour. Historical tours, nature tours and pond-netting tours can be booked at the environmental education centre. Check specific availability before your trip.
Children can also enjoy a hands-on encounter with life in the stream: they can use nets in the Hase and Else and examine freshwater shrimps under a magnifying glass. The Green Classroom is designed for school classes and invites them to learn outdoors, right in nature. Once a year, the Bifurcation Day takes place at the bifurcation, featuring activities, guided tours, music and regional offerings. You can check the dates before your trip.
Mills, Museums and Crafts
The Westhoyel Wall Dutch windmill was built in 1870 by the farmer Mölk. Milling and baking days are held by arrangement from April to September on the fourth Sunday of each month. The journey from grain to bread is demonstrated, with milling demonstrations, mill tours and baking in the traditional bakehouse, where bread and cakes are made. Check the annual programme if you plan to attend one of these events.
At the Grönegau Museum Melle, a historic half-timbered complex relocated here—with a bakehouse, small farmhouse, granary and coach house—shows what rural life and work used to be like. The museum also includes a flax-processing mill and fully equipped workshops for shoemaking, carpentry and blacksmithing. The various buildings and workshops take you from rural everyday life to individual crafts—a different perspective on history from that of an exhibition alone.
A Journey Through the Cosmos, a View as Far as OsnabrĂĽck
The Melle Planet Trail shows the Sun and planets, as well as the distances of their orbits, at a scale of 1:1 billion. It begins at the “Sun” starting point at the former youth hostel in Grönenberg Park and ends at the observatory of the Natural Science Association on Oldendorfer Berg. The route thus connects its astronomical displays with two clearly named endpoints.
Diedrichsburg Castle is another striking landmark: its 26-metre-high tower, crowned with battlements, has a viewing platform with far-reaching views. On a clear day, you can see as far as OsnabrĂĽck. Check the current access conditions before your visit.
More Discoveries in the Wider OsnabrĂĽck Destination
Other places in the wider OsnabrĂĽck destination offer different experiences. At the Tuchmacher Museum Bramsche, fluffy woollen blankets are made on working machines that are over 100 years old. At the Museum and Park Kalkriese, exhibits about the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest are presented using multimedia.
In Bad Iburg, the treetop walk offers a forest experience along a route that is almost 600 metres long. The walk and its exhibition pavilion provide insights into the geological history of the Teutoburg Forest and are part of the UNESCO Global Geopark TERRA.vita. The barrier-free access tower is over 30 metres high and offers panoramic views of Iburg Castle and the Teutoburg Forest. Near Bad Essen-Barkhausen, fossilised dinosaur tracks can be seen on a cliff face; the experience area also includes two dinosaur replicas, information panels and a circular trail. The signposted dinosaur trail there is a 16-kilometre circular hiking route.
You can then compare the location of your accommodation with the places you plan to visit.
Discover more destinations: Hesepe, Bippen, Hilter Am Teutoburger Wald, Atter, Bad Iburg, QuakenbrĂĽck, Nortrup, Ankum.
Back to the wider travel overview: OsnabrĂĽck.
