Castle route (short loop)

Castle DINKLAGE is one of the oldest moated castles in the region and the birthplace of the beatified Cardinal Clemens-August Graf von Galen, who went down in history as the determined opponent of the National Socialists and was known as the “Lion of Münster.” The Cardinal von Galen Foundation dedicates an exhibition to him in the castle mill. The castle forest with the 19th-century castle chapel, game enclosure, and playground offer adventures for the whole family.

Via MÄRSCHENDORF, we ride to Gut Daren. Baron Münchhausen is said to have performed his famous equestrian stunt on the grand staircase. Not far away is the medieval castle complex “Castrum Vechtense.” The tower, built in historical timber framing, is located on a three-island site in the citadel park. The museum VECHTA offers history you can touch. We continue to Gut Füchtel. The former moated castle from the 14th century now houses a renowned training and breeding operation for Oldenburg horses. The adjacent Gut Welpe is home to the Vechta Golf Club and is appreciated for its tree-lined course. The former manor house by the mill pond hosts a restaurant with a beer garden and playground.

Along fields and meadows, we reach LOHNE. The Lohne Industrial Museum is the industrial memory of the region but also makes the path to modern plastics manufacturing tangible. In the south of the town, we rest at the café of the Gut Brettberg Golf Club. The nearby Hopener Forest is exciting for young and old: The 16th-century moated castle, the Hopener forest trail with climbing, balancing, and discovery stations, and the spacious Rehwiese forest playground invite you to linger.

We cycle along the centuries-old path system “From Castle to Castle” to the next significant natural area, the Dinklage castle forest, and from there to the half-timbered settlement Bussjans Hof. The nearby Schweger Mill with the grain trail is also worth a visit.