Flechtingen: From one-horse town to health resort

Christina/ July 18, 2021/ The daily grind

This saturday we are heading for the Börde-Kreis to Flechtingen. Next to the interesting moated castle the place has to nice coffeehouses with an outside terrace and a golden cow symbolizing the change from a one-horse town to a health resort. Prior to the hike we visit the baroque style garden and castle at Hundisburg. Together with the hike on top of the Flechtinger ridge we experience a sunny and diversified day, pretty close from our homebase in Braunschweig.

Garden dreams at Hundisburg
So far I had neither heard of the baroque style garden of Hundisburg nor of the landscape park of Althaldensleben. That changed for the better this saturday. The castle of Hundisburg with its garden is definitely worth a visit. The complex seems to be quite popular with bridal couples, two couples similar are on the premises that day. Part of the castle and garden area is also a brewery producing different kinds of beer. Because of Corona visitation of the same is limited for the time being.

After the tour through the garden we make a side trip to the landscape park of Althaldensleben, which is located next to the castle. The park area belongs to former cloister of Althaldensleben. On the swan lake we witness a duck mother with its youngsters learning to swim. Unfortunately we are running out of time so that we can linger only for a short while and then set out for Bodendorf.

Grasping the tick spray
At Bodendorf we start our tour right at the former castle. Both, the castle and the attached church cannot be visited as the buildings are privately owned.

Being equipped with smart phones as navigation devices we start at the Bodendorfer Teiche and walk over a country road towards the forest. We pass by cornfields and blooming cornflowers which colours are so deeply blue that it does not only attract bees and butterflies. In the forest we come a cross a fully developed way that leads into nirvana. Whereas the friendly voice of the navigation device still tells us that we left the original path we are already in the middle of high grass. We ask for help and address to a cyclist passing by. He tells us just to go straight. That sounds reasonable at first but somehow we cannot find the track anymore. Looking at our mobiles we see that we are close to the right path however. That’s funny. I fetch my protection spray for ticks as I know that these bloodsucker are lurking everywhere.

Where is the hidden camera?
We are literally moving out in the sticks and we cannot spot any way wide and bride even though the lovely voice coming from the electronic device still claims that we are on the right track. Well, I wonder where the “hidden camera” is. We are about to give up and return to our car but finally come back to a well developed forest way and meet two cyclists. They give us directions.

The rest of the way to Flechtingen is not very interesting or diversified but fortunately we have not to bushwack anymore. After another hour and fortyfive minutes we reach our destination. I am surprised. From the country road we reach a residential area at first and then the extensive municipal park with a lake and pedal boat rental.

The golden cow of Flechtingen
It stands in front of the urban park, the golden cow of Flechtingen. Instantly I have to think of that episode from the bible about the golden calf. I guess this symbol is about something else. I am right an information board tells me that the cow symbolizes the transformation of the place from a one-horse town to a health resort. And it worked.

We walk to the other side of the castle lake to have a closer look to the moated castle. Unfortunately the premises cannot be visited, we can only take a look at it over the fence. After that we are looking for a place to drink and eat. We go back to the café at the beginning of the promenade and sit down. Next to the wonderful view onto the lake we enjoy a cold one and a plate of Pommes Frites. Starched again we start our return to Bodendorf. The hike over the Flechtinger ridge is a round trip of about 18 kilometres. However we spare us the cross-country part from the afternoon on our return way.

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