Tough trails and adventure – 3 days bikepacking in Lower Saxony

A crystal-clear stream gurgles merrily through sprawling forests and picturesque valleys. Narrow mountain ridges with vantage points give you a fantastic view of the region's diverse landscapes. Ancient breeds of farm animals work hard as caretakers of the landscape in lush green pastures. Last but not least, numerous cultural highlights such as archaeological sites, castles, industrial monuments and idyllic old villages tell of the region’s rich history.

A range of hills in Lower Saxony, the Solling may seem rather unspectacular at first glance. However, on closer inspection, the region reveals its incredible variety. It comes as no surprise that it is protected as part of the Solling-Vogler Nature Park. In this Collection, I have put together a short bikepacking trip for you which brings you close to these beautiful landscapes in the very south of Lower Saxony. All you need is your bike, some light luggage and two or three days spare. Are you ready for an adventure?

The Solling is the second largest forest area in Lower Saxony and also the third highest mountain range in the state. That may sound impressive at first, but the town of Dassel in the north-east and Bad Karlshafen to the south are less than 35 kilometres (21.7 miles) apart. You could easily do a ‘Trans-Solling Tour’ in an afternoon. To make a nice weekend adventure out of it, I’ve criss-crossed my route through the beautiful landscape, drawing inspiration from some of the numerous official mountain bike Tours in the area.

My route starts in the municipality of Bodenfelde in the very south of the mountains. From here, you cycle in a curve to Bad Karlshafen, a baroque, thermal salt spa town. The next day, you follow the Weser River north before turning east again into the centre of the nature park. The village of Neuhaus im Solling, which lies in the heart of the Hochsolling, is the second stage destination. On the last day, you ride past the town of Dassel to Holzminden, where your adventure concludes.

The start and endpoint of the journey both lie on the railway network, so you can plan your weekend trip without a car. In each of the stage destinations, there are numerous places to stop for refreshments, stock up on supplies and stay overnight, including a campsite if you prefer to sleep close to nature. The individual Tours are relatively short, giving you enough time to enjoy longer breaks and stop at the highlights en route at your leisure. Alternatively, you can of course plan longer rides and cross the Solling in two days or even in one go. Whether you want a relaxed trip with your family or a tough endurance challenge, anything is possible – it’s up to you what you make of it.

As the Tours are quite short and you pass towns where you can find anything you need for your trip, you can travel light. A change of clothes, an emergency bike repair kit and some food and drink are all you need. You also don’t need a fancy bike – a normal hardtail is perfectly adequate. Of course, there's nothing to stop you from going on a trip with a fast all-mountain bike. The rule here is to ride whatever you handle best so that you can relax on the terrain. This way, you fully enjoy the beautiful nature and, with a little leg power, have a great weekend. Have fun!