Ostschleifchen - road bike tour near Zeven

Route Overview:
Zeven – 3 km – Oldendorf – 4 km – Badenstedt – 4 km – Ostereistedt – 6 km – Godenstedt – 3 km – Seedorf – 4 km – Twistenbostel – 3 km – Sassenholz – 4 km – Bohnste – 3 km – Steddorf – 5 km – Groß Ippensen – 4 km – Klein Meckelsen – 2 km – Kuhmühlen – 5 km – Rüspel – 7 km – Frankenbostel – 6 km – Zeven


Detailed route description:
Starting from Zeven, we first cycle in a southwesterly direction and, after a few kilometers, pass through Oldendorf—the first farming village on the loop—before continuing on to Badenstedt, which is known to many for its school camp, famous even beyond the county borders.

The route then takes us to Ostereistedt, where on Steinkampsweg Eckes Hus stands here. Built in 1564 and now a listed historic building, this half-timbered house is the oldest surviving farmhouse in the entire Rotenburg (Wümme) district. Here, you can truly get a sense of village life from centuries past. After another 6 km, we reach the former “Gold Village” of Godenstedt, which was honored in 1970 as the national winner of the “Our Village Should Become More Beautiful” competition and received a gold medal. The village is characterized by its many imposing oak trees, which frame the large farms in town, and the Oste, a near-natural tributary of the Elbe that winds its way through the village.

Following a bike path completed in 2024 and passing the sprawling Bundeswehr barracks, the Ostschleifchen route leads us to Seedorf. A few kilometers later, we cross the next river, the Twiste, in Twistenbostel. On well-maintained side roads and the relatively quiet K134, the route takes us through Sassenholz and Bohnste to Steddorf, which is recognizable from a distance by its wind turbines. Then things get “small and large” in two senses: First, we ride on and alongside the K134 through the villages of Klein and Groß Ippensen, and then through Klein and on toward Groß Meckelsen. Along the way, we cross the small Kuhbach stream twice and arrive at Kuhmühlen Recreation Area. The preserved estate buildings of the former watermill are located across from the mill pond in the middle of a beautiful mixed forest. It’s worth taking a break here in the beer garden or at the restaurant of the local hotel, the former miller’s house.

We cross the Oste River a second time, cycle along meadows and fields through the villages of Volkensen and Nindorf, and reach Rüspel to the south, which is known for the “Kliemannsland” is known throughout Germany. The 3.5-hectare adventure farm, with its café is a huge adventure playground for young and old alike. The farm was renovated and imaginatively redesigned by a group of “creative types.”

On smooth asphalt, the route takes us via Freyersen to Frankenbostel, where we continue alongside or on the K132 and head directly back to our starting point, Zeven. Here, at the end of the bike tour, cozy cafés and restaurants invite you to stop for a bite to eat and some refreshments.

The road bike tours in the district of Rotenburg (Wümme) are neither signposted nor marked on site. GPX tracks are available for orientation (e.g. here on the page as a download).

Information and GPX tracks for all road bike tours in the district of Rotenburg (Wümme) can be found at app.nordwaerts.de, nordwaerts.de, komoot.com and strava.com or in the handy fold-out brochure.

All the information about the road bike tours in the Rotenburg (Wümme) district is presented in a handy brochure. It can be ordered from the website of the Rotenburg (Wümme) District Tourism Association and is available at the tourist information center in Zeven.