Melbeck: Nature, Canoeing and Moorland History

Melbeck offers several ways to shape your stay: the “Lüneburger Ilmenauniederung mit Tiergarten” nature reserve also includes areas within the municipality, and peat was extracted from the Großen Moor to fuel the saltworks in Lüneburg. You can explore the municipality on cycling and hiking trails, on the water or on horseback. Natural landscapes, local history and different ways to get around offer a range of options for planning your trip.

Nature Reserve and Moorland History

The “Lüneburger Ilmenauniederung mit Tiergarten” nature reserve also includes areas within the municipality of Melbeck. The Großen Moor offers another trace of local history: peat was extracted there to fuel the saltworks in Lüneburg. Those interested in the area’s history can connect the moorland landscape with a specific historical use.

On the Water by Canoe or Exploring on Land

A canoe tour can start or end at the Melbeck canoe station. From Melbeck, you can paddle downstream to Lüneburg only with Kanu Rahmann; hourly boat rentals are not offered in Melbeck. Check operational details with the provider before planning your trip.

If you do not want to paddle, you can consider cycling and hiking trails or exploring on horseback. You can also explore Melbeck on the water. This gives you several ways to get around, while the explicitly stated direction of travel for canoe trips from the station makes for a particular planning consideration.

Stay Overnight at the Canoe Station

At the Melbeck canoe station, you can stay overnight in a tent or in log cabins. The station is accessible by public transport. For self-catering, there are barbecue areas provided by “Outdoorschmiede.” Check availability and booking details with the station in advance.

In the Wider Lüneburg Destination

The wider Lüneburg destination offers more places to explore nature and history. The boulder ring near Breetze, in the Bleckede district, displays glacial erratics as evidence of how the Elbe glacial valley was formed during the Ice Age. It is freely accessible, and parking is available. Check access details before your visit. The megalithic tombs in Schieringer Forst, between Barskamp and Walmsburg, represent a different period: they were built during the Neolithic period, between 3000 and 2300 BC. A circular hiking trail leads from Walmsburg’s village square to the tombs. This brings geological evidence and archaeological history together in the wider destination.

Scharnebeck also has its own technical highlight: the Lüneburg ship lift is the largest ship lift of its kind in Germany. The Biosphaerium Elbtalaue in Bleckede combines an aquarium landscape, live beavers and more than 1,000 m² of modern exhibition space.

For outdoor routes, Amelinghausen offers two different points of comparison. The circular trail at Lopausee with Lopaupark is 2.2 km long and suitable for jogging, walking and Nordic walking. The Königinnen-Weg is an 11 km circular hiking trail around the heathland town of Amelinghausen. The details make it easy to compare the two routes directly in terms of length and intended use.

Discover more destinations: Boitze, Brietlingen, Amelinghausen, Neetze, Deutsch Evern, Hittbergen, Amt Neuhaus, Bardowick

Go to the wider travel overview: Lüneburg.