Wentorfer Lohe

The Wentorfer Lohe is a natural conservation area covering about 240 hectares east of Hamburg between the municipalities of Wentorf, Reinbek, and Wohltorf. It consists of a patchwork of raised bog, meadows, water bodies, and forests that range from wet lowlands to elevated woodland.

The area served as farmland until 1970, when it became a military training ground for an armed forces unit. After military use ended, the Stiftung Naturschutz Schleswig-Holstein acquired it in 2011 and converted it into a protected nature reserve.

The name Lohe comes from the old term for heathland and bog landscapes in northern Germany. Today the open areas and patchwork of different habitats reflect this historical land use.

An extensive network of paths allows walking, jogging, and riding through the terrain, with visitors coming from nearby Hamburg and from an adjacent equestrian center. The best time to visit is from May to October, when paths are drier and wildlife and plants are most visible.

Shepherds managed the meadows and landscapes with traditional methods until 1982, helping preserve this landscape form. Today, an ambitious plan converts coniferous forests into mixed deciduous woodland to restore the natural character of the land.