The best walks and hikes around Kreis Borken

Fliegerberg is an 84.7-meter-high sand elevation in the wooded ridge "Die Berge" between Borken and Velen in the Westmünsterland region. It belongs to the Hohe Mark Nature Park and is known today as a protected and valuable habitat. Origin of the name: The hill owes its name to its former use as a glider airfield. From 1930 onwards, the "Borkener Segelflug Gruppe" used the elevation as a launch ramp, while the sandy, nutrient-poor grassland served as a runway. From 1975 to 2007, the area was owned by the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). This military closure preserved the heath landscape from agricultural destruction. Nature and species conservation: Today, the area is an official nature reserve. • Heath landscape: An approximately 25-hectare area of sandy, nutrient-poor grassland and Calluna heath characterizes the area. • Wildlife: Fliegerberg is home to rare and protected species such as the sand lizard and the woodlark. • Landscape management: To protect the open land from scrub encroachment, Scottish Highland cattle graze here today as natural landscape managers. Hiking and experiencing: Fliegerberg is a popular destination for hikers and is ideal for exploring on foot. • The LandStreifer: The certified circular hiking trail "Die Berge" leads directly around the natural heritage area. Details on route profiles and GPS data are provided by tour portals such as Komoot. • Historical treasures: Those who hike attentively through the light mixed forests can discover inconspicuous, historical burial mounds from the Stone and Bronze Ages nearby.

The Hövelberg (Höglantheifeld) is a wooded mountain peak and a popular hiking highlight in the "Die Berge" region in the western Münsterland (North Rhine-Westphalia) in the area of Borken, Velen, and Ramsdorf. Details for hikers and explorers: • Starting point: Directly at the mountain, there is an idyllically located forest parking lot from which several hiking trails (such as the LandStreifer-Runde or the Highlandrinder-Runde) start. • Summit marker: The highest point is indicated in the forest by a striking stone combination or a corresponding summit marker.

Mmmmmmm

To the east of the (Bohlen) circular path, near the border, the wooden path turns into a soft peat path. You can walk comfortably and gently on the peat ground (if it hasn't rained for weeks). In this area of the circular path, rainwater still drains relatively well, as there are no clay layers/bedrock hindering water seepage. Partially, wooden railway sleepers lie underneath. I assume they are for securing, so you don't sink completely into the soft ground. The iron screws and nails of the railway sleepers are still clearly visible.

The raised bog between Woold (NL) and Burlo-Vardingholt (DE) was formed over the last 5000 years. During this time, undigested plant remains accumulated to form a peat layer several meters thick. The peat was removed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Little remained of the original raised bog. Today, "Natuurmonumenten" (NL) and the district of Borken (DE) are jointly working on the renaturation of the European Natura 2000 area. The first results are already visible. Frogs, toads, and salamanders live in the newly created ponds. Sphagnum moss is growing again, and sundew colors the ground reddish in places. There was a lot of smuggling in the border area between Germany and the Netherlands. Especially here in the lonely moor, the smuggler believed he would not be caught so easily by the "Kommies" (Low German for customs officer). Therefore, the customs officers patrolled. And such a historical "Kommiesenpatt" (control path) ran right through the moor here and sharply along the border. On this border path, you can see 3 historical boundary stones out of a total of 186.

This circular route, just under 2 km long, leads over wooden planks through the beautiful Wooldse Veen. The wooden planks are covered with a thin wire mesh so that you don't slip. The paths are very narrow (caution is advised if you suffer from vertigo!) and to allow for passing when meeting others, there are passing places at regular intervals.

In 07.2026 I ran the LandStreifer from the Hohen Mark Steig. This hut is one of the many small and large highlights on this great circular trail.

I ran the LandStreifer from the Hohen Mark Steig here in 07.2026. This pond is one of the many small and large highlights on this great circular route.