Summer 2022
After a number of upgrades to this route, it may not be quite as dreamy as before - but this section is still full of charm today.
So you drive very relaxed, directly along the Soeste, through a landscape that is initially populated by gardens, later by meadows and small, damp woods.
Near the Ambührener See, a bridge/wooden walkway newly built in 2020 leads away from the Soeste, through a somewhat reduced reed thicket - bird watching is possible here with little patience. (preferably early in the morning or in the evening when things have calmed down again) Two picnic benches on the wooden walkway allow those taking a break to take a nice break in the open air - without obstructing the ongoing traffic. Very convenient.
According to the NWZ of May 20, 2017, a rare kingfisher was nesting in the area of the broken embankment...
Kingfisher sightings are still the rule rather than the exception on this section! So keep your eyes open! It is worth seeing this "flying diamond".
The area marked by Vegebüdel is so beautiful because you come quite suddenly from the inner-city area into the most beautiful meadow landscape, through which the river meanders in a few turns. There are always benches ready to enjoy the ensemble of river and landscape.
On the way, the trail leads past Cloppenburg's sewage treatment plant, which is huge for a town with around 36,000 inhabitants. Responsible for this is both the dynamic population growth of the city, as well as the connection of the food-producing industry - such as the slaughterhouse in Emstek, where around 70,000 pigs are slaughtered weekly - the resulting waste water was not always sufficiently cleaned here, which led to increased nitrogen input into the Soeste led.
Despite these thought-provoking circumstances: the trip along the Soeste is a real highlight on this section!