Liebes-Tour

Romantic spots and old beech trees on which lovers carved their names: On the signposted "Love Tour" circular cycle route, you cycle through a scenic route to romantic places about which many a love story can be told.

The tour begins and ends in the picturesque farming district of Achim at the Clüverhaus, a typical Lower Saxon two-stand timber-framed farmhouse dating back to 1824, which now houses a cozy café. Through the Achim marsh with its distinctive hedgerow landscape, past the landmark of the town of Achim, a thatched gallery Dutch windmill, the tour runs along the Ueser boat harbor and also past the Badener Bergen, a geest ridge where the terracing of the Badener Weser slope provides a wonderful view over the Weser and the marsh. Haus Hünenburg, a stately Art Nouveau villa from the beginning of the 20th century, is located directly on the steep slope of the Weser.

The house is situated in the middle of a historic rampart from the 11th century. Legend has it that the notorious pirate Claus Störtebeker used Hünenburg Castle as cover for his ships around 1400. Etelsen Castle, a magnificent building from the neo-renaissance period, is located in a 10-hectare castle park, which is a listed building and where visitors can enjoy nature.

The landscape is mainly characterized by meadows and fields, broken up by typical hedges and small deciduous forests. Other sights await cyclists in Thedinghausen: in the town center, the town hall square with its ensemble of buildings consisting of the town hall, packing house, barn and octagonal pigeon tower is well worth a visit. The magnificent Erbhof, an old manor house with artistically designed windows, door arches, tower gables and ornamental columns, was built for the mistress of the Archbishop of Bremen in 1619/1620. And with a bit of luck, you may also find the double beech tree along the way, in which lovers carved their hearts.

Way description:
Start at the Clüverhaus in Achim. The historic farmhouse with its blue half-timbering is home to a lovely, inclusive café. Towards the Weser, past St. Laurentius Church, the trail leads you through the farming district to the Achim windmill and on to Brückenstraße. On this side of the Weser, parallel to the Schwedenschanze, you cycle towards Baden. From the restaurant terrace on Badener Berg, you have a good panoramic view of the marshes and the confluence of the lock canal and the Weser.

Traces of love in Achim:
St. Laurentius Church in Achim: together forever. The retinue of the Danish Queen Caroline Mathilde (1751-1772), who was banished to Celle after a love affair with the royal physician Struvensee, also included the Lord Chamberlain Detlef Reventlow. The sarcophagi of the Reventlow couple - Mrs. Reventlow came from the Clüverswerder estate - were initially laid out in the crypt under the Clüver Chapel. Today they are in the Mandelsloh Chapel in St. Laurentius Church, the oldest building in the town, first mentioned in a document in 1257.

The marriage swindler of Embsen:
A tailor from Rotenburg (Fulda) settled in Embsen in 1882. He won the heart of a lady of some means and on April 5 the offer of marriage was published. Fortunately for the Embsen bride, this was just in time, as it was discovered that the tailor was already married in Oldenburg and the father of three children. As punishment for his swindling and fraud, he was sentenced to 3 months in Achim prison.

Perfect for today's weddings:
Achim offers various options beyond the churches with its villa, mill and ship to say "I do" in a romantic atmosphere. Haus Hünenburg with its circular ramparts is a beautifully restored art nouveau villa with a view of the Weser and can be rented privately. The thatched Achim windmill, situated on a ridge, offers a rustic setting where couples can tie the knot from May to September. Marriages on board are possible on the passenger ship "MA Stadt Verden" of the Flotte Weser.

Love things worth seeing in Etelsen:
The most impressive building in Etelsen is undoubtedly the castle, which was built from 1885 - 1887 by the von Heimbruch brothers in place of an older manor house with the adjoining estate. Festive concerts in the castle, exhibitions, summer concerts and garden festivals in the castle park - the castle is the lively center of the town. In Etelsen, you can shorten the route by half to 25 km and take the "Gentsiet" passenger and cycle ferry from Hagen-Grinden to Ahsen-Oetzen. Cycle along the lock canal via Cluvenhagen, past Daverden (a detour to the ensemble of St. Sigismund's Church and the sexton's house is worthwhile) and Langwedel (Häuslingshaus) to Eissel. From there, the route leads across fields and the Sachsenhain to Verden. Cross the south bridge and enjoy the view of the old town. The cathedral (built between 1290 and 1490) dominates the fishermen's quarter, with the oxbow lake of the Aller and the Aller flowing in front of it. The horses characteristic of the equestrian town graze on the Allmende between the rivers; on the cathedral side, you can see the Amelungen scout house and the Süderstadt shepherd's house (now a training stand for beekeepers).

