A large Romanesque church dating from 1277 and alpaca walks that offer insights into animal husbandry give Mellinghausen two distinct focal points. The wider Diepholz destination has more to offer, including museums, moorland and water.
Romanesque church with a precise date
The large Church of St John the Baptist in Mellinghausen dates from 1277 and is Romanesque. Its name, architectural style and date make it a specific historical landmark in the village. Visitors interested in church architecture and history will find a distinct cultural highlight here: the date places the building in the Middle Ages, while its Romanesque classification gives it a distinctive architectural character. The church thus offers a different kind of discovery from the activity-focused alpaca farm experience.
Alpaca walks and farm offerings
ALBWOLLE offers alpaca walks in Mellinghausen. Participants also learn about the animals’ origins, care and husbandry. The walk combines an outdoor activity with topics relating to the animals, appealing to visitors who would like to plan a hands-on experience alongside a cultural highlight. Check the availability of the walks before your visit.
Since mid-2022, ALBWOLLE has run a family-owned alpaca farm in Mellinghausen, with a farm shop and café. The farm café serves homemade cakes and waffles at weekends. If you would like to combine your visit with a stop for refreshments, contact the farm directly to check the current opening arrangements for the shop and café, as well as service hours and availability for your preferred weekend.
Diepholz as a wider area to explore
The Diepholz district encompasses two tourism regions and two nature parks. Beyond Mellinghausen, the choices range from nature and water experiences to museums with a variety of themes. These attractions are part of the wider Diepholz destination and complement Mellinghausen’s local highlights with further options.
Moorland, cycling and water
In the Diepholz moorland, a roughly two-kilometre nature trail with ten informative stops leads through the moor ecosystem, making it accessible to visitors at any time of year. A cycle route guidance system directs leisure cyclists along approximately 1,700 kilometres of routes throughout the district. The two offerings have different focuses: the moor trail introduces visitors to a single ecosystem along a signposted route, while the cycle route system covers a much larger distance.
Cycling and canoeing also offer different ways to experience the River Hunte. The 137-kilometre Hunte River Cycle Route runs from Elsfleth to Lake DĂĽmmer. A stretch of about 105 kilometres of the Hunte can also be paddled by canoe, from the OsnabrĂĽck region to Oldenburg. In the Diepholz district, the river has been developed as an attractive destination for nature-based canoe tourism. Lake DĂĽmmer also offers leisure opportunities for sailors and surfers.
Museums and exhibitions
The Dümmer Museum Lembruch explores the nature, landscape and culture of Lake Dümmer in the past, present and future. The “Life in Water” research station explains the ecology of the Dümmer ecosystem in detail. The museum’s Stone Age section features original objects from 4000 to 2000 BC, as well as reconstructions. A two-hour discovery tour explores life in the water using a landing net, plankton net, thermometer, questionnaire and microscope. It is aimed at families and smaller groups of fewer than 15 people, school classes, and groups of no more than 25 people.
The Syke District Museum, together with the Gesseler Gold Hoard Forum, is the Diepholz district’s museum of cultural and everyday history. It presents everyday life from the Stone Age to the threshold of the present day. In Wagenfeld, Moorwelten is a multimedia visitor attraction devoted to moorland and climate. So, alongside Mellinghausen’s local highlights, the Diepholz destination offers distinct ways to explore culture, landscape and nature.
Discover more destinations: Kirchdorf, Süstedt, Lembruch, Heiligenrode, Lemförde, Bassum, Wagenfeld, Weyhe
Back to the wider travel overview: Diepholz.
