Mühlensteig

Discovering hills and mills

The densely wooded Wiehengebirge hills are the western end of the Weserbergland hills range, after the spectacular Weser gorge at Porta Westfalica and before it gradually flattens out into the North German Plain. The long ridge, often only a few hundred metres wide, reaches its peak with the 320m high Heidbrink hill south of Lübbecke, which offers beautiful vistas into the southern Ravensberg basin and lies directly on the path of the Mühlensteig.

The Mühlensteig is renowned for its tranquil character, and there's plenty to see along the way, so it's worth taking your time. First and foremost, of course, are the windmills and watermills. If you have time, you can try your hand at being a miller by grinding some flour and using it to bake your very own bread or pastries, or simply enjoy waffles made freshly on site.

The Mühlensteig runs from Holzhausen, just outside Preussisch-Oldendorf to near Porta Westfalica. It initially follows the ridge of the Wiehengebirge hills, passing pretty medieval towns and impressive brick buildings. Then it continues uphill to the Wittekindburg (a hill refuge) and ends in spectacular style at the colossal monument to Kaiser Wilhelm I, where you can enjoy views of Porta Westfalica and the Weser river from the viewing platform.

At either end of the route, at Preussisch-Oldendorf and Porta Westfalica, there are other tempting opportunities for lovely walks. Two long-distance trails offer the chance to take a circular tour around Preussisch-Oldendorf. The Arminiusweg (Arminius Trail) runs to the north of the little town through the flat Lübbecke loess region, while to the south the Wittekindsweg (Wittekind Trail) leads across the main ridge of the Wiehengebirge hills. Both can be combined into a circular tour using link routes via the Wiehenturm observation tower and the ruins of Limburg castle.