Landstreifer - "Gernebachtal"

Forest and sculptures, ships and sand, meadows and open land…
From Höcksken to Stöcksken on a route of almost 14 km in the Haard.

The 'Ahsen fish ponds' are one such landscape. There were once up to 70 ponds in which trout and carp were bred - by Mr. von Twickel. Then the source of the spring dried up and without water...

Today there are open and grassland structures there. Valuable lean meadows thrive here - "Il Paradiso" for insects! And to ensure that it stays that way, animal landscapers diligently do their job: Aubrac cattle graze the former Ahsen fish ponds from time to time and thus preserve the beautiful landscape. The Aubracs? This is an old breed of cattle, over 150 years old and very robust!
You can see everything that is left of the Gernebach - depending on the season - on your hike. The water of the stream was once used for a nearby mine. A wooden sculpture in the shape of a miner's lamp commemorates this.

And while we're on the subject of wood: on your hike you'll repeatedly come across the wooden art of Georg Maurus, known as "Crazy George". Very impressive!

The information boards that are set up along the route are very informative and contain all the important information. They simply tell you everything...

The Gernebachtal is a moor, idyllically surrounded by pine trees. Plants that are on the Red List also grow here: bog lilies and cranberries. But don't pick them! Gnarled old beech trees can also be seen along the route. They look really bizarre. The reason why the trees look like this lies in the past. As a boundary, they were repeatedly cut back to a certain height in order to form a natural wall, i.e. "cut back to the stump". At some point the wall was no longer necessary and so they continued to grow.

Experience tips:

• You can spot large barges and small ships on the Wesel-Datteln Canal. Anyone interested in barges will be very impressed. The Wesel-Datteln Canal is a real federal highway for ships!
• The Haus Vogelsang and the Lippe meadows are worth a visit. The outdoor area is a real feast for the eyes!

Please note that the route may not be fully signposted yet, so it is better to download a GPX track beforehand to make sure you can find the route easily.

You can find it here on the right in the "Downloads" section.

So you are guaranteed to get back to the start/finish point.