Grafschafter Spurensuche- Auf den Spuren von Wald und Wasser

Schüttorf is considered the oldest town in the county of Bentheim, with a history dating back to the 12th century. The town is located at the foothills of the wooded Bentheimer Berg, a sandstone formation from the Cretaceous period that is up to 80 meters high. Until the beginning of the 20th century, there were still large areas of heathland in the Schüttorf town area, but these are now mainly used for arable farming. The last heathland was converted into agricultural land in 1993. If you follow the route in a north-westerly direction, you will come across the Große Maate, an idyllic floodplain landscape fed by the River Vechte. In this area, you will come across numerous small ponds that are repeatedly filled by floods. This unique water landscape provides a habitat for many rare animal and plant species. With a bit of luck, you might spot a kingfisher or lapwing. In the northernmost part of the route, hikers can explore the Heidfeld nature reserve. In one part of the reserve, the forest has been taken out of use as a natural forest. Lake Quendorf, a local recreation area where you can go swimming, is also located right outside the city gates.