Ehra-Lessien: Bickelstein and Cycling Tour

Bickelstein in Bickelstein Heath

Bickelstein is located in the woodland area of Bickelstein Heath. The erratic boulder, made of reddish granite, is 2.5 metres long and 1.2 metres high. Horseshoe-shaped and cross-like markings define its appearance. Bickelstein is a landmark of the municipality of Ehra-Lessien and is considered the best-known erratic boulder in the Gifhorn-Wolfsburg area. Its dimensions, reddish rock and markings offer specific details to look out for as you view it.

The stone also serves as a landmark for the routes described here: the 450-metre-long birdwatching trail starts at the entrance to Bickelstein. Parking is available at Bickelstein; the described circular route also starts there and heads east. Check the parking situation again before setting out, as availability may change.

Birdwatching Trail and Cycling Loop

The nature-focused, 22-kilometre Legends and History Trail runs as a cycling tour around Ehra-Lessien, taking you to legendary and historic places. The birdwatching trail is considerably shorter, at 450 metres, and starts at the entrance to Bickelstein. The two distances offer a clear comparison between the short educational trail and the longer cycling loop; you can decide which one to focus on for your outing based on your interests.

A cycling map for Ehra-Lessien is also available to help you plan. It is free from the Ehra-Lessien municipal administration. Check the current arrangements for obtaining it before you go to collect it. This lets you combine local orientation in advance with a choice between the birdwatching trail and the longer cycling tour, without treating the routes as if they were the same length.

Gifhorn as the wider travel destination

The wider travel destination of Gifhorn includes heathland, forests, moorland, rivers and lakes across Gifhorn district. The district is also home to Drömling, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. These landscape types describe the broader regional setting, not the individual features of Ehra-Lessien.

Cyclists can also plan on a larger scale across Gifhorn district: the network comprises around 700 kilometres of leisure cycling routes, plus around 550 kilometres of everyday cycling routes and connecting paths. Around 400 signposted junctions can be combined for individual route planning. The specific 22-kilometre loop around Ehra-Lessien and the much larger cycling network across the district therefore represent two different scales of tour planning.

Culture and Nature in Gifhorn

Cultural attractions in the wider travel destination of Gifhorn include the International Windmill Museum Gifhorn, with 13 full-size windmills from around the world. The village square on the museum grounds is freely accessible to all visitors; check accessibility again before travelling. The OTTER-ZENTRUM Hankensbüttel offers a different focus: visitors can observe otters, badgers, stoats, stone martens, polecats, mink and pine martens in enclosures modelled on their natural habitats.

Another regional option is the Großes Moor Moor Railway. It travels into the Großes Moor, in the municipality of Sassenburg, at six kilometres per hour in covered carriages adapted for passenger transport. The service is seasonal and weather-dependent. The circular route has two stops, a boardwalk and a viewing platform; check the dates and availability of these facilities in advance. This makes it possible to include a range of themes in your wider travel plans in Gifhorn, such as cycling, landscapes, wildlife observation and windmill culture.

Discover more destinations: Brome, Wahrenholz, Wesendorf, Ribbesbüttel, Dedelstorf, Bergfeld, Schönewörde, Weyhausen.

For the wider travel overview: Gifhorn.