Visit the Fairytale Forest, cycle the nine-kilometre section of the Coastal Canal Cycle Route through Surwold, or start the Hümmlinger Dunes Tour at its main starting point; Surwold Forest is a 34-hectare recreation area. The Fairytale Forest offers stories to see and hear; the Coastal Canal Cycle Route and the main starting point of the Hümmlinger Dunes Tour add to the local attractions. By contrast, Hümmling Nature Park and its trails are part of the broader Emsland destination.

Fairytale Forest, cycle route and recreation area

The Fairytale Forest presents thirteen well-known German fairy tales that visitors can see and hear at the push of a button. The images and audio give the tales a clear thematic focus. Specific presentation details may change; if particular displays are important to you, check the latest information before your visit.

Nine kilometres of the Coastal Canal Cycle Route run through Surwold. As the route may change, it is a good idea to check the latest route information before setting off. Surwold is also the main starting point for the Hümmlinger Dunes Tour.

Surwold Forest is a 34-hectare recreation area.

In the broader Emsland destination

Hümmling Nature Park covers around 580 square kilometres in the northeast of the Emsland district. Cycling and hiking trails pass through the nature park, with information points along the way, and lead past historic sites, megalithic tombs and the Baroque Clemenswerth Palace. This adds a cultural and historical focus to the landscape within the wider Emsland region.

For a hike, the Crane Trail leads into the Theikenmeer nature reserve along a route of about 2.5 kilometres. The return journey follows the same route, making the total walking distance approximately five kilometres. The trail has a viewing platform with panoramic views of Theikenmeer Lake and the Wehmer Dose moorland, as well as an observation hut on the lakeshore. The Theikenmeer Loop is one of the nature park trails that meet the German Hiking Association’s quality criteria. If this quality status is important to your choice, check its current standing.

The Emsland Route offers a different scale: this 395-kilometre circular route passes through five landscapes: the Northern Ems Valley, Hümmling, Bourtanger Moor, Hasetal and Southern Emsland. The route is very well signposted, mostly flat, paved and car-free, making it particularly suitable for beginners and families with children. Along the route are 19 towns that can serve as starting and finishing points. While the nine-kilometre stretch of the Coastal Canal Cycle Route through Surwold describes a local section, the Emsland Route is a regional circular route.

When looking for accommodation, it helps to decide on the scope of your trip: should Surwold itself be the main focus, or would you prefer to plan around the wider Emsland region and its longer routes?

Discover more destinations: Herzlake, Kluse, Papenburg, Holte, Lähden, Lünne, Renkenberge, Holthausen.

For the broader travel overview: Emsland.