Discover Huntlosen

Huntlosen can be explored through a variety of themes: the Huntloser Moor and Hegeler Forest represent nature and landscape conservation, while St. Briccius Church and the burial site ensemble offer traces of history. This gives you two clear focal points when deciding whether Huntlosen is right for your trip: landscape and history. There are bicycle racks and car parking at Huntlosen railway station. Check the current situation before travelling, as these facilities may be temporarily unavailable or changed.

Moor, Forest and Learning Centre

The Huntloser Moor is a 150-hectare protected area. It is a moorland habitat that developed in the Hunte glacial valley and is now maintained and restored. Today, the moor consists mainly of birch and alder carr; in some damp hollows, more typical moorland plants and animals can develop in isolated spots.

Hegeler Forest is a 765-hectare woodland in the Huntlosen district of the municipality of Großenkneten and part of the LSG 037 landscape conservation area. Different aspects of nature sit side by side here: in the moor, maintenance, carr woodland and damp hollows are defining features; Hegeler Forest is characterised by its large wooded area and its designation as a landscape conservation area.

At the Huntlosen learning centre, RUZ Hollen uses the school’s surrounding area—with its meadows, forests, moors and waterways—as an extracurricular learning environment. The activities are based on experience and active participation; participation depends on the programme. This adds an educational perspective to the landscape themes.

Church and prehistoric graves

St. Briccius Church in Huntlosen was replaced by a new building around 1250. Initially, it had a single nave, no tower and three square bays. A bay is a section of the church interior; this description therefore identifies both the original building’s basic form and its layout.

The Huntlosen burial site ensemble comprises a Neolithic megalithic tomb and a Bronze Age or Iron Age burial mound. The two graves are about 150 m apart. The ensemble thus brings together two types of grave from different prehistoric periods.

In the wider destination of Großenkneten

The municipality of Großenkneten extends across a large area between the Hunte and Lethe rivers in the Wildeshausen Geest Nature Park. Ahlhorn Fish Ponds are also part of this wider destination: the area was artificially created about 100 years ago and includes habitats of statewide significance for species and ecosystem conservation, as well as the protection of geological landforms.

The wetland area of Ahlhorn Fish Ponds is home to an amphibian population unique in north-western Lower Saxony, thanks to the near-natural character of some of its ponds and the Lethe lowlands. The protected area also includes valuable habitats for various dragonfly, butterfly, breeding bird and visiting bird species. These details give the nature theme in Großenkneten its own regional dimension, distinct from the features of the Huntloser Moor.

The Sager Heide circular hiking trail offers another way to explore the landscape of this wider destination. It is around 17 kilometres long and starts in Sage, near Großenkneten. The route passes through heathland and ponds, surrounded by stretches of forest and their wildlife. Its length and landscape provide concrete points of reference if you are considering a longer hike during your stay in Großenkneten.

Recurring events may also play a part in planning your trip. At the annual “Mai(b)rauch” event in the wider destination, freshly smoked trout is served on 1 May while stocks last, along with a small programme of activities and drinks. A large country fair is held at the listed pond complex every other year, on the last Sunday in September, and attracts many thousands of people. If you would like to plan your stay around one of these events, check the specific event date.

For the wider travel overview: Großenkneten.