Introduction
This is a short, three hour circular walk, from the car park in Idinger Heide, Bad Fallingbostel, through Wisselshorst Forest to the east of Bomlitz, and back to the car park via Adolphsheide. In Adolphsheide the walk takes a short detour towards the Heidmark–Halle to visit the monument to the brothers Freudenthal.
The trail is well marked by an Owl marker. Through Lehmhorst, this is shared with an Oak leaf marker all the way to Adolphsheide.
Idinger Heide Car Park Bad Fallingbostel to Wenzingen
The walk starts at the small car park off Idinger Heide. In the left hand corner of the car park, facing the Schule Am Walde, you see a route marker attached to a conifer tree. This points to the start of the 11 km walk through Wenzingen and Bomlitz. The path crosses a small bridge and heads towards the side of the Schule Am Walde. To your left is a skate–board play area. Follow the curve of the path with a sports field on the opposite side of a brook, until it reaches a T junction. Turn right here, and follow the Owl route marker through a silver birch and conifer plantation, until it opens next to Hof Idingen Farm.
Hof Idingen Farm is one of the oldest farms in Lüneburg Heath. It was first mentioned in the records of 1337. The farm and its outbuildings cover an area of about 13,000 square meters. Outside the farm under a conifer tree stands a memorial to Heinrich Wildung, 10 January 1898–04 April 1918, of the 5th Guard Regiment, who fell in the Great War on 4 April 1918, aged 20 years.
The 5th Guard Foot Regiment was a unit in the Imperial German Army prior to and during the First World War. It was established in 1897, and was part of the 5th Guard Infantry Brigade, which during World War I, lost just over 4,000 men.
From Hof Idingen, continue along a narrow path which skirts the perimeter of the farm. Pass a large converted barn to your left and continue by a pond with a duck house on a small island, to your right. The narrow path is separated from the field to your left by a wooden fence, which changes to barbed wire. Eventually the path opens on to a trek. Turn left. Follow the Owl markers as the path curves to the right and goes gently up a slope through a wooded area, to reach the outskirts of Wenzingen. A paved road replaces the gravel path.
Wenzingen to Bomlitz
Walk down the relatively straight Idinger Weg past a few farm houses and open fields. At the end of Idinger Weg turn right. Opposite is a long barn built by H. Oelske and S. Oelske nee Elling in 1913. On the side of the barn facing the yard is a Gothic inscription:
Gebauet nicht mit stolz und
Pracht.
Feuersbrunst hat's gebracht.
Erbitten Gottes Segen.
Erbaut 1913
H.Oelske,
S.Oelske geb. Elling.
Take the narrow lane on the left, immediately past the barn. An old oak tree with part of the metal railing embedded in its bark, guards the entrance to the lane. Go down Josch Allee and past a telegraph pole with five bird boxes fixed to its side. Cross over a small brook and continue down this path following the Owl route markers.
Walk by the side of an open field, and, where the path forks take the narrow left hand path. This continues by the edge of the field until it reaches Fallingbostel Straße to the outskirts of Bomlitz.
Forest walk Wisselshorst
Turn left in Fallingbostel Straße and walk towards the town. Cross the road and enter Gläsersdorfer Straße to reach the entrance of Wisselshorst Forest, on the right, directly opposite a playing field.
Enter the forest, and as you head 1.5 kilometres in an almost straight line to Kroger Land Straße, enjoy the many birds in the majestic oak trees. Purple and white foxgloves grow in the hedgerows, bracket fungi sprout on tree trunks, and large cup shaped mushrooms push their heads through the undergrowth.
Cross Kroger Land Straße, and re enter the forest. Hunting look out towers can be seen at a number of intersections. During the hunting season in autumn, great care should be taken when walking in Wisselshorst Forest, as hunters lie in wait for wild boar and deer. Walk towards the wooden hunting tower and continue for another 1250 m to where the path converges with that marked with an oak leaf route market.
A sign fixed to a conifer trees reminds you that it is just another 4.5 km back to the car park. Follow the owl and oak leaf markers down a path between open fields on your left and oaks and conifers to your right, and go through Lehmhorst.
Lehmhorst to Adolphsheide
The path from Lehmhorst meets a crossroad. Cross over to another marker on an oak tree. From here it is another 2.8 km to the car park. Walk down a paved path to reach Adolphsheide. Carry on down past the immaculately maintained houses in Blumenlage, until you reach the fifth turning on your left. Here, turn into Am Gemeindebrunnen and proceed to the decorative well on Adolphsheide Straße. Turn right into Adolphsheide Straße, and then left into Soltauer Straße.
Freudenthal Denkmal to Bad Fallingbostel Car Park Idinger Heide
Once in Soltauer Straße proceed towards the Heidmark Halle. Just before reaching a roundabout, turn down a path indicated by a sign on the right hand side of the road. This site on the Leith has some splendid views of the river Böhme as it meanders in the valley below. Approach Friedrich and August Freudenthal's Denkmal or monument.
The Denkmal to two important regional writers of Lower Saxony was raised on 18 August 1923. It honours the brothers Friedrich Freudenthal, 09 May 1849–09 March 1929, and August Freudenthal, 02 September 1851–06 August 1898.
Friedrich and August Freudenthal were born in Vogtei Straße Fallingbostel. They were journalists and writers who wrote about the beauty of the heath, publishing their works in the native Low German Dialect, Platt Deutschen. Friedrich died in Fintel, which is situated north east of Schneverdingen, in the district of Rotenburg, Wümme, Lower Saxony. August lived and died in Bremen. His travel books on the Lüneburger Heide appeared in four parts between 1890 and 1897. Together, the Freudenthal brothers produced the review "Lower Saxony".
From the Freudenthal Denkmal retrace your steps down Soltauer Straße until you reach the stores Rewe and PennyMarkt. Past Rewe turn right into Höbinger Straße and carry on to its end. Turn right into Michelsen Straße and rejoin Idinger Heide. Walk past Schule Am Walde back to the car park.