Drover Heide is a 670-hectare nature reserve and bird sanctuary of outstanding European importance. It is part of the National Natural Heritage and has been owned by the Stiftung Natur Heimat Kultur NRW gGmbH since 2016. A habitat for rare and endangered plant and animal species was able to develop on the former Belgian military training area after their withdrawal. The primeval crayfish feels just as at home here as the natterjack toad and the great crested newt in the numerous ponds. Many disturbance-sensitive breeding birds such as the woodlark, nightjar and red-backed shrike have made the reserve their home.

The Drover Heide is criss-crossed by a network of hiking trails with color-coded posts that allow for individual tours. There is a barrier-free circular route for wheelchair users and the access path to the viewing hill is also barrier-free.

This suggested tour through the Drover Heath is also suitable for children on balance bikes and all-terrain baby carriages.

Route description

From the "Burgweg" bus stop, walk uphill along Wewordenstraße. Behind the large parking lot on the right-hand side, you can catch a glimpse of Drove Castle through the archway. At the very end of the path, we turn right. At the Drover Heide overview board, we turn left, pass the barrier and find ourselves in the open landscape of Drover Heide. We go straight on and take the second turning on the left (at the bench) and head towards the viewing hill. From here you have a beautiful panoramic view. Information boards explain all sorts of interesting facts about the heathland. We continue our walk and continue straight ahead in a northerly direction. Passing ponds and partly over footbridges, we reach a T-junction where we turn right.

We largely keep to the circular route no. 52 marked by the Eifelverein or the dark blue markings of the large heath trail. On our hike, we walk on well-maintained paths through a varied landscape. The level hiking trails through the open heath, across meadows and light woodland, some of which lead over wooden footbridges, offer special insights into the habitat of rare plants and animals.

At the information board about the red wood ant, the large heath trail (dark blue markings) separates from circular trail no. 52. From this point, we follow the Eifelverein markings no. 52 straight ahead. At the end of the path, we turn right at the T-crossing with a bench and meet the dark blue markings of the large heath path again. This accompanies us and hiking trail no. 52 to the end of the tour. Along the way, a so-called "open forest mushroom" invites you to rest and relax.