Traces of love in Verden:
The Swedish Queen Christina of Sweden (1629 - 1689), in whose territory Verden (Aller) lay, is said to have said: "Life is too short to love as one should love". How true this was of the separate parts of Verden, the proud northern town of merchants and the southern town with its aristocratic and clerical character, which were only united in 1667 after the devastating consequences of the Thirty Years' War. By decree, the citizens, some of whom were enemies, were to share "table and bed" from then on, and the imperial abbess Charlotte Sophie von Kurland, who lived in exile in Verden from 1703 until her death in 1728, is said to have been in a relationship with what was then called a "Moor. Possibly also because the lesbian relationship in which she was living could not hope for social acceptance at the time. For centuries, forbidden desires were satisfied in the bathhouse in Fischerstraße, as it was not only used for bathing and haircuts.

Goldmann grave in Verden (Aller):
In memory of his son Franz Jr. who died prematurely in a hunting accident on May 11, 1818, his father, the bailiff Franz Goldmann, established the Goldmann Foundation with 1000 thalers. The "blameless, virtuous bride who marries on the day of his son's death" and decorates his grave with flowers and prayers receives 30 thalers (approx. 45 euros). This beautiful tradition lives on to this day. Along the L203, the route takes you across the Weser. In Oiste, you will find the classicist church built in 1832 and the two-storey vicarage, two surprisingly imposing buildings for the small village. The route takes you across the "Mühlenwiese" to Blender See and the "Mühlenberg" to the church in Blender. Past the Blender mill, which can also be hired for weddings, you cycle to Amedorf and Intschede with the pretty redwashed St. Michaelis church in the village center. Through the Weser lowlands via Nottorf and Morsum, the route continues via Holtorf through the tree park to Schloss Erbhof in Thedinghausen.

Traces of love in Thedinghausen:
The Packhaus (today's town hall):
The large manor house with the striking eight-sided dovecote tower belonged to the doctor Dr. Th. L. W. Grimm. He had a crescent placed in the bell tower in honor of his Turkish-born grandmother. Abbas Cachiane Rhebisch came from the northern Turkish town of Oszakow to Petersburg as a prize of war, then via Blankenburg to Zorge in the Harz Mountains. After giving birth to nine children, she died at the age of 44.

Schloss Erbhof:
The representative archiepiscopal residence was planned as a small pleasure palace and stands for a beautiful, forbidden and also sad love story between Archbishop Johann Friedrich and Gertrud von Heimbruch from the Varste estate. The two met in May 1612 when the archbishop stayed at the hereditary estate of the knight Heinrich Korlehake Hermeling and his 22-year-old wife, who was Gertrud von Heimbruch. The archbishop began building the pleasure palace in 1619, but when Gertrud died in the middle of the construction work in 1620, the building was converted into an official residence. The medallions carved in sandstone with portraits of the lovers are a reminder of the original building site. The magnificent building in the style of the late Weser Renaissance with its artistically designed windows, door arches and tower gables is a very special place for a wedding ceremony and is ideal for unique wedding photos against a historical backdrop. The originally restored Renaissance hall with its hand-carved window frames and painted ceiling beams is a worthy setting for the most beautiful day of your life. The love tour takes you from Thedinghausen to Werder inland via the "Wischkämpegraben". You then cycle along the L156 to the Weser bridge in Achim. Pass the Achim boathouse and continue through the farming district to the starting point at the Clüverhaus in Achim.

You can also find the love tour at Komoot.

Safety information:

• Throughout the entire tour, please note that the cycle paths are used at your own risk
• No guarantee is given for the usability of the cycle paths
• In cities, increased attention is generally required
• Please use existing cycle paths
• Dangerous spots must be expected on the tour, such as bollards, circulation barriers
• .bollards, barriers and unsecured crossings of main roads - this advice applies in particular to cycling families with small children.