Art meets nature: Nieheim Art Trail – art and history in the Teutoburg Forest

Today it was better to wait for the deep depression in the apartment and then start at noon! The Nieheim Art Path is definitely worthwhile, the rising fog has deepened the mood.

On Sunday we went with friends to the Nieheim art trail in the Egge Mountains Bad Driburg.

It's Easter Monday 🐰 and my little one spontaneously opted out 😅 Time to cross a hike off the to-hike list 😉 I discovered the trail in winter at @SanDrina; it looked so great. I thought it would be nice in spring too. You can park 🅿️ at Gut Holzhausen, the barbecue area/archery area, or at the cemetery. I set off along the first installations toward the Holsterturm while the sun was still shining. From there, you have a beautiful view of Nieheim. The scenery is rather unspectacular as you follow the partly weedy, woody paths through the wonderfully green mixed forest. However, there's always something new to discover thanks to the various works of art 🖼️. The rain clouds 🌧️ flew faster than I could run (and since I didn't have the right jacket with me 🙈), I hurried over the last kilometer of muddy track and didn't even bother to look at some of the artworks.☔️ The tree house is currently not being moved, and due to the weather, some installations have to be moved or dismantled. These, and some of the path, are maintained and managed by the KulturGut Holzhausen e.V. association. The avenue 🪵 is unfortunately still closed. All information is available on the website https://nieheimer-kunstpfad.de – including new plans. There are also flyers about the artworks on the hiking boards. PS: If I go there again, I would plan my own route. I would mostly skip the "large triangle" and combine other paths.

The origins of the NIEHEIMER ART TRAIL date back to the World Expo in Hanover. In 1999, Yi Li, her husband Johann von der Borch, and the town of Nieheim, as initiators of the NIEHEIMER ART TRAIL, provided the initial impetus. They hosted a symposium attended by landscape architects and internationally renowned artists, as well as Peter Murray, founder and director of the world-renowned Yorkshire Sculpture Park. Over the past 20 years, I have experienced the art trail in different seasons: in spring, with its fresh greenery, wild garlic grows in large areas, especially in the beech forest at the WINDWIEGE. In summer, one enjoys the shade of the forest with views of fields and landscapes... And now, on my autumn walk, I experience changing leaves, muddy/slippery paths, connecting paths closed due to tree felling, with an alternation of sun and clouds, light and shadow. Two works of art have also succumbed to the ravages of time – the TREE HARP and DIARY are no longer there. The instrument sculptures have fallen from the oak trees and now stand lined up in the meadow. The Ave NATURA forest cemetery didn't exist in its early days. Today, the beech tree with the ENGAGEMENT RING stands amidst the burial trees. The HEDGE WALK by the famous land artist Andy Goldsworthy is new, although it's a bit off the art trail. I've therefore described this installation separately. On this Thursday afternoon, I was once again almost completely alone in the wide open spaces – I only met two hikers. A brief conversation about where I was from and where I was going, a smile, understanding in their eyes, a wish for a good path – that's all it takes!!

Caution.... flood of images🙈🤣 But that was sooooo nice there today....😍 Weather was perfect...a fantastic day trip The tour is absolutely great and recommendable You hardly notice the difference in altitude...except for the ascent to the Holster Tower...almost not at all All very easy to walk There are narrow trails in the forest....wide forest paths...sometimes gravel or paved...but always easy to walk on I noticed a clear-cut area and once a piece of a wide path was broken by heavy equipment...other than that, nothing negative The forest is fantastically green... there is always something to look at... I personally really liked the tour 👍

As the name suggests, the "Nieheim Art Path" combines hiking and interesting art projects. The works of art can be found in the middle of the forest over a distance of around 10 km. The path is very varied, well signposted and we didn't meet anyone (on a weekday), there is sure to be more going on on the weekend. Highly recommended!!

A beautiful, varied hiking route on the edge of the Teutoburg Forest, peppered with many art objects that blend seamlessly into nature.

Today on the road in NRW. Overall a great round. With some interesting art installations. So there is something else to photograph than just flowers and forest paths. In particular, the first third of the way should not be done in white sneakers, as the path is very muddy over longer sections.