Take a deep breath, watch dragonflies sunbathe, listen to cranes trumpeting and observe rare plant species. The Wittmoor in Hamburg invites you to hike in a diverse nature reserve.
The Wittmoor nature reserve is located in the north of Hamburg and offers the unique flora and fauna of a raised bog.
The Wittmoor - Between cranes, moor lakes and blue frogs
Past moor lakes, pastures, woods and heathland, you can experience one of the last high moors in Hamburg in the Wittmoor. Moor frogs are a real eye-catcher especially in spring. The males turn blue for mating and make themselves pretty for the fussy females. In autumn you can say goodbye to cranes on their way to the warm south. In Wittmoor and in nearby Duvenstedter Brook, the animals take a rest on their long journey. But dragonflies, lizards and rare flowers also make the walk through the moor unique. Sometimes an adder can also be spotted along the way. But don't worry: the snakes are very shy and are rarely seen.
Over 8,000 years of history
Moors are known for their horror stories. Especially at dusk, many a tree stump in a moor lake can be mistaken for a mythical creature. Moors such as the Wittmoor near Hamburg are, however, very diverse natural landscapes and true miracle weapons of nature. This is because moors are the largest CO2 reservoir that nature has to offer.
Hamburg's Wittmoor was created over 8,000 years ago. Man and nature have shaped the moor ever since. Over a long period of time, peat was mined and the ecosystem was put at risk. Where the lakes of the Wittmoor Hamburg are today, peat was once mined. Since 1978 the Wittmoor has been a nature reserve and is now wetting again. As a result, the typical plants and animals of an upland moor once again spread their antennae (and leaves) and the "wonder weapon" CO2 reservoir returns.
Directions to Wittmoor in the north of Hamburg
Take the S-Bahn line 1 to Poppenbüttel. Then take bus 176 or 276 to the stop "Tannenhof". From there it is a 20 minute walk to the nature reserve.
