Whether Teutoburg Forest, the Wiehen Hills or the beauty of the Artland, the unique countryside of the Nature- and Geopark TERRA.vita makes the hearts of nature lovers beat faster. Work/life balance is not just an empty phrase here but is easily achieved in the Osnabrücker Land. Where else do families find it so easy to combine the advantages of a relaxed lifestyle in a rural setting with the joy of culture and shopping offered by a regional centre such as Osnabrück? After all, Osnabrück is the only city to be located in the midst of a nature park. And one that has been recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark since 2015. So it is no great surprise that many people appreciate the region as a feel-good place to live.
Holiday on your doorstep
Almost unlimited possibilities can be found in the Osnabrücker Land for those who like to take the whole family on a bike ride to discover nature simply by cycling past or who want to admire the countryside on foot. The Nature Park TERRA.vita offers enticing unique impressions and an opportunity to experience 300 million fascinating years of the Earth’s history. Nature lovers will find more than 100 natural monuments and amazing geological phenomena to be admired during an excursion as part of their “holiday on the doorstep”.
Both, young and old will find plenty of leisure activities in Osnabrücker Land: 2,800 kilometres of footpaths known as the TERRA.tracks, together with well-known long-distance trails wind their way through the beautiful landscape that is shaped by forests, marshes and heaths, courses of rivers and, naturally, Wiehen Hills and the Teutoburg Forest. 18 signposted TERRA.trails guide cyclists right through the history of the earth. After all, 240 million years ago, the region known today as the Osnabrücker Bergland was an extensive area of mudflats. Researchers young and old will find witnesses of this past at every step.
Unique natural phenomena
One particular highlight between Hasbergen and Hagen a.T.W. is the Silbersee mining tunnel. Besides giving visitors an insight into the history of the earth, a guided tour of the underground vaults also includes facts and stories about the former stone quarry and the history of Silbersee. Furthermore, the nature park TERRA.vita also offers other unique and, in some cases, extremely rare natural phenomena, such as the bifurcation in Melle-Gesmold, where the river Hase divides into two different river systems. While the Hase flows into the Ems, the Else as bifurcating river flows into the Weser.
No matter which part of the nature park is being explored, visitors find points of interest and opportunities to relax wherever they go. Refreshments are provided in the many small cafés and restaurants in the villages along the way, where guests can enjoy regional specialities often with a historical setting that simply feels like being on holiday. The merits of the Osnabrücker Land are also appreciated by the many thousand tourists who come here every year with the desire to relax and enjoy nature.
Relaxing in four spa towns
The desire to relax is gladly met by the four spa towns located in the midst of the Nature- and Geopark TERRA.vita. Bad Rothenfelde with its salty air and genuinely healthy climate gives visitors the impression that they are at the seaside. The salty breeze comes from the 600,000 litres of brine that drip down from the thorn house graduation towers at the heart of the spa town. Bad Essen and Bad Laer also focus on the healing power of salt and attract visitors with numerous health-related offerings.
Nature from a new perspective
Bad Iburg, the modern Kneipp spa town in Teutoburg Forest, stands out not only with its venerable castle, once birthplace of the Prussian Queen Sophie Charlotte, but also with new perspectives. After all, this is where the State Horticultural Show was held in 2018. One of the still remaining attractions of the State Horticultural Show is the 440 metre long tree-top path. It allows visitors to move through the tree-tops in airy heights and enjoy views of the unique countryside below them with all the insights into the history of the earth. All in all, the nature park offers a great variety of good prospects – not just for businesses.
