Burial mounds, silence and a lot of space – hiking Germany’s Geestweg
Hiking Collection by Zoe von Rambling Rocks
9
days
4-7 h
/ day
131 mi
2,475 ft
2,500 ft
The 200-kilometre (124 mi) long Geestweg trail runs between the Ems and Weser rivers from Meppen to the Hanseatic city of Bremen. The name of the trail says it all: Geest are dry and barren landforms that were formed by ice-age glaciers in north-west Germany.
The landscape is characterised by sandy mounds, interrupted by lowland meadows and moors. You won’t find high mountains, but you will see mountain ridges, formed by glaciers, every now and again. It only takes a few metres of altitude to climb them – no special gear is required.
As well as unique landscapes, the region has many cultural sites such as megalithic tombs. The route is waymarked with a white megalithic tomb on a black background for good reason.
I’ve divided the Geestweg into nine stages in this Collection. You can easily catch the train to almost any destination en route and travel without your car. In places with no station, you can catch the bus. You’ll also find accommodation at the start and finish of each stage. I also let you know about alternative options in neighbouring towns.
Now you just have to lace up your hiking boots, swing your rucksack over your shoulders and head off into the Geest. Enjoy the silence and the vastness of the moraine landscapes, and let yourself be amazed by the fascinating stone burial chambers. Have fun!
On The Map
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Last updated: February 28, 2022
Plan your own version of this adventure in the multi-day planner based on the stages suggested in this Collection.
Tours & Highlights
- 07:0917.3 mi2.4 mph375 ft325 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Welcome to Meppen and therefore also to your first stage of the Geestweg. You start your tour at the landmark of Meppen: the Hase lift bridge. If you want to start at the official starting point of the Geestweg and have traveled by train, the bridge is only a few minutes' walk away.
Otherwise, you can…
- 04:0910.1 mi2.4 mph200 ft175 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Your second stage starts at the train station in Sögel. On the following 16 kilometers you hike through the Hümmling Nature Park, which is characterized by moors, heaths, deep forests and meadows.
First you hike through the village of Sögel and you pass the star-shaped complex of the Clemenswerth hunting…
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- 04:4811.7 mi2.4 mph175 ft250 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Today there are relaxed 19 kilometers on the Geestweg ahead of you. In Lorup you have the opportunity to stock up on a snack for your tour, because you only have the opportunity to stop at your destination in Markhausen. You quickly leave the small, tranquil town towards the west. Here you initially…
- 07:4819.0 mi2.4 mph350 ft300 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
At 32 kilometers, the fourth stage is one of the longer of the Geetsweg, but the route is all at ground level, so this tour should not pose a problem for you and your calves. Almost always along the Soeste you will be rewarded for the long tour with great views and beautiful hiking trails right on the…
- 06:5617.0 mi2.4 mph225 ft225 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
On this approximately 27-kilometer tour, you will explore the Wildeshauser Geest Nature Park, but you will also get to know regional cultural history along the way.
Before you leave Cloppenburg, the Geestweg leads you through the city park, where you can admire the large building of the district court…
- 07:0117.0 mi2.4 mph350 ft400 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.
The sixth stage with about 26 kilometers will be "stony", because some large stone graves and a burial mound are waiting for you and thus do credit to the path symbol of the Geestweg.
After three kilometers you can make a detour to the somewhat hidden attraction "Heirs to the Ice Age". Here at the "Nordic…
- 04:059.88 mi2.4 mph225 ft175 ftIntermediateIntermediate Hiking Tour. Good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
Historical buildings and a lovely brook valley are on the program for the seventh stage. At just under 15 kilometers in length, this tour is one of the shorter stages of the Geestweg that you will easily master.
First following the rails out of Wildeshaus, the Geestweg then leads you past the Hunte in…
- 05:2913.1 mi2.4 mph400 ft500 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
21 kilometers across the Wildeshauser Geest Nature Park. You will pass fascinating lowlands with wet meadows and moors.
You start in the state-approved resort of Harpstedt. If you have stayed overnight, you will certainly start your tour completely rested and freshly strengthened. Since the train station…
- 06:2415.7 mi2.5 mph175 ft200 ftExpertExpert Hiking Tour. Very good fitness required. Mostly accessible paths. Sure-footedness required.
The last 19 kilometers of the Geestweg are pending. You leave the Wildeshauser Geest Nature Park and reach the urban area of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. Here you come across the lifeline of the city: the Weser.
In Barrien you start your tour at the local train station. From here it first goes straight…
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Collection Stats
- Tours9
- Distance131 mi
- Duration53:48 h
- Elevation2,475 ft2,500 ft
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