NORDPFAD Börde Sittensen

The NORDPFAD begins at watermill in Sittensen at the idyllic Mühlenteich pond, which is fed by the Oste River. A short while later, behind the mill pond, we come across the Sittensen Heritage Center grounds with its garden and fish ponds. We follow the course of the Oste River along a narrow path, pass the Ostebogen rest area, and leave the river path. Passing through fields and meadows, and partly along the former church path, we reach Burgsittensen and, a short time later, the grounds of the Burgsittensen Monastery Estate. Here we follow in the footsteps of the noble “Schulte von der Lüh” family. A short walking trail takes us along the Burgsittenser Stream to the family’s ancestral burial ground and finally to the estate with its hunting lodge and moat.

From Burgsittensen, we hike along the forest to the 1,000-hectare Tister Bauernmoor Nature and Bird Sanctuary. From the parking lot, the trail first passes the train station and the café of the small moor railway. After that, a 1.3 km-long, beautifully landscaped path leads right through the marsh. We can also take the small trail that branches off to the left at some point and leads even further into the marsh, offering some lovely spots to linger, away from the main route. At the end, we rejoin the main path, which we follow until we reach the accessible viewing platform and, later, the 6.5 m high observation tower. From both vantage points, visitors have an impressive view of the vast, rewetted areas of the moor and the birdlife that inhabits them. In spring and fall, large flocks of geese, cranes, and other “travelers” can be observed. During their migration, these birds find a protected resting and roosting place in the Tister Bauernmoor.

Visitors can also explore the raised bog via theBurgsittensen Moor Railway, which chugs leisurely to the two lookout points. It runs every Sunday afternoon—except in winter. For groups, rides are also available outside of regular operating hours by advance reservation. Along the way, the engineer stops frequently to share interesting facts about the moor. The return trip can be made either by the little moor train or simply on foot. 
 
Once back at the parking lot, we leave the moor via the same route and, at the intersection behind the parking lot , turn left into the Burgsittenser Forest. We hike through the cool and varied forest area along forest and meadow trails. At the edge of the forest, a magnificent view of the countryside awaits us. Through fields and along the Hochzeitsbaumweg, with its numerous apple trees, we finally make our way toward Sittensen. We pass through a residential area to reach the Burgsittenser Wald, built of red brick St. Dionysius Church. Now it’s just a few steps back to Sittensen Watermill. If it’s open, a visit to the Crafts Museum, which is located right inside the building. A short detour also takes you to the town center with its restaurants, shops, and lodging options. 

Connections to Other NORDPFADEN Trails
An approximately 4.5 km access trail leads from starting point 1 at the Sittensen watermill to the hiking destination Hohe Buchen of the www.nordpfade.de to find out about possible detours and trail disruptions that may occur due to flooding, storm damage, or forestry work, for example.

Marker
The marker shows a white "N" on an orange background with the name of the NORDPFAD Börde Sittensen.

Signposting
Destination signposts supplement the markings and are placed at prominent points. The signposts list places that are on the route or branch off from it, together with the distance in kilometers. The logo of the respective NORDPFADES is located underneath.

Komoot
We have compiled all 24 circular hiking trails in a separate NORDPFADE collection in the well-known outdoor app. The tours can also be found in the portal under the "Northern Heath" region.

Not yet on Komoot?
There is a free voucher code for new customers. The code is ROW and can be redeemed via "Redeem voucher" at komoot.de/g or via the link https://komoot.com/de-de/g?code=ROW.

The following brochures are available free of charge at local tourist information offices and at Brochure Order . They are also available for download there. 

• NORDPFADE Hiking Guide
  This small brochure contains everything you need to know about the hiking region.


• NORDPFADE Overview Map
  This handy fold-out leaflet serves as a compact planning guide for the environmentally conscious.