Camping in the Lüneburg Heath

Soft, sandy soil and heathland characterise the region south of Hamburg. It is a popular recreational area for anyone who enjoys spending a weekend or longer holiday in the countryside. Numerous campsites in the Lüneburg Heath are ideal starting points for hikes and cycle tours. The flat landscape with its meadows, moors and forests is particularly easy to explore by bike or e-bike.

Camping in the Lüneburg Heath: discover the best campsites

With its rolling hills, blooming heathland and picturesque little villages, the wild and romantic landscape of the Lüneburg Heath is the perfect place to switch off from everyday life. PiNCAMP presents the best campsites in the Lüneburg Heath and provides you with all the important information for a fantastic camping holiday.

The Lüneburg Heath begins south of Hamburg and, with its huge contiguous heathland areas, is a unique cultural landscape that is unrivalled in Europe. If you want to enjoy peace and relaxation in the midst of wonderful nature on a camping holiday, this is the place for you. Couples who simply want to let go and families who appreciate a rural idyll will feel particularly at home in the midst of the picturesque landscape.

Tips for camping with a dog

Dogs are allowed on almost all campsites in the Lüneburg Heath. However, to be on the safe side, find out in advance what rules apply at the campsite in question, for example if you are staying in a mobile home.

The many hiking trails in the region are ideal for a camping holiday with a dog. However, you must observe a few rules here. In nature reserves, dogs must be kept on a lead and must not leave the designated paths so as not to disturb the local flora and fauna. You are also responsible for ensuring that dogs do not roam or poach under your supervision.

Dogs must be kept on a lead during the breeding and rearing season from 1 April to 15 July. Please also ensure that you dispose of your dog's droppings. Dog waste bags are available in all towns in the Lüneburg Heath.

How to get there

Campers can reach Heideland by motorhome via the A7, A27 and A39 motorways. The A7 is particularly recommended for those travelling from the north and south. From the Frankfurt and Stuttgart area, it leads all the way up to the border with Denmark.

The Lüneburg Heath begins near Soltau. Here, car and motorhome drivers can take several turn-offs to the desired campsite. If you are travelling from the Rhineland or the Ruhr area, it is best to take the A1 towards Hamburg. Shortly before the Hanseatic city, turn right. From Cologne, it is around 380 kilometres to your destination. From Berlin, the distance is just under 350 kilometres via the A2.

On the way, it is worth stopping in cities such as Magdeburg with its time-honoured cathedral and Lüneburg, one of the most beautiful Hanseatic cities in Lower Saxony. Holidaymakers can visit Nordic brick architecture and historic harbour facilities here. A tip for travelling here: The so-called Park-and-Rein car parks give guests direct access to the most beautiful heathland areas. Coming from Hanover, for example, you can reach the coach park in Undeloh via the Egestorf exit.

Destinations in the Lüneburg Heath

The Lüneburg Heath is dotted with idyllic villages, farms and country estates as well as picturesque small towns with typical Nordic brick architecture. The best-known towns include Soltau, Schneverdingen and Bispingen.

Soltau

Soltau is best known for the Heidepark theme and leisure park. Rollercoasters and smaller rides such as the wooden rollercoaster or the Mississippi steamer make the facility a real highlight for families. In the town centre, the play museum invites you to take a tour. The town is surrounded by heath areas such as the Juniper Park.

Schneverdingen

Many holidaymakers choose to camp near Schneverdingen, where there are numerous natural landscapes such as the heath garden in Höpen or the Pietzmoor. In the centre of the village, the De Theeshof local history museum provides information about farming traditions. Incidentally, the Heath Queen is crowned every year at a large festival in Schneverdingen.

Bispingen

The municipality of Bispingen boasts a number of attractions worth seeing, such as the Crazy House, which stands on its head, or the ISERHATSCHE heath fort with its baroque garden and hunting lodge. The centre of Bispingen is idyllic and rural. The Heidschnuckenweg trail also runs along here, leading hikers through vast car-free nature reserves.

