Gifhorn: Mills, Moorland and Cycling Routes

The International Wind and Watermill Museum Gifhorn features 13 full-size mills from around the world. The collection makes a distinctive cultural contribution and offers a tangible insight into mill culture. The village square on the museum grounds is open to all visitors free of charge. You can also enjoy fresh bread from the historic bakehouse and regional specialties in the farm shop. If you plan to visit these attractions, it is worth checking the current offerings and access arrangements before you travel.

Culture and Craftsmanship

Brome Castle also has a historic connection: it is one of more than 70 border fortresses in the Principality of Lüneburg. At events held by the Living Museum at Brome Castle Museum, visitors can try their hand at forging iron or hammering wooden nails into shoes. These activities are part of the events program; check the dates if you specifically want to take part.

The NABU Species Conservation Centre in Leiferde offers another way to engage with nature and biodiversity. It cares for native wild animals in need, mainly birds, and returns recovered animals to their natural habitats as soon as possible. The centre also offers environmental education, daily information, materials and contacts for nature conservation.

Cycling and Planning Your Own Routes

The cycling network in Gifhorn district comprises around 700 kilometres of recreational cycling routes. There are also around 550 kilometres of everyday cycling routes, including connecting routes. For planning your own tours, around 400 signposted junctions can be combined. This offers two different options: you can put together a route yourself using the junctions or follow signposted tours.

The Südheide “Cycling” leaflet lists 14 signposted cycling tours. GPX tracks and further information can be downloaded via a QR code. The leaflet and route data may be updated, so check the latest version before setting out.

You can also focus on a particular nature theme on foot: the Ornithological Walking Trail runs around Tankumsee lake. Information boards along the route share facts about the birds found at the lake.

Moorland and Wildlife Watching

The Great Moor Railway travels into the Great Moor in the municipality of Sassenburg at six kilometres per hour, using covered carriages specially adapted for passenger transport. Its operation is seasonal and weather-dependent. The circular route has two stops, a boardwalk and a viewing platform. Check current operating conditions and the availability of the facilities before your ride.

Heathland, forests, moorland, rivers and lakes shape the landscape of Gifhorn district. The district is home to the Drömling UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. One example of the area’s varied landscape is BernsteinSee in Sassenburg-Stüde: it covers 9.5 hectares, is up to 16 metres deep, lies directly on the Elbe Lateral Canal and is surrounded by forest, heathland and moorland.

At the OTTER CENTRE in Hankensbüttel, visitors can observe otters, badgers, stoats, stone martens, polecats, minks, American minks and pine martens. The enclosures are modelled on the animals’ natural habitats. This makes a visit different from the work of the species conservation centre in Leiferde, which focuses on caring for wild animals in need and returning them to their natural habitats.

When choosing a hotel, it helps to first decide which destinations you want to shape your stay. Then use up-to-date route planning to check the journeys from your preferred hotel location to the places you have selected.

Discover more destinations: Tiddische, Groß Oesingen, Steinhorst, Sassenburg, Schönewörde, Hankensbüttel, Sprakensehl, Dedelstorf, Meinersen, Müden, Leiferde, Isenbüttel, Gifhorn, Ribbesbüttel, Tappenbeck, Wesendorf, Weyhausen, Obernholz, Emmen, Neudorf-Platendorf, Räderloh, Wilsche, Vollbüttel, Hagen, Behren, Didderse, Rühen, Brechtorf, Bergfeld, Abbesbüttel, Ehra-Lessien, Hillerse, Brome, Meine, Bokensdorf, Calberlah, Wittingen, Ummern, Tülau, Vordorf, Wahrenholz.

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