Fox Oak Circular Route

From Brandshof, the Unemployment Path built in 1932/33 initially leads directly uphill towards the ridge. Further along, you maintain this direction and then swing onto the hunting line, where the path becomes steeper. The hurricane "Kyrill" left a wide swath of devastation here, which today offers the hiker a wide view of the North German Plain. The forest, which was replanted afterward by the district forestry office, mainly consists of deciduous trees, so a diverse and ecologically stable mixed forest will develop here. Where the forest stand has remained dense,
the entrance to the disused "Rauhe Grundstollen 1930" can be found on the right side of the hunting line at about 300 m above sea level. Upon reaching the upper junction, the ascent has been overcome. Following the path to the left, you reach the eponymous "Fox Oak." This is a North American red oak named after a former mining assessor named Fox. Continuing straight ahead, the path runs directly along the northern edge of the Obernkirchen sandstone quarry site.

The high quality of the sandstone here was recognized more than 1,000 years ago, and thus this "gold of the Bückeberg" was already used in the construction of Minden Cathedral. The handsome gables of the Weser Renaissance - without this special stone, they would not exist. But far beyond the region, this material has been and is still used in significant buildings worldwide. Not least, it is urgently needed for the preservation of valuable monuments,
such as Cologne Cathedral.

This sandstone was formed from deposits in a shallow lagoon landscape that existed here about 140 million years ago in the age of the dinosaurs. Traces of these prehistoric animals have been preserved to this day, and directly at the junction where the path descends to the left towards Stadthagen, there is a viewpoint with special information on this topic.

Going downhill, after just a few hundred meters, you reach another attraction on this circular route, Bremsschacht 7 (for description see description Bremsschacht-7 - RW). The path continues downhill past the shelter of the local tourist association, which was built on an old mining waste heap on the old city path, until you reach the junction at Fürstenweg. Turn left here and eventually reach the Mühlenbachteich pond. Besides important ecological functions, it also serves flood protection due to its retention capacity. Directly behind the pond, turn right and soon reach the starting point, the Brandshof shelter.

At all important forest entrances, large-format overview boards offer further orientation possibilities on site. Additionally, special signposts have been erected at the prominent trail junctions, also on a voluntary basis by the tourist association, so the route can be followed confidently.