Monastery-Garden-Route - Of heavenly monasteries and paradisiacal gardens
A monastery garden is the epitome of a place full of peace and relaxation: centuries of carefully designed landscape architecture, a variety of useful plants and all kinds of educational things to discover. Monastery gardens used to be reserved for monks and nuns. Today, many of the gardens are open to the public and are becoming increasingly popular. With funding from the ERDF NRW program, the Society for Economic Development in the Höxter district has created a 315-kilometre "Monastery Garden Route", which takes day-trippers and interested parties to various gardens in the region.
Cycling in five stages
The well-signposted route offers the opportunity to discover and experience the rich monastic heritage in the cultural region of the Höxter district and the varied landscapes and sights between the Weser, Egge and Teutoburg Forest. Various monastery gardens have been created there, which are based on historical models and present themselves in a contemporary way. The Monastery Garden Route starts at Marienmünster Abbey. From here, the entire tour can be explored by bike in five stages of between 52 and 67 kilometers. Cyclists can not only enjoy the beautiful landscape, but also have plenty of time for a visit or two.
Plan individually - see and experience a lot
There is a wide range of events along the route. For example, the Abbey of the Holy Cross in Herstelle offers "Desert Days" or "Temporary Monastery" as well as coaching. The Hegge community in Willebadessen dedicates itself to "Garden Days" and highlights the living monastery heritage. In addition to the monastery gardens, the highlights of the multi-day tour include the UNESCO World Heritage Corvey Monastery, the panorama on the Weser Skywalk near Beverungen, the medieval backdrop of Warburg and the imposing volcanic cone of the Desenberg. The tours can be planned individually - the website provides useful tips, detailed information and maps for all sections and routes. There is also a detailed list of other sights and points of interest along the Kloster-Garten route. This exciting project combines an ancient culture and makes it accessible to the general public in a contemporary way.
