Guests from all over the world flock to this little corner of the world: whether it's spring, summer, fall or winter - the Dümmer Nature Park is in high demand internationally all year round. And do you know why? The lakes, floodplains, ditches and moors are ideal recreational areas and therefore also popular stops for various migratory birds, such as Arctic wild geese and cranes, as well as black terns and reed warblers. The cranes in particular come in flocks and have a good time - and a good time watching them. So pack your binoculars and head out into the nature park, which straddles the two federal states of Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Crane spectacle for the eyes and ears
As already mentioned, the Dümmer Nature Park has a lot to offer all year round, which is much appreciated by people and animals alike. In the fall and spring, cranes stop here on their long journeys between their breeding grounds in northern Europe and their wintering grounds in the south. Up to 70,000 birds flock to the wetlands around Lake Dümmer, making the area the third largest crane resting area in Europe. The moorland landscape offers them plenty of food and safe roosting places. Now you can take out your binoculars and watch - and listen to - the shy animals from a distance: With their typical trumpet-like calls, which you can still hear two kilometers away, they also have something to offer acoustically.
On historic tracks into the moor
Want to find out more about cranes? The "Moorwelten" exhibition not only shows how important moors are for our climate, but also provides interesting facts about cranes and other inhabitants of the nature park. Of course, you can also combine theory with practice by taking a trip to the Neustädter Moor, which is right on the doorstep, on foot, by bike or on the historic moor train.
Experience barrier-free nature
The nature park has another means of transportation for people with limited mobility: With an all-terrain wheelchair, which can be borrowed, the different natural areas can be discovered barrier-free. There are also barrier-free routes around and in the Dümmer Nature Park that can be explored with a wheelchair or walking aid, as well as barrier-free rest and picnic areas, cafés and restaurants. Audio boards, accessible viewing towers and a hands-on landscape model are further features designed to make the nature park accessible to everyone.
