\nLast autumn, we discovered the Deister. The hike near Nienstedt had convinced us of the qualities of this 405-meter-high ridge in the Calenberg Uplands, along the northern edge of the Lower Saxon Hills near Hanover. On Komoot, I found an interesting hike that was supposed to combine nature and culture. It has the rather lovely name \u201cGarden Art and Woodland Fun.\u201d That sounded tempting enough to get us out of bed fairly early on Saturday morning and head to the spa town of Bad Nenndorf. However, we hadn\u2019t counted on the fact that Bad Nenndorf was hosting the State Garden Show at the time. Well, that meant the \u201cgarden fun\u201d part was already off the table. We didn\u2019t really feel like paying \u20ac25 admission, especially since fitting the garden show and the hike into the same day would have been rather tight. So we decided to save the spa gardens for another visit.<\/p>\n
Where on earth is the way to the Deister?<\/strong> But now we also have a problem: finding the way onto the Deister. We walk around the entire exhibition grounds and eventually reach the so-called \u201cGateway to the Deister.\u201d This refers to the Erlengrund, designed by fountain gardener Carl Thon in 1903. The beautiful Bubikopfallee connects the Erlengrund with the spa and landscape park and the Deister. Great \u2014 looks like we\u2019re finally on the right track.<\/p>\n One round trip number three, please<\/strong><\/p>\n Once we reach C\u00e4cilienh\u00f6he, we first take some time to get our bearings. There are three circular hiking routes through the Deister starting from Bad Nenndorf. We choose number three, which is probably the most interesting and also the longest hike. The itinerary includes the Belvedere Tower, Bantorfer H\u00f6he, the Teufelsgrund forest inn, Deister-Alm and Moosh\u00fctte \u2014 sounds promising. We set off, and first we have to climb uphill to the tower. You can actually climb to the top, too. From up there, you get a lovely view of the surrounding countryside, so of course we take advantage of it. Back down below, we follow the signs for trail number 3. At one point we stray from the route, but a quick look at Google Maps helps us get back on track.<\/p>\n Suddenly, right in the middle of the forest and under a completely clear blue sky, it starts to drizzle. What on earth? Did a bird just poop on our heads, or is this actually rain? Turns out it really is raining, even though there isn\u2019t a cloud in sight. Crazy. Of course, we don\u2019t have an umbrella or any rain gear with us. But that\u2019s not a problem, because a restaurant suddenly appears right before our eyes: the Teufelsbr\u00fccke forest inn. Ah, damn. They\u2019re still on holiday. Hmm. There are covered benches in the beer garden, though. So we wait out the shower there and enjoy the food and drinks we brought with us.<\/p>\n A little fuel before the climb<\/strong><\/p>\n Taking that break was definitely a smart move. Afterwards, the trail heads uphill for quite a while before we finally reach the Kreuzbuche. Here, the routes split up. We choose the trail towards Moosh\u00fctte. We\u2019re hoping to find an open restaurant with an outdoor terrace there. And, much to our delight, we\u2019re not disappointed. When we arrive, we find a lovely and cozy forest inn, almost Bavarian in style. Excellent \u2014 this looks like our kind of place, so we settle in. It happens to be the day of the local school enrolment ceremonies, so the Moosh\u00fctte is pretty busy. Families with children, cake and all the accompanying relatives are streaming into the restaurant.<\/p>\n Once we\u2019ve quenched our thirst, we set off on the way back to Bad Nenndorf. This time, we walk around the exhibition grounds on the other side and make it back to the car without any problems. And yes \u2014 just to round things off, it starts drizzling from a completely cloudless sky once again.<\/p>\n Cycling along the Green Belt<\/strong><\/p>\n The next day, we take things a little easier and set off on our bikes directly from home. Via Wiedelah, we cycle to L\u00fcttgenrode and from there make our way to the former St\u00f6tterlingenburg Monastery. Not only is the site completely new to us, but we also discover that there is a checkpoint for the Harz Hiking Needle here. Well, look at that! We follow the cycling route along the Green Belt and arrive in Abbenrode. Here, we want to stop at Caf\u00e9 Gr\u00fcnspan. This lovingly decorated caf\u00e9 attracts visitors with homemade cakes and delicious drinks. Abbenrode also has a Mill Hiking Trail, and we decide to take a little look around. However, since the paths are really much more suitable for hiking than cycling, we eventually come to a halt at Otto Mill and decide to save the remaining mills and buildings for another visit.<\/p>\n
\nAfter arriving in Bad Nenndorf, we find a parking spot near the railway station. From there, we walk through the pedestrian zone towards the spa park. Along the way, we have an unexpected encounter with the \u201cEveryday People\u201d sculptures by Christel and Laura Lechner, which had also been on display in Braunschweig in 2023. But that\u2019s not all. At the end of the street, just before the spa park, there is an artwork made from 75 tons of special sculpting sand, created by the artist team \u201cSandcity.\u201d Well, this is off to a promising start. Then, however, we suddenly find ourselves standing in front of a barrier. We can\u2019t get into the park itself \u2014 that would cost \u20ac25. What a shame.<\/p>\n
\nVerdict: highly recommended!<\/p>\n