In Lippetal, floodplain landscapes and nature watching go hand in hand with routes for cyclists. West of Lippborg, you can experience how high water and falling water levels shape the Lippe floodplain. The Auenland Cycle Route runs through the Lippe floodplains and the Ahse meadows to the south; another, considerably longer route through Lippetal stretches from Detmold to Xanten. This gives you a choice of different landscape and cycling themes around which to plan your stay.

Floodplain Landscapes and Birdlife

During high water, the vast grasslands and waterways in the Lippe floodplain west of Lippborg are completely submerged. As the water level falls, still waters and damp hollows attract numerous bird species. Both conditions are part of the floodplain’s natural dynamics: water and landscape change, and as the water recedes, other areas become important for birdlife. The Lippe and Ahse floodplains in Lippetal offer opportunities to experience this landscape and observe nature.

Cycling Routes on Different Scales

The Auenland Cycle Route is almost 70 kilometres long and extends 37 kilometres from east to west. Its route through the Lippe floodplains and the Ahse meadows to the south links 14 places for observation and rest. These figures describe different aspects: the route’s total length, its east–west extent and the number of observation and rest spots mentioned.

On a different scale, the 295-kilometre Römer-Lippe Route passes through Lippetal and runs from Detmold to Xanten. Further afield in the region, the 100 Castles Route covers 960 kilometres through the Münsterland. Alongside a route through the floodplain landscape, these longer cycling routes offer further themes for planning a trip across the wider region.

Views and Guided Tours

Near Hultrop, a nine-metre-high observation tower offers wide-ranging views over the Ahsewiesen nature reserve between Hultrop and Wiltrop. The tower provides a specific vantage point in the landscape; the Ahse meadows are the larger natural area stretching out below.

The municipality of Lippetal’s guides offer cycling tours, walks and coach tours throughout the year. These three formats provide different ways to explore the municipality on a tour. If a guided tour suits your plans, it is best to check the current arrangements directly with the local provider.

Cultural Additions in the Wider Destination of Soest

In the wider destination of Soest, the Osthofentor Museum provides an overview of the city’s more than 1,000-year history and topographical development. It uses information panels, large-format texts, photos, graphics and a city model. The Wilhelm Morgner Museum with RAUM SCHROTH presents temporary exhibitions and a permanent exhibition of works by Soest Expressionist Wilhelm Morgner. The Burghof Museum focuses on the city’s and church’s history, displays engravings by Heinrich Aldegrever (1502 to around 1555) and presents the exhibition “Everyday Life in the Middle Ages.”

St. Maria zur Wiese, the “Wiesenkirche,” is also among Soest’s cultural highlights. The High Gothic hall church is one of the finest of its kind in Germany; the foundation stone for the present parish church was laid in 1313. Its distinctive features include Westphalia’s most important stained-glass windows from the 14th century and the “Westphalian Last Supper,” created around 1500.

The Soester Fehde is a special event in the wider destination of Soest: a medieval festival held in Soest every two years, bringing together more than 900 participants from 12 European nations. For a specific trip, it is advisable to check the dates and programme.

Discover more destinations: Lippborg, Vellinghausen, Welver, Werl, Soest, Erwitte, Anröchte, Ense.

Back to the main travel overview: Soest.