The Hohe Mark Nature Park located in North Rhine-Westphalia north of the "Ruhrpott". The nature park is a popular local recreation region for the Ruhr area. With 1,978 km² it is one of the largest Nature parks in NRW.
Regions
The Hohe Mark Nature Park is the transition landscape from Lower Rhine and Ruhr area to the western Münsterland. After its most recent expansion in August 2019, it extends from Gescher in the north to Bottrop in the south and from Isselburg in the west to Lüdinghausen in the east. The landscape is very diverse and varied. From floodplains to moors and meadows, sand dunes and mountain heaps to wooded hills, everything is represented. 3/4 of the park are designated as landscape protection areas, around 1/7 as biotopes worthy of protection, 1/13 as nature reserves. More than 1/3 of the area is covered by forest.
Due to its proximity to the centers of the conurbations on the Rhine and Ruhr, the Hohe Mark has good transport links. However, heavy weekend and holiday activity can also be expected, especially on "long weekends" and during the shorter holiday periods in spring and autumn.
places
Located entirely in the nature park Haltern am See, Pagans, Hünxe, Raesfeld, Reken and Schermbeck.
Partly or on the edge of the nature park Bocholt, Bark, Bottrop, Coesfeld, Dates, Dinslaken, Dorsten, Dülmen, Hamminkeln, Ludinghausen, Marl, Oberhausen, Oer-Erkenschwick, Olfen, Rhede, Velen and Wesel.
background
The eponymous core area is the "Hohe Mark" between Dorsten, Haltern am See and Reken. A "Mark" used to be the land that the (Mark) cooperative used together, the local area was higher than the surrounding area, hence the Hohe Mark.
The nature park can be divided into four strips, so-called Themed landscapes organize:
- In the very south-west there is a corner that is already characterized by the Ruhr area and the Lower Rhine and shows the succession of industry, here there are heaps and other elements of industrial culture (FollowLandscape),
- further north is the valley of the Lippe with the strongest tributaries of the Stever and Mühlenbach in Haltern, large stretches of the meadow landscape are nature reserves (Water landscape),
- north and east also south of the Lippe Valley a forest belt stretches along, which also forms smaller hills in gentle waves, e.g. north-west and south of Haltern with the actual "Hohen Mark" and the "Haard" (Forest landscape),
- Even further north the landscape becomes flatter, very rural and spacious, here you will find the park landscape and the castles of the western Münsterland (Park landscape).
The Hohe Mark Nature Park took 1st place in the state competition for nature parks in North Rhine-Westphalia in 2009. Due to this opportunity, a lot has happened in the park in the following years, in 2012 the nature park show was organized with the motto “Adventure times 4”. Overall, the park has been in a phase of renovation since then, which benefits the visitors through the improved infrastructure.
The quality offensive of the nature parks is supported by Association of German Nature Parks (VDN) Developed in close cooperation with the nature parks and always brought up to date.
The central aim of this quality offensive is to give the nature parks an instrument for self-assessment and continuous improvement. By evaluating these criteria, the quality of the work is made measurable. It relates to the areas
- Management and organization
- Nature conservation and landscape management
- Recreation and sustainable tourism
- Environmental education and communication
- Sustainable regional development
The Hohe Mark Nature Park is a quality nature park and was awarded as such for the first time in 2010.
language
getting there
Air travel
- The airports at Dortmund, Greven and Dusseldorf are suitable for arrival.
- The Loemühle airfield at Marl (EDLM) is available for self-pilots; Charter is possible. Customs clearance is to be registered by telephone on (02363) 9896-0.
By train
- IC and ICE connections exist in the major cities Gelsenkirchen, Recklinghausen and Oberhausen.
- the other places are served by regional railways (DB, NWB, PEG).
In the street
- The highway A 3 is on the western edge of the nature park near Hünxe, Wesel and Hamminkeln (runs 6 to 9).
- The A 31 leads from the southern tip of the park via Schermbeck, Lembeck, Heiden to Velen (runs 34 to 37)
- The A 43 cuts through the eastern part at Marl, Haltern am See, Merfeld and Dülmen (runs 6 to 8)
- the federal road is ideal for the east-west connection B 58 north of the lip
mobility
- There are good bus and train connections in the region.
Tourist Attractions
FollowLandscape
- Heidhof in Bottrop-Kirchhellen
- Halde Haniel and Halde Beckstrasse Bottrop
Water landscape
- Haltern Lakes in Haltern am See
- Mesopotamia in Olfen, Haltern and Datteln
- Lippeauen
- Stever landscape
- Natural pool in Olfen
- River and canal crossing structures by Lippe, Stever and Dortmund-Ems Canal in and near Olfen
Forest landscape
- Ridge The mountains with legendary barrows south of the Ramsdorf
- Often Mark between Schermbeck and Dorsten-Rhade, pine forest and heathland, barrier-free circular hiking trail, red deer population
- Hohe Mark, up to 150 m high ridge in east-west direction between Haltern and Reken, mostly wooded, some natural monuments like the Waldbeerenberg with witch beech, garnet mountain, gallows mountain
- The Haard, hilly landscape made of sandstone, wooded, near Haltern, the highest point is the Stimberg, fire watch towers (some can be climbed)
Park landscape
- Westruper Heide near Haltern
- Historical moated castle Raesfeld, with the zoo Castle Raesfeld and the adjoining nature park house and nature adventure area
- Velen Castle, also with a zoo
- Lembeck Castle, landscape park
- Büngernsche Heide and Dingdener Heide as "time windows of the cultural landscapes"
FollowLandscape
- Hair
- Haniel dump
More Attractions
- Hohe-Mark-Steig The Hohe Mark Steig long-distance hiking trail is currently being expanded and is to be certified as a quality hiking trail by the German Hiking Association. Completion is planned for summer 2020. Information on construction progress can be found on the website of the Hohe Mark Nature Park.
- Merfelder break with the Dülmen wild horses
- Marienthal Abbey near Hamminkeln
- Nordbrock tower windmill near Hamminkeln
activities
- hike
- To go biking
- Swimming and bathing
- horse riding
- Sailing and canoeing
kitchen
In the forest areas, by the lakes and in farming communities, there are often small restaurants and (farmer) cafés that are prepared for excursion traffic and offer food and drink at least on weekends, and in summer often also during the week.
nightlife
security
climate
literature
- Hohe Mark Nature Park (Ed.): Leisure card "Hohe Mark Nature Park". Scale: 1:50.000. Nov 2009, ISBN 978-3-00-027070-3 ; topographic map with bike and hiking trails. Price: € 7.95
Web links
- https://naturpark-hohe-mark.de/ - Official website of the Hohe Mark Nature Park
- Hohe Mark Nature Park on the map
- High Mark Steig
