IllustrationCome for sandy heath, old oak woods and walks that give children something to notice along the way.
Come for sandy heath, old oak woods and walks that give children something to notice along the way. For a first family visit, choose Westruper Heide near Haltern am See or the Haard’s short Waldpromenade circuit; save the Diersfordter Wald for a day when everyone wants more walking.
Hohe Mark covers almost 2,000 km² where the Münsterland, Lower Rhine and northern Ruhr meet. It includes villages, farms, forests and protected areas, with many separate starting points. Pick one corner for the day rather than trying to drive between every highlight.
At Westruper Heide, low heather and sandy grassland open around tall, irregular juniper bushes. You can see how much variety fits into apparently sparse ground: patches of bare sand, dense shrubs and old trees all provide different shelter. The paths matter here. Quiet pauses on the marked route give wildlife a chance to appear without trampling its habitat.
The Haard offers a more wooded outing, with carved figures and activity stations along its boundary between forest and farmland. Farther west, near Wesel, Diersfordter Wald combines old oaks with the wet ground of the Großes Veen and the dark pond called Schwarzes Wasser. Its wild stag beetles and its enclosed large mammals have very different stories. Deer and wild boar seen inside the Wildgatter live in a fenced, managed area; they are not free-ranging sightings. Enhance your adventure: download the Snappit app to identify the local species you encounter.
Westruper Heide has been protected since 1937, but its open landscape is the result of centuries of human use. Woodland clearance, grazing and removal of turf depleted the soil and favoured heath plants. Conservation work now keeps trees from taking over. In Diersfordter Wald, old oaks also recall the days when livestock grazed in the woods.
At Westruper Heide, start the tactile route at the Seehof entrance in the northwest. Its 2.9 km includes the outward and return legs. Four other colour-marked theme routes are each around 3–4 km and mostly sandy; choose one at the entrance board rather than linking them all by accident.
For the Haard, choose the 3.3 km low-barrier circuit from Wanderparkplatz Haardgrenzweg, P57. Follow the red sun waymarks and return to your start. The blue-marked Waldpromenade is a separate 5.5 km linear route between Forsthaus Haidberg and Stimbergpark; walking its full length and back is about 11 km.
At Diersfordter Wald, the Hirschkäferroute and Moorerlebnisweg combine into an approximately 6.5 km outing from the southern Wildgatter entrance. Follow the beetle and frog symbols, returning by the shared approach to the car park near Emmericher Straße/Bislicher Wald. The moor section has unsealed paths and wooden boards, so bring shoes with grip.
Experienced walkers can choose the 15.5 km LandStreifer Diersfordter Wald instead. Start and finish at Parkplatz Schwarzes Wasser, Strauchheide, or Mühlenfeldstraße/Lindenberg. It links woodland, moor and pond in a full-day circuit. Download the official route: the advertised A1 shortcut is not fully signed.
Check the park’s route notices before setting off, and obey local barriers. If you extend your visit onto the Hohe Mark Steig, part of stage 3 has a September–October deer-rutting closure with an orange-marked diversion. This concerns that stage, not a blanket park closure. Wet boards can be slippery; avoid woodland during strong winds.
The Haard’s 3.3 km circuit is described as low-barrier and suitable for wheelchairs, walkers and pushchairs, with frequent seats. At Westruper Heide, the tactile 2.9 km return and approximately 3 km of wheelchair-suitable path sections are different provisions; consult the entrance plan for your needs. The sandy theme paths are a separate choice. Diersfordt’s firm Hirschkäferroute does not make its adjoining moor path wheelchair-accessible: that section is unsealed, with boards and a handrail on one side.
Juniper shapes and late-summer flowers in Westruper Heide
Wooden sculptures and discovery stations on the Haard’s forest edge
The Großes Veen boardwalk beside Diersfordter Wald
Schwarzes Wasser’s dark, rain-fed pond among inland dunes
Follow the tactile route from the Seehof entrance and retrace the prescribed return. Use the tactile orientation boards before setting off.
A tactile guide and wheelchair-suitable paths serve different needs. Check the entrance plan and ask about present surface conditions if using a mobility aid.
Follow the red sun symbols through woodland and back to the forest edge. Leave time for a seated pause and a look across the fields.
The park and RVR describe this circuit as suitable for wheelchairs, walkers and pushchairs. Ask about current conditions and the parking approach for your equipment.
Join the Hirschkäferroute from the southern entrance, follow the frog-marked Moorerlebnisweg through the moor, then rejoin the woodland route and return along the shared approach.
The combined walk is not a wheelchair route. Check entrance gates and the firm woodland section separately if you need a shorter accessible visit.
Follow the LandStreifer circuit through forest, the Großes Veen and past Schwarzes Wasser. Save enough time for the whole return, even if you spend longer at the pond.
This is a walking route for a full day. Do not treat the boardwalk or the low ascent as evidence of wheelchair or pushchair access.
Choose either the Westruper tactile return or the Haard’s low-barrier circuit. Build in time to stop rather than adding a second long walk, especially when travelling with younger children.
Choose the combined Diersfordt discovery trails for a half-day walk, or commit to the longer LandStreifer. Both include moor habitat; only the longer circuit described here also takes in Schwarzes Wasser.
