Visiting friends

Christina/ April 9, 2019/ The daily grind

Are you looking for a new challenge? If so, here comes a real insider tipp for you: the Drömling. Whoever is looking for tranquility, pure nature and friendly people, this is it. The nature reserve, situated in Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt, with its approx. etwa 320 km2 might be rather unknown. The Drömling is a refugium for rare and endangered animal and plant species. To anybody who thinks this is boring, you are on the wrong track completely. There is much to discover, if you want to. What exactly I will tell you in this article. But I can tell you this much: The visit is pure adventure.

Knights of Drömling

Allowedly: There is not much information about the Drömling on the Internet, especially when it comes to hiking maps. In turn, that’s the fun part. Just go there, get into it and see what’s happening.

From an online research I understood that the “Informationshaus Drömling Kämkerhorst” is in the middle of Oebisfelde, opposite the train station. That’s why we stand in front of it on this Saturday morning just to learn that the nature park administration is closed and that the place we were actually looking for is quite far away from this place. All “hiking map dreams” burst instantly. Moreover we just missed the “Drömling Express” which could have taken us to the other side of the nature reserve. Tough luck! Still, armed with a DIN A3-print of an old map of bicycle-trails we tried our luck to find our way through the reserve.

We chased lady luck till we finally struck

Lady Luck was definitely with us that day and send us a lot of nice residents to navigate us through the “wilderness”. Our first knight shows us the way from Oebisfelde to Buchhorst. Even though there were no maps in Burchhorst we saw a lot of stork’s nest with storks and some bizarre things on the way (see picture gallery underneath). In the village we treat ourselves with a coffee-break on the “Drömling” rest area and thus enjoy the wonderful spring weather.

And once again we are lucky: When we stroll down the road looking for the right way we are approached by lady luck herself in the shape of a woman doing her chores. She asks us whether we need help. After we told her that we are looking for the Informationshaus Kämkerhorst she instantly offers a lift to us. We can hardly believe what she said. However, the lady repeats her offer insistently and very quickly we find ourselves sitting in her car on our way to Rätzlingen.

Attention: oak procession moth

We are very surprised by the helpfulness of the lady. Gay as a lark she tell us that according to her experience only nice and nature-thrilled people are visiting this place and that’s why she is not afraid to drive them around.

On the ride I discover a sign saying: be aware of oak procession moths. I have never heard of them before that’s why I am not sure in the first place whether they are an endangered species or a threat. They are harassment indeed. The lady tells us that they infest oaks and in case they fall on your skin they can cause rash, asthma or even dyspnea.
We leave our charming hostess at a crossing and walking alongside the Ohre to Kämkerhorst. On the left hand side we observe a stork looking for food. On the right hand side we watch horses letting off steam. At first we reach a watergate, than we arrive at the Informationshaus Drömling Kämkerhorst – our “final” destination.

Again no hiking maps

We meet a nice ranger baking bread for an event. He furrows his brow when we ask him for hiking maps: “Oh, I am sorry. They are completely gone and I do not have any news ones because they have not been reprinted yet”, he explains to us.

Still, we are lucky enough: the nice guy gives us directions for a hiking route. “And in case you return around 6 pm I can give you a lift to the train station in Mieste. It’s on my way”, he adds. We are amazed for the second time. In a good mood and we start our round-trip and enjoy the untroubled nature and observe birds. Like a Fata Morgana the “Drömlingsklause” appears in front of us – right on the homestretch. Under lots of sunshine the terrace welcomes us for expresso and liquor and an alcohol-free wheat beer. We are happy – completely.

Lucky fellows

Well-fed we start our way home, back to the Informationshaus Kämkerhorst. Just as promised that ranger takes us to the train station in Mieste. On the way to the station we realize that we would have never reached the place on time by foot. We are really thankful to the guy.
We are overjoyed and one thing we know for sure: today we were visiting friends!

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