Top 5 sights in the Lüneburg Heath

On a camping holiday in the Lüneburg Heath, you should definitely not miss these sights:

• Wilsede: With its well-preserved buildings, the village is a real open-air museum with pre-industrial flair, ancient farms and a heath museum.
• Wilseder Berg: The 169 metre high mountain is a popular vantage point for hikers.
• Totengrund: The mystical valley near Bispingen is one of the most beautiful excursion destinations, especially when the heather is in bloom.
• Pietzmoor: The 8,000-year-old moor with its boardwalks is a particularly enchanting hiking trail.
• Lüneburg: The old Hanseatic city is known for its numerous trading houses in the brick Gothic style and its salt works, which have long characterised the history of the city.

Activities and excursions in the Lüneburg Heath

Inspired by the tranquil surroundings, many travellers head straight from the campsites onto the cycle paths. Nature lovers enjoy excursions up to the Elbe and along the Aller in the south. The most beautiful views open up to holidaymakers from smaller hills such as the Wilseder Berg. With the Heidepark Soltau, the region is also ideal for family holidays. There are also suitable campsites nearby.

Cycling in the Lüneburg Heath

Travellers are drawn to the Lüneburg Heath for cycling throughout the summer and well into the autumn. The flat elevation profile with only a few gentle hills is particularly suitable for family excursions. A classic is the approximately 12 km long route through the Totengrund. The Heidetour cycle route is almost 100 km long in total.

Hiking on the Heidschnuckenweg

The Heidschnuckenweg is a popular excursion destination for hikers. With its 13 stages, it is one of the most beautiful hiking trails in the whole of Germany. Especially during the flowering season, you can gather breathtaking impressions of nature here. The entire length of the trail is 223 kilometres and starts in Hamburg.

Equestrian paradise

The Lüneburg Heath is a true paradise for riders. Many farms offer visitors guided tours through the countryside and teach beginners the basics of the sport. The Lüneburg Heath has a network of almost 1,450 kilometres of designated riding routes.

events

May

• Kulturelle Landpartie in Wendland: As an alternative cultural festival, the Kulturelle Landpartie enriches the Wendland community from Ascension Day to Whitsun. Around 500 events take place at up to 80 locations during this period.

May - June

• Shearing of heather sheep in Neuenkirchen: Just in time for Ascension Day, the heather sheep are sheared in Neuenkirchen. The event includes dancing and celebrations. Guests can also buy traditional Heidschnucken products.

June

• Satemin Whitsun Market: The event delights visitors with up to 60 artisans selling their work on this weekend.

July

• Music Days in Hitzacker: At the oldest festival for chamber music, classical music fans enjoy nine days of concerts and performance art.

August

• Heath Blossom Festival in Amelinghausen: Guests can look forward to a large firework display, a beach party and folkloristic parades.
• Schneverdingen Heather Blossom Festival: Every year at the end of August, the Heath Blossom Festival has been held in Schneverdingen since 1922. The Heath Queen is crowned in a ceremony.

September - October

• Stallion parade: The stallions are shown at the Celle state stud and their skills are presented in dressage shows.

Gastronomic highlights for campers

Even if you prefer to cater for yourself from your own camping kitchen, you should at least try out the region's cuisine. There are some real specialities in the Lüneburg Heath that you can only get here. The Heidschnucken sheep are particularly typical. The meat from the sheep tastes excellent and is prepared according to special local recipes. The many sausage variations are also very versatile in flavour and go perfectly with grainy brown bread made on site.

In autumn, game dishes with berries from the Lüneburg Heath, red cabbage and chanterelles are served. Freshwater fish such as carp, trout and pike come from the numerous fish ponds and watercourses. Eel is also smoked in many places on the Heath. For dessert, the chefs like to serve various fruit compotes made from apricots or berries with heather honey and cream or, optionally, goat's cheese.

Best time to travel

The Lüneburg Heath is worth a visit at any time of year. However, if you want to experience the famous heather blossom in all its glory, you should plan your camping holiday in late summer. The heath is at its most beautiful from the beginning of August to mid-September. At this time, the heather shines in magnificent purple colours - an old rule of thumb says that the heather blooms from 8 August to 9 September. Apart from this, it is pleasantly warm in the Lüneburg Heath from May to September with temperatures between 18 and 23 °C. Comparatively little rain falls in the months of April and September. October is also suitable for camping in the Lüneburg Heath with little rainfall and 13 °C.