Hanse-Wendland-Radweg

Travel back in time to the Middle Ages by bike

Hanse-Wendland cycle path

A new long-distance cycle route connects Altmark, Wendland and Lüneburg Heath

(djd). Meet more storks and wild geese than other holidaymakers: this is possible on the secluded paths through dense forests and green meadows as well as in the shady avenues and picturesque villages along the new "Hanse-Wendland-Radweg". It leads through Altmark, Wendland and Lüneburg Heath in a large circuit over 163 kilometers through largely flat stretches of land and connects Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt across the former German-German border. The cornerstones are the cities of Uelzen, Salzwedel and Lüchow, which were important marketplaces during the heyday of the Hanseatic League. Because where today a wide, low-traffic landscape stretches in the triangle between Hamburg, Hanover and Berlin, there were important trade routes in the Middle Ages. Uelzen and Salzwedel as members of the Hanseatic League and Lüchow in Wendland specialized in flax cultivation, linen weaving and the cloth trade. Some witnesses of the rich history can be discovered along the way.

Round trip with stages

The new long-distance cycle path is a circular tour that can be divided into three or more stages. The Hanse-Wendland-Radweg can also be reached by public transport via the train stations in Salzwedel, Schnega, Wieren, Stederdorf, Uelzen and Bad Bodenteich. Outside the larger towns there are not accommodations, restaurants or supermarkets in every village. That is why many overnight accommodations offer packed lunches. For the 2021 season, the newly opened Hanse-Wendland-Radweg will be signposted in the districts of Uelzen and Lüchow-Dannenberg. The section in the Altmarkkreis will follow later. With the free bike map and GPS data, available at www.hansewendlandradweg.de, the route is already easy to find.

Ritter und Radler: Burg Bodenteich in der Lüneburger Heide lädt zu Zeitreisen ein. Foto: djd/HeideRegion/Jürgen Clauss

Field stone churches and castle ruins

In the villages, the rustic churches and chapels along the "Hanse-Wendland-cycle path" are a reminder of the Hanseatic era. Made of field stones and boulders that have shaped the landscape since the Ice Age, they are now among the oldest surviving structures in Germany. The Wendland impresses with its unique Rundling villages, whose history and special features are told in an exciting way in the Rundlings museum Lübeln. In the Altmark, Tylsen Castle is a special attraction: Once a splendid Renaissance building, its bizarre ruins now seem magical and mystical. The former moated castle in Bad Bodenteich, on the other hand, offers a different kind of time travel: the hustle and bustle of medieval traders, jugglers and knights comes to life again in the castle museum and Robin Hood Castell, on the educational path on medical history and the "400 water barefoot path".