Börstel Monastery – Herzlake
Stage 7
This stage is rich in nature and culture. The former Cistercian monastery Börstel Monastery has been located north of the mountains in the forests for more than 750 years and has been ecumenically occupied for almost 400 years. According to ancient tradition, the monastery is an hour's walk from the nearest village. The peace and tranquility radiated by the early Gothic brick church and the medieval monastery buildings on the grounds surround any hiker who stops at this spiritual place.
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The imposing 25-metre-high and up to 400-year-old linden trees in front of the Monastery Church of St. Mary are natural monuments, with the clear flow of the stream highlighting the natural idyllic atmosphere. The adjacent Hahnenmoor nature reserve also offers "pure nature". At 620 hectares, this rewetted upland moor lies on the border between the two districts of Osnabrück and Emsland. Where peat was once mined in the past, nature has now taken hold once again. The overwhelming expanse of the moor with its biodiversity can best be admired from the observation tower of the Moorerlebnisstation.
Further information on the sometimes rare and protected animal and plant species can be found on the information boards. Anyone wishing to experience the moor in a different way can take part in a round trip with the Torfbahn (Peat Railway) on Sundays. The former peat factory now offers an exhibition on the cultural landscape and peat farming in the moor as well as an outdoor area transformed into moorland. The technology from times gone by provides an insight into how people used to work in the past. The peat factory is certainly worth a visit and can be enhanced with a buckwheat pancake typical to the region – a real treat.
