Stöckse: Giebichenstein, Forest and Trails

Stöckse combines a distinctive erratic boulder with themes of nature and culture. The Giebichenstein is in the village; nearby, the small Stöckser See and the Krähe forest add to the landscape. Trails and the Ahrbeck post mill in the municipality of Stöckse offer different points of interest; further cultural attractions are in the wider Nienburg travel destination. The following places can be grouped by landscape, activity and history.

The Giebichenstein and its surroundings

The Giebichenstein in Stöckse weighs an estimated 330 tonnes. At 7.5 metres long, it is wider than it is broad, measuring 4.5 metres; at 3.7 metres high, one metre lies underground. Along with the erratic boulder in Tonnenheide in North Rhine-Westphalia, it is the largest erratic boulder in northern Germany.

Within sight of the Giebichenstein, you can also discover an exposed stone ring without capstones. Stöckser See is nearby too: a small natural lake surrounded by forest, created by excavation. An erratic boulder and a man-made body of water thus stand side by side as distinct features of the landscape.

Trails in Stöckse and the surrounding area

The STEINreich Tour passes through the municipality of Stöckse. You can start or finish at any point of interest and explore all or part of the route on foot or by bicycle. This lets you enjoy the tour in sections or in its entirety, according to your interests.

A circular trail about one kilometre long passes several burial mounds in the nearby forest. The Krähe forest extends on both sides of district road 3 and consists of woodland, moorland and heath. Marked trails in this area are suitable for Nordic walking, hiking and cycling.

A cycle path about three kilometres long was built in 2022, running from the edge of Stöckse through the Krähe forest to the settlement of the same name, halfway along the route to Nienburg. The route therefore leads from the edge of the village through Krähe to a settlement with the same name.

Mill history in the municipality of Stöckse

The Ahrbeck post mill was built in 1870 in the village of Wenden. It has three grinding stones: a large one, a small one and a groat mill. Recognised as a cultural monument, the mill adds another historical point of interest to the municipality.

Further culture in the wider Nienburg travel destination

In the wider Nienburg travel destination, the Nienburg Museum traces the development of the Middle Weser region from the presence of the first people to the present day across three historic buildings. The main building is the Fresenhof, a manor house dating from the 16th century. The museum also includes the Asparagus Museum, the Biedermeier Garden and a lapidarium. The Neoclassical villa offers a closer look at the 19th century. Nienburg thus provides a distinct cultural and historical focus alongside Stöckse’s landscape and mill attractions.

Discover more destinations: Steyerberg, Brokeloh, Heemsen, Rehburg-Loccum, Liebenau, Balge, Pennigsehl, Bad Rehburg

Back to the wider travel overview: Nienburg.