Heidekreis brings together a wide variety of discoveries: in Munster, a large exhibition fills the German Tank Museum, while elsewhere historic buildings, leisure activities and routes through the landscape each have their own focus. Choose destinations according to your interests, and you will find both cultural history and opportunities for activity and relaxation here.
Museums and Historic Sites
The exhibition at the German Tank Museum in Munster includes more than 150 large exhibits and spans five halls covering more than 10,000 square metres. The objects on display may change. The size of the exhibition gives an idea of how much space the collection occupies; the overall display, rather than any single exhibit, therefore shapes the visit.
The history of buildings can also be traced at specific sites. The Heidmark Farmstead in Bad Fallingbostel was built in 1642, dismantled in 1936 and rebuilt in Liethwald. It is a protected historic monument and one of the oldest buildings in Heidekreis district. Walsrode Abbey is the oldest of the famous heathland monasteries. Ahlden Castle, meanwhile, was built on the Alte Leine in 1579 and is associated with the banishment of Electress Sophia Dorothea. These sites represent different historical connections, and do not all tell the same kind of story.
The Seven Stone Houses near Ostenholz mark a different period: the site consists of prehistoric megalithic tombs. Alongside the buildings in Bad Fallingbostel, Walsrode and Ahlden, they offer a selection in which archaeological heritage sits alongside architectural and monastic history.
Leisure Activities with Different Focuses
Two different kinds of experience sit side by side at Heide Park in Soltau. Peppa Pig Land offers gentle rides and family entertainment for younger children. Heide Park’s Big 7 include the roller coasters Colossos, Krake and Scream. This contrast can help you decide whether your visit should focus more on activities for younger children or on the roller coasters mentioned above.
Buhl Activity Park Walsrode offers high-ropes courses and an 18-hole soccer golf course. This gives visitors two different forms of active recreation to choose from. The availability of individual activities may change, so it is best to check before your visit. In Hodenhagen, Serengeti Park adds to the range with a 10-kilometre safari drive in your own car through the Serengeti Safari. Driving your own car is explicitly part of the experience described here. Soltau Therme offers relaxation with brine; this brief description sets it apart from parks with rides or physical activities.
Landscape and Practical Information
Heidekreis has miles of signposted routes for cycling, hiking, Nordic walking and horse riding, leading to worthwhile destinations. You can explore the landscape according to your preferred activity. Individual routes may change, so check the route you plan to use in advance.
A prominent landmark is Wilseder Berg: at 169 metres, it is the highest elevation in the North German Plain. The surrounding area is almost car-free. Cars can only use access roads to car parks in the places around the nature reserve; otherwise, you can get around on foot or by bicycle. Check parking options before setting out. These access conditions are important when planning: Wilseder Berg cannot be approached like a destination with regular car traffic in its surrounding area.
Whether your focus is historic sites, the different park offerings, or routes and landscapes, the destinations listed here offer specific starting points for a trip tailored to your interests. When planning, take into account both the kind of experience you want and the visitor conditions mentioned for each destination.
Discover more destinations: Munster, Schneverdingen, Bispingen, Wietzendorf, Walsrode, Soltau, Rethem, Essel, Böhme, Frankenfeld, Häuslingen, Bomlitz, Bad Fallingbostel, Gilten, Schwarmstedt, Hützel, Bierde, Wolterdingen, Oerrel, Behringen, Dorfmark, Siedlung Am Krummen Winkel, Neu Bosse, Volkwardingen, Oberhaverbeck, Kirchboitzen, Lindwedel, Tewel, Neuenkirchen, Buchholz, Samtgemeinde Ahlden / Hodenhagen, Ahlden (Aller).
For the main travel overview: Lower Saxony.
