Known locally as just Wiehen. The Wiehen Hills stand before you. This hill range stretches like a long finger. It runs from west to east. It starts near Minden at the Weser River. It ends near Osnabrück. The Wiehen Hills are the northernmost of the German Central Upland ranges. They extend into the Northern Lowlands.
The Wiehen Hills lie within the districts of Osnabrück, Minden-Lübbecke and Herford. The northern section runs east to west. It goes from Bramsche through Ostercappeln and Bad Essen. Then it goes via Preußisch Oldendorf, Rödinghausen, Lübbecke and Hüllhorst. Finally, it reaches Bad Oeynhausen, Minden and Porta Westfalica.
South of the Wiehen Hills, you will find Osnabrück, Bissendorf and Melle. Also Kirchlengern, Bünde, Löhne and Bad Oeynhausen. The Wiehen Hills form the northwestern boundary of the Lower Saxon Hills. The eastern end is defined by the Porta Westfalica gorge. Also the hill of Wittekindsberg. The western extremity descends gradually. It changes from a hilly ridge into hillocks. Then it descends imperceptibly into the plain.
To the north, the Wiehen descends to the North German Plain. This area is known as the Lübbecke Loessland. Opposite Porta Westfalica lies the Wesergebirge. This is the eastern continuation of the Wiehen Hills.
Hikers love the Wiehengebirge. Dinosaur footprints were found here in a stone pit. This happened around 100 years ago. Today, visitors can enjoy a dinosaur-themed adventure. It is right here in the stone pit.
The TERRA.vita Nature Park and Geopark is on the Wiehengebirge. Here, tourists can learn about the Earth’s 300-million-year history. It is one of the few nature parks in Germany. It has been recognised as a UNESCO Geopark.
Some say the Wiehen Hills are not high. But they are the northernmost hill range in Germany. They are also the closest to the sea. The highest part of the Wiehen Hills is near Lübbecke. This area has the most northerly hill over 300 meters in Germany. The Heidbrink is almost 320 meters high. It is the northernmost “three-hundred” on the European continent. This excludes the British Isles and Fennoscandinavia. It stretches between the central Ural Mountains and the Atlantic. So come and explore the unique beauty. The Wiehen Hills await you.