At Westruper Heide, photograph a juniper silhouette, a low heath patch and an area of sand from the path. Let each child explain which would give an animal the best cover.
At the Haard’s interpretation stations, compare the displayed animal tracks with marks visible on the path. A track is an interesting find even when its maker stays hidden.
From a safe stopping place on the Diersfordt route, compare the wet vegetation with the dry sandy ground nearby. Keep the narrow boardwalk clear for other walkers.
Der Natur auf der Spur uses listening stations, hands-on activities and preserved animal specimens. The public front exhibition area opens with the Naturparkhaus; opening times are shorter in the colder months. Check ahead, and allow for a separate journey from the featured trails.
Look at a plant beside the path, then take a wider picture showing the patch it belongs to. Flowers help with identification, but leave every stem in place.
Compare the outlines of the bushes from the marked path. Photograph needles only where you can see them without entering the vegetation; do not pick berries.
This heath is less obvious than the extensive common heather. Use the interpretation panels to learn the difference and accept that you may not see it from your route.
Watch exposed perches through binoculars from the path. If a bird repeatedly returns to one patch, give it space rather than investigating the vegetation.
Pause before approaching a sunny path edge. A glimpse may be brief; never chase a lizard or lift material to uncover one.
Use the Hirschkäferroute’s panels to understand what makes an old oak useful to beetles. If you find an adult, photograph it without picking it up or disturbing decaying wood.
Take a picture of an old oak’s shape and another of fallen leaves beside the path. Keep clear of unstable trunks and leave bark, acorns and wood undisturbed.
Wait quietly at a public observation hide or on the path. Record any sighting as an enclosed animal, keep your distance and never offer food.
Westruper Heide combines dry heather, sandy grassland, shrubs and small damp patches. Keeping these areas open requires ongoing care. The narrow strips between paths are habitat too.
Diersfordter Wald’s old trees and decaying wood support the stag beetle’s long life cycle. Enjoy their shapes from the path without climbing or opening up rotting trunks.
At the Großes Veen, wet peatland sits close to sandy ground. Boards allow visitors to cross part of this sensitive landscape without treating the wet surface as a walking route.
Schwarzes Wasser collects rain between inland dunes. Organic substances released from peat give the water its brown-black colour. Look from the public viewing places and leave the shore undisturbed.
Stag beetle larvae spend several years developing in decaying wood. Leaving a stump in place can matter far more to them than whether an adult happens to appear during your visit.
The Hohe Mark Steig notice page also covers the seasonal or flood-related closure of the Maifisch ferry on stage 5, with a black-and-yellow diversion. Neither the Westruper tactile return nor the Haard short circuit requires that ferry. Check the relevant notice when planning a longer stage walk.
Bring provisions and arrange a toilet stop before a woodland walk. The Diersfordt discovery trails have no benches or rubbish bins. The Naturparkhaus at Tiergarten 1 in Raesfeld provides tourist information and has parking nearby, but it is a separate destination.
Marl-Sinsen and Haltern am See are rail gateways for the Haard, with onward travel or extra walking required. For the southern Diersfordt discovery-trail entrance, the GeoPark lists the Am Jäger bus stop about 50 m away. Check the actual connection and road crossing. The park’s WuBB rail-and-bus walks are separate, longer itineraries, not station approaches already included in these distances.
Ask about the parking-to-path connection, gate width, surface condition and accessible toilets before choosing a route. The short Haard circuit has seats, while Diersfordt’s discovery trails do not. At the Raesfeld exhibition, confirm access to the upper floor rather than assuming that an indoor option is step-free.
Each card links to a full Explore page with photos, traits, and fun facts.
Start with the big picture, then zoom in to explore individual wildlife observations around this place.
Choose a trailhead
The nature park office is in Raesfeld. Navigate to your chosen walking entrance instead of using the park name alone.
Save the official route
Take the trail map or GPX with you. Follow signed diversions even if an older download shows something different.
Keep to the paths
At Westruper Heide, this applies to both people and dogs. Dogs must be leashed, and cycling and drones are prohibited.
Bring your own supplies
Pack water, snacks and a bag for rubbish. The Diersfordt discovery trails have no benches or bins, so do not count on a seated picnic stop.
Look without disturbing
Use binoculars or your camera’s zoom. Leave beetles, reptiles, plants and deadwood where they are; do not feed the enclosed animals.
Plan the return
Add the walk from your bus stop to the trail distance, and check the last connection before leaving home.
Protect against sun and weather
The open heath offers little shelter. Carry a hat and layers, and shorten the walk if conditions deteriorate.
Recent snaps will appear here as new observations are added.
Maryland, US
You might spot White-Tailed Deer and Eastern Gray Squirrel.
View guide →
District of Columbia, US
You might spot Eastern Gray Squirrel, Duck, and House Sparrow.
View guide →
Illinois, US
You might spot American Robin, Canada Goose, and House Sparrow.
View guide →
Virginia, US
You might spot Spotted Lanternfly and Northern Cardinal.
View guide →
Take the discovery with you
Identify the wildlife you spot, learn as you go, and keep a collection of the adventure.
