A remarkable and particularly worthy of protection plant world on the southern slope of the 180m high Silberberg.

However, the Silberberg is best known for its abundance of orchids, which can be attributed to the weathered limestone soil.

A total of 10 orchid species have been recorded in the 38.8-hectare nature reserve, which was established in 1937. Resounding names such as fly orchid, sword-leaved woodland bird's-foot trefoil, spotted orchid or bee orchid refer to only some of the orchids found here.

In order to preserve the orchids and heavy metal drifts, the areas must be kept free of woody vegetation, which can only be guaranteed through long-term maintenance. Over the past decades, a wide variety of stakeholders have made efforts to maintain and preserve the plant diversity. At present, care is carried out by grazing goats, which keep the growth of woody plants in check.

On the orchid meadow itself, but above all in its surroundings, there are many striking traces of former silver ore mining from the Middle Ages and the period from 1722 to 1726. You can find out more about this via the link on the small information desk on the horseshoe cycle route or directly at www.hufeisen-route.de/orchideenwiese/

Openings

When the orchids are in bloom at the beginning of June, the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Natur und Umwelt Hagen a.T.W. e.V. and NABU Osnabrück offer guided tours of the nature reserve, during which the diversity of plants and the history of mining are explained.

The exact date will be announced at the beginning of each year.

Eligibility