NORDPFAD Osterberg

The NORDPFAD begins at Osterberg, a 58-meter-high hill east of Fintel. From here, we follow the trail northward and turn right onto the dirt road at the next intersection. At this point, a trail branches off to the left toward Fintel, as well as an access path to the NORDPFAD Haxloher Erde.

We hike along natural, partly sandy paths through the vast fields and meadows of the Fintautal valley until we reach the road Redderberg . We turn right and, after about 1 km, come to a farm, crossing its grounds. At the end, we follow the signs to the left until we reach the next T-intersection. Here, a 250-meter-long path branches off toward Osterheide Sheepfoldwhich is typical of the region.

As we continue along the main trail, the forest becomes increasingly dense until we find ourselves in the heart of the shady woodland of the Osterheide . At the next forest intersection, we can take an 800-meter detour to Eggersmühlen, where a watermill stands by a picturesquely situated mill pond. The pond is fed by the small heathland river Fintau, which flows through the heart of the Upper Fintau Valley Nature Reserve. The mill ceased operations in 1950 and can only be viewed from the outside. However, it offers a great photo opportunity in every season.

Back in the Osterheide , we continue through this forest until the next fork in the trail, turn right, and gradually hike out of the woods. Now the green pastures and farmland stretch out before us, offering particularly charming views into the distance. We walk along a straight path, accompanied by the birch-lined avenue on our left, through the quiet valley of the Ruschwede.

After about 1.5 km, we reach the somewhat hidden Himbergsee. A short detour takes us to the Himbergsee Rest Area, a lovely spot to cool off tired feet. The final leg takes us along grassy paths through a small grove before we tackle the ascent of the Osterberg, already visible in the distance. Once at the top, we enjoy the beautiful view of Fintel and the surrounding grasslands.

Variations
Short loop (5.7 km): This family tour leads from Osterberg via Redderberg to Osterheide Sheepfold. From there, the route continues to Himbergsee and back to Osterberg.

Start from the Heimathaus or Eurostrand: You can also start this NORDPFAD at the Fintel Heritage House(Starting point 2) or 3.2 km away at Eurostrand Leisure Resort Lüneburg Heath (Starting Point 3). Marked trails lead from there to the NORDPFAD Osterberg.

Connections to other NORDPFAD trails
An access trail approximately 2.8 km long leads to Melkhus Fintel, starting point 1 of the NORDPFADES Haxloher Erde.

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

Marking sign
The marker shows a white "N" on an orange background with the name of the NORDPFAD Osterberg.

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" atkomoot.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 leaflet 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 Camino de Santiago!"