Status: 09.08.2023 1:51 p.m
The well-known Heidschnuckenweg begins in the Fischbeker Heide, the landscape is ideal for long walks – especially when the heather blossoms in late summer. A free app provides practical information.
Just a few kilometers southwest of Hamburg city center is one of the largest nature reserves in the Hanseatic city: the Fischbeker Heide. In late summer, when the blooming common heather lays a delicate purple veil over the landscape, it unfolds its very special magic. On nice days, the blooming heather glows intensely purple, especially in the late afternoon. Several hiking trails lead through the area, including the Heidschnuckenweg, which continues through the heathland to Buchholz. The Fischbeker Heide is also ideal for shorter hikes and walks and offers some special features with a glider airfield and several Stone Age burial mounds.
From the Heidehaus to the nature reserve
Several beautiful hiking trails lead through the nature reserve.
A good starting point for a circular hike is the Fischbeker Heidehaus (open Tue-Fri from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Sun 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., free entry). In the thatched half-timbered house, a modern exhibition that is also interesting for children provides information about the special features of the heathland and its flora and fauna. Next door is a stable building in which a herd of Heidschnucken with around 300 animals is housed. It is essential for the care of the heath, the animals are brought to the fields every day by a shepherdess to graze.
The Heidehaus can be reached by bus line 250 from the Fischbeker Heideweg stop in about a five-minute walk. The bus stops at the Neuwiedenthal S-Bahn station. Motorists will find some parking spaces at the Heidehaus.
Heath hike for children with riddles
Two circular routes of four and eight kilometers in length start directly at the Heidehaus. Both tours can be accessed via the “Natürlich Hamburg” app. It leads through the area and offers a lot of background information on the development of the cultural landscape and its rare inhabitants such as sand lizards, woodlarks and nightjars. The shorter “Small Heath Hike” is particularly recommended for families: Children can solve six puzzles along the way and then open a treasure chest in the Heidehaus with the right code.
Hiking along the national border
During a walk in late summer, the heath landscape always lures with beautiful views.
Another beautiful circular hike is on the W6 hiking trail. The approximately eight-kilometer route is marked with the lettering W6 on a blue circle in a yellow arrow that shows the direction. The route leads through the heathland and along the state border between Hamburg and Lower Saxony and past a glider airfield. The members of the gliding club offer guest flights: For 40 euros, they take interested parties on a sightseeing flight. You can’t register for the flights, if you want to fly with them, you should just drop by at the weekend and speak to the glider pilots directly.
Bronze and Iron Age burial mounds
Another interesting hiking trail is the Archaeological Trail, which is about four kilometers long. It passes several burial mounds from the Stone and Bronze Ages, display boards explain the facilities at a total of eleven stations. The path begins a few hundred meters south of the Heidehaus and mostly leads through wooded areas.
Further information
Large parts of the Lüneburg Heath are already in full bloom. We reveal where a walk is particularly worthwhile. more
5 Min
Flying over the city without a motor: In the Fischbek Gliding Club, club members make this dream come true in the summer. 5 mins
89 Min
Between Fischbeker Heide and Celle lies one of the most beautiful hiking trails in Germany – the Heidschnuckenweg. 89 mins
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the north story | 09.08.2023 | 3:00 p.m