Old Colliery Witnesses and the "Mellenliet

From the car park, the hiking trail first leads northwards through fields and meadows. Even if it does not seem so, the highest natural elevation of the Dickenberg is located here, quite inconspicuously, at 140 metres above sea level. The trail continues on a wonderfully wooded hiking path along the Rudolfhalde. At 201 metres, this is one of the highest elevations in Münsterland. After some bickering about the highest mountain and the designation "The High in Münsterland", it was finally determined that the highest elevation in the region, at 236 metres, is the Westerbecker Berg in Lienen - quite naturally, without a tailings pile or tower. It is true that the Rudolfhalde does not quite reach the height of the Westerbecker Berg; nevertheless, as one of the exciting traces left by the mining tradition on the Dickenberg in Ibbenbüren, it is one of the most beautiful excursion destinations in Münsterland. A detour to the summit is rewarded with a great distant view around the Ibbenbürener Bergplatte and in all directions. With the end of coal mining, a concept was drawn up for the slag heap with proposals for tourism development and other uses. We can look forward to the future development. After mining, back to nature The hike continues up the Bomberg. Again and again, there are great views of the Rudolfhalde, which with its renaturalised hills reminds some of the Allgäu. But the red-coloured cows are a clear reference to the Münsterland. At the crossroads, the hiker turns left and shortly afterwards stands in front of a large erratic block. A memorial plaque commemorates the plane crash of 14 January 1945 in which two men died a few months before the end of the war. Soon another mining legacy comes into view, the Hopsten slag heap. In the meantime, this slag heap has also been renaturalised, among other things with insect hotels and a meadow orchard. Vegetables of a special kind are available a little further on at the Audick farm. In season, the farm shop sells fresh asparagus every day. There is also a large selection of outdoor cut roses directly from the field. Old colliery witnesses and the "Mellenliet" To the north of a disused quarry, the route continues to Wilhelmschacht. On the right, you can take a look at the existing quarry in some places. The quarry is to be extended in a northerly direction in the future. Preparations are already underway, but they hardly interfere with the enjoyment of the hike. In the past, this was one of the largest leased pits in the Ibbenbüren area. Today, nature has reclaimed the area, and only a memorial plaque reminds us of the Mathilde mine, which was operated until the Westfeld was closed down in 1979. After crossing Rheiner Straße, you can marvel at the Abendsternschacht, Ibbenbüren's oldest surviving colliery house dating from 1796, as well as the mining office building and the Dickenberg miners' school. The route continues through the hilly south of Dickenberg to the picturesque valley of the Ossenliet. Here in the "Mellenliet" is the germ of the Dickenberg settlement. According to the information board, there was the first settlement at Colonat Melle as early as 1599 after the forest was cleared. Finally, there is a small uphill section before the forest cemetery comes into view and the starting point of the hike is reached again after just under eleven kilometres.

The entrance to the hiking route is at the Dickenberg forest cemetery north-west of Ibbenbüren.

How to get there by car:

• Dickenberg forest cemetery, Am Waldfriedhof/Rheiner Straße, Ibbenbüren.
• Ibbenbüren is connected to the A30 motorway and is easily accessible.

Arrival by bus and train:

• Ibbenbüren railway station (Rheine - Osnabrück railway line).
• Bus line R27 Ibbenbüren - Hopsten to bus stop Dickenberg Waldfriedhof

There is a public car park at the forest cemetery. Alternatively, there is further parking at the nearby Babara Church.

This tour tip of a good eleven kilometres in length is not signposted and runs on asphalted side roads, forest paths and paved farm tracks. Start and finish is at the forest cemetery on the Dickenberg.

Waldfriedhof Dickenberg

Waldfriedhof Dickenberg