NORDPFAD Hölzerbruch - Malse

This flat, wide-open hike begins at the hotel-restaurant located on the B 71: Kluster Hof in Basdahl-Kluste. A 550-meter-long access path leads us to the Hundesegen, where our loop hike begins.

We follow the well-maintained trail and hike along the edge of the Hölzerbruch forest. After 1.5 km, the Hohes Moor Rest Area invites us to take a break. From there, we walk through tree-lined avenues and open countryside until we reach the Sünderwalder Weg. Here we reach the outskirts of the village of Hipstedt, where our next destination, the Hipstedt Rest Area, is located. If you’d like, you can take a short 400-meter detour into the village and visit the game reserve with its small petting zoo at the rustic, cozy farm café “Sauhütte.” On weekends and by appointment, you can stop here for a leisurely break.

The main trail leads us on to the Malse Forest with its light-filled mix of deciduous and coniferous trees. We follow the road to a solitary house. We keep to the right and immediately turn left onto the unassuming path that takes us past the house and into the forest via a meadow trail. The eastern part of Malse is part of the nature reserve and Fauna-Flora Habitat Area of the same name. It is a paradise for rare bird species, including the black woodpecker and a wide variety of birds of prey. We hike through the forest along natural woodland trails and wide forest paths until we reach a small settlement, where we find ourselves in the neighboring district of Cuxhaven. From there, the North Trail runs 1.2 km south along a former wooden plank path, also known as a “Knüppeldamm.” Here, you can see that some of the planks were used as “old reinforcement material” for the path. Gradually, the landscape changes and the forest gives way to grassland.

At the next intersection, we turn left onto Basdahler Weg and reach the former sculpture and landscape garden “Blaue Leiter”. Surrounded by forests, swamps, and moors, nature clearly takes precedence here. Plants are free to spread naturally and serve as a food source for animals that have found a home in the variously designed habitats. The “Blaue Leiter” was conceived, designed, and operated for many years by the veterinarian and journalist Dr. Hans-Joachim Andres, who passed away in May 2022. Through the creative symbiosis of a natural garden, blue art objects, and an art gallery inside the house, a meeting place was created where Dr. Andres held many nature lectures, seminars, and excursions. His aim was to sharpen people’s awareness of the uniqueness and beauty of plants and animals. He described the Blauer Leiter as follows: "It is meant to be an invitation to everyone to climb up and look beyond the confines of everyday life in search of new horizons." The former art and sculpture garden can be viewed from the trail. The rest area 100 meters away offers a nice spot to take a break.

After a rest, we continue along a nature trail through meadows, where we come across the “little” Lune . Like the Geeste, this small stream has its source near the hiking trail. Both eventually flow into the Weser near Bremerhaven after about 40 kilometers. We cross the stream and hike through the vast and quiet meadow landscape. In the distance, the Sieversberg stretches out unobtrusively. The approximately 500-meter-long detour to the prehistoric Sieversberg burial mound is well worth a visit in winter, as it’s easy to find the burial mound from where you have a great view of the vast Geest landscape. The following nature trail leads through forests and open grasslands to Dircks Bruch. After 700 meters, you’ll come to another rest area, where there’s also a “tree phone.” Maybe you’ll figure out how it works.

On the final leg, we hike through the forest once more. Those who enjoy the tranquility of the Hölzerbruch may even spot some wildlife. A short while later, we reach the picturesque Klustebach and cross this meandering stream via a small wooden footbridge. Here you’ll find a hiking rest area built in 2024. Following natural, well-maintained trails, we finally reach the Hundesegen and from there return to Kluster Hof, which invites you to take a well-deserved break.

Connections to other NORDPFAD routes:
A trail (4.5 km) leads from the Hipstedt rest area to starting point 2 of the NORDPFAD Hinzel.

Trail Closure Reports
Before your hike, you should check www.nordpfade.de to check for possible detours and trail disruptions that may occur due to, for example, flooding, storm damage, or forestry work.

Marker
The marker shows a white "N" on an orange background with the name of the NORDPFAD Hölzerbruch-Malse.

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 Tour Guide
  This small brochure contains everything you need to know about the hiking region.


• NORDPFADE Overview Map
  This handy fold-out brochure is a compact planning guide for the environmentally conscious.
  
  
• NORDPFADE Hiking Pass
  The stamp-free version for collectors.

There is also a paperback published by Editon Temmenverlag has published. An entertaining "hiking guide" by Lucia Gefken, who escapes her everyday life and takes up hiking.

• My NORDPFADE 
  Or: "It doesn't always have to be the Way of St. James!"