Kassau: Nature Reserve and Cultural Destinations Nearby

The Kassau district lies within the “Schnegaer Mühlenbachtal” Nature Reserve. Nearby is Bussau, with its historic village layout; the “Blaues Haus” museum and several routes are associated with Clenze. When planning your trip, it is worth distinguishing the destinations by their location and focus: stream landscapes, village history, museums and routes offer different points of interest.

Schnegaer Mühlenbachtal Nature Reserve

The protected area includes the Schnegaer Mühlenbach, its tributaries and the lowland between Molden and Jiggel. Its habitats include water, forest and open-land biotopes typical of the natural landscape. For much of its course, the stream remains close to its natural state and has not been straightened. Spring-fed lowland and hillside areas, along with natural deciduous forests along the stream, shape the landscape. The lowland contains fen and gley soils with naturally high groundwater levels. The nature reserve is also part of the “Landgraben- und Dummeniederung” Special Area of Conservation (DE 3031-301), site 75 under the Habitats Directive.

If you are interested in the landscape, you will encounter various features of a stream and lowland environment here: water, springs, forest and open land. The Kassau district belongs to this protected area; the habitats described characterize the area, rather than individual places to visit or routes.

Bussau and the Blaues Haus

Bussau, one of the best-preserved circular villages in the Wendland, is located near Kassau. Numerous listed, gable-facing farmhouse buildings frame the village center. The preserved settlement layout and the positioning of the houses give the village its distinctive historic character. The active village community holds an Easter market every year. If you are planning to attend, check the exact dates for the relevant year.

The “Blaues Haus” museum in Clenze offers a glimpse into the everyday lives of earlier generations through exhibits from the 19th and 20th centuries. The items mentioned include historic children’s toys and a shoemaker’s workshop. A model shows the center of Clenze as it was around 1870. The museum also holds extensive sources on Clenze family and local history, as well as original archival materials dating from the 17th century to the present day.

Routes and destinations nearby

Nearby, the “Findlingspark Clenzer Schweiz” takes the form of a spiral. Visitors learn about different geological periods there, moving from the inside out. For the routes, distance and starting point provide practical guidance: the signposted “Drawehn-Höhenweg” is 59 kilometers long and starts in Clenze. The “Clenzer-Schweiz-Weg” also starts there and is 19.5 kilometers long. Based on the stated distances, this route is considerably shorter; the Drawehn-Höhenweg is also signposted.

Another option within the wider Clenze travel destination, explicitly designated as a cycling tour, is the 37-kilometer “Clenzer-Schweiz-Tour.” It starts and ends in Clenze and is not signposted. It therefore differs from the two routes mentioned in both length and its circular route. The hilly landscape around Clenze, with its winding road, is called “Clenzer Schweiz”; it is an old moraine landscape formed between 350,000 and 130,000 years ago.

Clenze: Local History

More than a thousand years ago, a Slavic castle stood on the church hill in the center of Clenze. Its remains were identified through excavations. St. Bartholomew’s Church was rebuilt as a neo-Gothic hall church and dedicated in 1856. Half-timbered houses from the late 18th and 19th centuries shape a large part of Clenze’s present-day appearance.

Getting to Kassau

A minibus runs every two hours from Schnega station to Jiggeler Straße in Kassau. Groups and passengers traveling with strollers, bicycles or wheelchairs must book at least one day in advance. If you need to make one of these bookings, allow enough lead time and check the connection before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Neu Darchau, Dangenstorf, Dannenberg, Trebel, Lemgow, Prezelle, Woltersdorf, Bredenbock.

For the wider travel guide: Lüchow-Dannenberg.