Wild animals, rare plants, plenty of fresh air - and lots of exciting experiences: Those who head out into nature in NRW often experience the unexpected: Senner horses, the oldest horse breed in Germany, graze between forest and heath, blackberry tip butterflies fly between carnivorous plants in the large peat bog and the stars in the Eifel National Park shine brighter at night than anywhere else.
Tip 1Into the forest with fox and wild boar
Eagle owls, foxes, mouflons, deer and wild boar live on the 250-hectare site of the Vosswinkel wild forest in the Sauerland region as if they were in the wild - and can therefore only be seen with a bit of luck. Guaranteed encounters are the daily feedings of red deer, night hunters and wild boar, which visitors can accompany. If you want to spend a night in the forest, you can choose between huts, shepherd's caravans, tree tents and raised hides.
Tip 2Nature up close, day and night
Hike through the wilderness during the day and sleep under the stars at night: the Eifel National Park offers a pristine nature experience around the clock. So pack your rucksack and put on your hiking boots! The wilderness trail is around 85 kilometres long and leads right through the national park past lakes, rivers and streams, through forests and meadows. The Eifel trekking network offers camping platforms for up to two tents at various locations for the night. As the remote locations are only accessible on foot, the starry sky can be observed undisturbed.
www.trekking-eifel.de
Tip 3Senner horses wild pasture project
Around 200,000 years ago, glaciers deposited the sand in the Teutoburg Forest, which is a special feature of the Senne today. Although the history of the four-legged friends living there does not go back quite that far, the Senner horses, which are demonstrably the oldest horse breed in Germany, are still an attraction. A wild grazing project ensures that the animals have returned to their old home after many decades of absence. From the end of April to October, the herd can be observed in the largest nature reserve in the Senne, the Moosheide. Various circular hiking trails lead visitors through forests and moors, heaths and dry sandy grasslands, meadows and pastures.
Moorland feel trail and sundewWhere carnivorous plants live
The rare and insectivorous sundew, the small cranberries and the white-flowering cotton grass are plants that can be seen in the Hille large peat bog. With patience and a bit of luck, visitors can also spot animals such as bog lizards, teals and the bramble tip butterfly. A three-kilometre-long moor adventure trail, which is also accessible with pushchairs or wheelchairs, explains ecological relationships and introduces plants and animals of the nature reserve in the Teutoburg Forest. Background information and stories about the moor can be found in the "Moorhus" visitor centre in Lübbecke, which also includes a moor garden with a moor feel trail and moor beds.
