Lippeaue - Lippe Floodplain between Lippstadt and Vellinghausen

03:00 h
34.86 km
70 m
71 m
65 m
74 m
9 m
Start: car park at swimming pool "Cabrioli" in Lippstadt
Destination: Vellinghausen

Near-natural meadows and river sections, semi-wild cattle and horses, wading birds and waterfowl, as well as breeding White Storks – all these are to be seen in the floodplain of the River Lippe. Observation points allow you to experience the nature of the area.

The Lippe floodplain is located in the north of the District of Soest. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lippe River Management Association and the NRW Foundation undertake a great deal of conservation work in the Lippe floodplain. Since the mid-1990s, about 15 km of the Lippe have been restored.

The Lippe floodplain is rich in different habitats: The gently flowing River Lippe, meadows and pastures, dry sand heaths, tall forb communities, small woods, ponds, pools and streams. The Tall Oat-Grass meadows and the wet meadows offer habitats for rare species of plant: Pepper Saxifrage, Yellow Meadow Rue, Meadow Fleabane and Yellow Rattle all grow here. The sandy river terraces are the realm of specialist plants: Petty Whin, Small Cudweed and Heather cope here with the nutrient-poor conditions that make life impossible for other species.

Wading birds such as Snipe and Greenshank, duck species like Widgeon and Teal, as well as Cranes, are just some of the species that overwinter in the Lippe Floodplain or stop off during migration.

Best to visit

suitable

Depends on weather

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Directions

The "Auenland" cycle path is marked on the official cycle path signage with a Snipe symbol. Since the Lippe floodplain is very extensive, it can be best explored by bicycle. You cycle from Lippstadt via Hellinghausen, Benninghausen, Eickelborn, Hovestadt, Lippborg to Vellinghausen (distance: 35 km).

Along the route you will find observation huts, viewpoints and seats. A number of information boards inform you about various topics.

Alternatively, you can explore the Lippe by the shorter tours "Lippeaue Lippborg" and "Lippeaue Herzfeld".

Tour information

Stop at an Inn

Equipment

You are recommended to take binoculars for bird watching.

Directions & Parking facilities

You can reach the area via the B475 and B55 trunk roads.

Address for satnavs:

Pastorat: Kirchweg 1, 59556 Lippstadt

Herzfeld: Kreuzweg, 59510 Herzfeld

Lippborg: Illmerweg 3, 59510 Lippborg

GPS (UTM):

Pastorat: 32 U 450910, 5724372

Herzfeld: 32 U 440850, 5723546

Lippborg: 32 U 433481, 5724242

Google coordinates:

Pastorat: 51.668164, 8.290456

Herzfeld: 51.659857, 8.144715

Lippborg: 51.665260, 8.037987

At all the observation points there are only a few parking spaces. Larger car parks are located at the above-mentioned satnav addresses (see how-to-get-there directions)

By train (Hamm - Paderborn), Lippstadt railway station

Additional information

Along the Lippe Floodplain there are a number of places of cultural-historical interest: In Heintrop you can call in at the only remaining windmill in the region, Sändkers Mühle.

On the "Auenland" cycle path, you pass the museum railway station Museumsbahnhof Heintrop between Vellinghausen und Lippborg.

In Herzfeld you can visit the St. Ida Basilika and in Hovestadt enjoy the baroque garden of the stately home Schloss Hovestadt.

In the parish church of St. Clemens you can see the famous "stone bread".

Author

Petra Salm

Organization

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Biologischer Umweltschutz im Kreis Soest e.V

Website

Tours