How can we help?

Stay

Moor & more

Stories from the nature parks 

Naturally Emsland! 

Nature parks in the holiday region celebrate anniversary 

The vastness of the Bourtanger Moor nature park and the wooded geest of the Hümmling nature park, idyllic heath and streams, the magnificent floodplains of the Ems and Hase rivers – a holiday or excursion in the Emsland region can hardly be closer to nature. 

How to experience the natural diversity and pristine beauty of the landscapes – everyone will find their favorite places here, and above all, the right accommodations. ways. 

20 years of the nature park 
Bourtanger Moor 

Moorland is our nature 

Since its founding in June 2006, the Bourtanger Moor – Veenland Nature Park has stood for a cross-border moorland landscape in the regional triangle of Emsland, the County of Bentheim and the Dutch province of Drenthe. 

Covering approximately 220 square kilometers, it encompasses one of the most significant moorland areas in Central Europe – the Bourtanger Moor. This area was once among the largest contiguous raised bogs in Europe. Today, it presents a landscape in transition: renaturalized raised bog areas, open cultivated landscapes, and forests illustrate the changing interaction between humans and nature. 

The aim of the nature park is to protect this valuable natural heritage and at the same time make it accessible – through information stations and a well-developed network of cycling and hiking trails that convey “moor & more”. 

Go to the birthday page Bourtanger Moor

10 Years of Hümmling Nature Park 

Allow me, Hümmling! 

Gentle hills, vast forests, precious cultural heritage - all this is contained in the Hümmling Nature Park, which has existed for ten years this year, in an area of ​​around 580 square kilometers in the northeast of the Emsland district. 

Characteristic of the Emsland nature park in the North German Plain are also the many small watercourses and the evidence of the megalithic culture from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages. 

The nature park aims to preserve both nature and culture and make them accessible to visitors. Cycling and hiking trails with accompanying information stations lead through the diverse landscape, past idyllic mills, numerous megalithic tombs, and the baroque hunting lodge of Clemenswerth Palace. 

Go to the Hümmling birthday page

Emsland Blog “Moor & more”  

Stories from the nature parks

From the enormous drilling rig to the drop in the rock
written by Judith Uthmann-Tattermusch
Knowledge
Helpless in the fog…
written by Horst Heinrich Bechtluft
Country & people
Hiking, knowledge and enjoyment
written by Judith Uthmann-Tattermusch
Knowledge
© Lambert Hackmann
Art, community and lots and lots of Hümmling
written by Judith Uthmann-Tattermusch
Knowledge
A glimpse of spring with foresight
Knowledge
How the crane discovered the Emsland region for itself
written by Matthias Engelken
Knowledge
Drawing: G. Wedepohl / Photo: HH Bechtluft | CC BY SA
It's eerie in the moor…
written by Horst Heinrich Bechtluft
Country & people
Emsland Museum Clemenswerth Castle | CC BY SA
"Winter must end soon."
written by Lambert Brand
Country & people

Your story is needed! 

In cooperation with the Emsland-Kurier, we would like to celebrate the anniversaries.20 years of the Bourtanger Moor Nature Park" and "10 Years of Hümmling Nature Park"Celebrate with your stories."

What connects you to these two nature parks? We want to bring your memories to life! 
Do you still have old photos of peat cutting or family outings to the heath? Is there an anecdote your grandparents told you about the hard life in the moor? Or do you have a very personal favorite spot in the Hümmling region where you can relax and unwind? 

Whether it's a historical snapshot, a curious story, or a current insider tip for your next bike tour: Share your "Moor & More Moments" with us! The Emsland Courier looks forward to your submission at meppen@el-kurier.de. All contributions will be published there in the anniversary year of 2026. 

Tour tips for 
Cycling by numbers 

Day trips “Moor & more” for the nature park anniversaries

Nature, too, has its own story. The fascinating chapters about the growth of peatlands, the formation of oil and natural gas, as well as the ice ages and the beginning of our current warm period can be experienced in the Emsland region. 

To ensure a future for nature, the Emsland region has two nature parks. They offer opportunities to encounter the flora and fauna along rivers, in moors, on heathland, and in forests. 
Themed cycling tours guide cyclists through the top cycling region and lead active people to the landscapes and sights under the motto “Moor & more” on the occasion of the nature park anniversaries. 

Nine day tours in the Emsland sub-regions – Northern Emstal, Hümmling, Hasetal, Bourtanger Moor and Southern Emsland – were selected from the more than 50 themed routes on the 2.660 kilometer cycling network in Emsland. 

Order Emsland information

The new tour booklet “Moor & more” will be published at the beginning of April 2026! 

You can find free information and maps for your holiday planning in our overview from the “brochure service”. 

Simply download or order. 

To order the brochure

Out into the countryside – into Emsland!

Exercise and relaxation in beautiful nature

Outdoor activities as a way to unwind from everyday life are more popular than ever. Whether cycling or hiking on designated trails, horseback riding or water sports in the unique natural surroundings – the Emsland region boasts a diverse landscape and offers numerous opportunities to be active, relax and enjoy oneself.

For example, in the nature parks: The Bourtanger Moor-Veenland International Nature Park is once the largest contiguous moorland area in Central Europe, an extraordinary adventure space for nature lovers and those seeking relaxation.

Rolling hills and deep forests, expansive moors and heaths, charming villages, and a unique castle – this is the natural heritage preserved by the Hümmling Nature Park. Its numerous megalithic tombs in the heart of the Hümmling, along the Route of Megalithic Culture, make it "rich in stones."

Those who want to explore the landscape from a different perspective can take to the water or horseback. A total of 440 km of water are easily navigable for canoeists, and exploring on horseback is a unique experience, and not just for horse lovers.
And if you want to end the day in the middle of nature, you can take a break at a campsite – almost all of these in Emsland are located on the banks of the Ems and Hase rivers.

Nature experiences 

Water landscapes 

Rivers, canals, lakes, shipping

Bourtanger Moor-Veenland Nature Park 

Cross-border moorland with smuggling stories

Hümmling Nature Park 

Gentle hills, deep forests and numerous megalithic tombs

Emsland National Geopark 

Water - Moors - Megaliths