Wilseder Berg and the Totengrund from Undeloh

The walk starts from the Undeloh visitor car park, opposite the Heide-ErlebnisZentrum, in the Lüneburg Heath nature reserve, which is closed to cars. A heath path and sandy tracks lead south-west over open heath and through pine woods to the Wilseder Berg, at 169 m the highest hill of the north-west German lowlands; the Lüneburger Heide tourism board says the view reaches Hamburg on a clear day. The line then drops to Wilsede, a heath village with restaurants and a museum, and goes on to the viewpoint over the Totengrund, a basin of 30 hectares about 1 km south-east of the village, with junipers on its slopes.

It returns through Wilsede and north along the cobbled lane, a road used by cyclists and carriages, and finishes by the Radenbachtal, where the board says semi-wild Dülmen horses graze the valley floor, which is fenced for long stretches. It is 12.9 km with 118 m of ascent; allow about 3½ hours. The grade is Moderate on length: the ground is flat, the high point 168 m, and the heath tracks are sandy and slow.

The tourism board asks visitors not to come to the Wilseder Berg before daybreak, as it is a sensitive part of the reserve, and lists the Totengrund as accessible only in daylight; the Totengrund may be entered only on the marked paths. Dogs must be kept on a lead throughout the reserve and, even on a lead, must stay on the paths, under the reserve's ordinance; the Verein Naturschutzpark also asks walkers to stay on the marked paths and to keep clear of the heath sheep flocks. Take your litter home, as there are no bins in the reserve. Driving into the reserve is punishable and cars can only park at the visitor car parks around it. There is no shade on the open heath, so take water.

The Undeloh car park is charged: the board lists Undeloh among the paid visitor car parks. It gives the walk from Undeloh to the Totengrund as about 65 minutes one way.

Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.