Am Krummen Winkel Settlement: Trails, Heath and History

Am Krummen Winkel Settlement is one of the settlements in Düshorn that was established after the Second World War. The locality is part of a loosely structured, partly fragmented settlement pattern: fields, meadows and forests extend right into the built-up area. The surrounding area brings together woodland landscapes, circular trails, heathland history and culture to offer a range of excursion themes.

Woodland, Heath and Open Landscapes

The large Hohe Heide woodland lies southeast of Düshorn, and the large Beetenbusch woodland lies to the southwest. Wedden is a small woodland within the village, near the church. It includes a wetland habitat and a large orchard meadow. This means woodland, wetland habitat and open meadows come together in the surrounding area. The area around Düshorn is ideal for hiking and cycling; a circular trail around Krelinger Heide passes through the heathland.

Juniper bushes and the characteristic heather of the Erika heath define the landscape at Krelinger Heide. The heath blooms from mid-August into September; the exact period may vary slightly from year to year. In late summer, the Krelingen Village Community Association holds its annual “Singing in Krelinger Heide” event there. Another cultural landmark is the reconstructed beehive fence, considered one of the last surviving examples of historical basket beekeeping in northern Germany. There is also a historic thatched-roof building from the 19th century on the heath, relocated here from Ebbingen.

Circular Trails and Regional Discoveries

The circular hiking trails around Düshorn vary in both length and the stops they describe. The 13-kilometre D3 runs from Düshorn via Krusenhausen and Krelingen, then follows the Alte Celler Weg back to Düshorn. Along the way, it leads to an access point to the Krelinger Steingrab, which is regarded as evidence of early settlement in the region. The 15-kilometre D4 circular trail runs from Düshorn via Krelingen, Bockhorn and Bad Fallingbostel-Süd, then back to Düshorn. D5 offers a different landscape: it passes through fields and woodland before reaching Meinerdingen and Rödershöfen.

Cultural history can also be discovered along the trails: burial mounds are signposted in Uhlenbusch. For those interested in regional cycling tours, the Heidmark Route is a cycling trail connecting villages and places of interest in the Walsroder Heidmark and complementing the Leine-Heide Cycle Route.

Düshorn Church houses a baptismal angel dating from around 1730. The earliest reference to the Düshorn parish appears in the Lüneburg fief register of 1021. The Düshorn Village Museum presents the historical development of the population in the Lüneburg Heath. The different themes—early settlement, church history and everyday life—offer several starting points for visitors interested in culture as they plan their trip.

Water and Regional Experiences

Düshorn’s outdoor bathing area has a 200-metre-long beach of fine sand. The extensive water surface is also suitable for longer swims. The bathing area can be reached from Düshorn on foot or by bicycle. So, alongside hiking and cycling, visitors can also choose a trip focused on the beach and swimming.

The Düshorn village shop offers a wide selection of regional products. At Christmas, a reading of the Christmas story with music and a nativity play takes place in the sheep barn at Krelinger Heide. These cultural highlights complement the seasonal impressions of the heath with activities connected to village life and tradition.

Schneverdingen: Heath and Culture as a Distinct Focus

Schneverdingen offers its own way to experience the heathland. Höpen Nature Conservation Area lies north of the city, with terrain shaped by the Ice Age as well as heathland, woodland and farmland. The summit of an Ice Age terminal moraine ridge offers panoramic views. Information boards explain heathland farming, woodland, an orchard meadow and an arboretum.

Schneverdingen has six well-signposted Nordic walking routes certified by the German Ski Association, with a total length of 40 kilometres. The individual routes are 3.5 to 10 kilometres long and pass through the heathland of Höpen and Osterheide. From April to October, guided hikes of around two hours are also offered through Höpen and the Schneverdingen Heath Garden; check the dates before planning your visit. The heath garden is home to around 200 different varieties of heather, with about 200,000 plants. The paths there are paved, allowing wheelchair users, people with walking frames and visitors with pushchairs to travel through or stroll around the grounds.

Culture is also an important part of Schneverdingen: the traditional Heath Blossom Festival takes place every year on the last weekend in August, when a Heath Queen is traditionally crowned. The Theeshof is a venue for theatre performances, poetry readings and film evenings. The local heritage association’s spinning and weaving group at the Theeshof demonstrates traditional spinning.

Choose Accommodation to Match Your Travel Interests

When looking for accommodation in Am Krummen Winkel Settlement, it helps to first decide which mix of activities you want: should Düshorn’s circular trails and history take centre stage, or swimming and time at the beach, or the heath and cultural offerings in Schneverdingen? These different focuses provide a concrete basis for deciding which experiences you want to shape your trip.

Discover more destinations: Tewel, Ahlden / Hodenhagen Joint Municipality, Böhme, Neuenkirchen, Häuslingen, Walsrode, Essel, Soltau.

Return to the main travel overview: Heidekreis.