Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour Self-Guided: Stages, Accommodations & Map 2026
The Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour is a big loop starting in the Meller Berge via Bad Essen, Quakenbrück, Bersenbrück, Ankum and Cloppenburg. On the way you roll through plenty of small places like Alfhausen, Menslage, Werlte and Emstek. The whole point is the mill stops, following the “Niedersächsische Mühlenstraße” signage.
The Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour is a 399.0 km loop from the Meller Berge through the Osnabrücker Land and back to the Meller Berge. You follow a route that’s built specifically around mills: according to the official overview, there are 38 watermills and 10 windmills on the route, from the Millenberge section and the windmills in Lintorf and Füchten all the way to stops like the Artland-Mühle or the Mühle Herzlake. What makes it work is the clear storyline across 14 official stages: almost every day brings a new mill and a new place where you can start or finish, like Bad Essen, Quakenbrück, Bersenbrück, Ankum, Werlte or Cloppenburg. It’s a good fit if you want to spread things over several days without chasing performance numbers, and actually take time for mill stops. Planning your own bike tour? Use the stage list as a modular toolkit and build day distances that match your accommodation and your pace.
Route Profile
| Distance | 390 km |
| Stages | 14 |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Best Season | Spring, Summer, Autumn |
| Signage | Well signposted |
| Suitable For | Recreational cyclists, Experienced cyclists, E-bike |
| Surface | Mixed |
Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour Map
BikeTouri Tip: View the complete route on a map in BikeTouri – with all accommodations and supply points. Also available offline.
Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour Stages
The official breakdown into 14 stages makes the 399.0 km loop easy to plan. You can follow the sections as-is, or use them as a framework and overnight in places like Bad Essen, Quakenbrück or Cloppenburg. Each day comes with a clear mill focus.
Stage 1: Meller Berge → Bad Essen (36 km)
You start in the Meller Berge and ride via Lintorf, Füchten and Gellenbeck to Bad Essen. It’s a proper mill warm-up, with several named stops right on the line. Bad Essen is your stage finish.
Millenberge, Windmühle Lintorf, Windmühle Füchten, Mühle Gellenbeck, Bad Essen.
Stage 2: Bad Essen → Quakenbrück (29 km)
From Bad Essen you head via Alfhausen to Quakenbrück. On the way you’ve got mill stops as clear intermediate targets before you roll into Quakenbrück. Works well if you want to keep the day compact.
Mühle Holdorf, Mühle Groß Fullen, Quakenbrück.
Stage 3: Quakenbrück → Dörgen (24 km)
Leaving Quakenbrück, you roll via Mehringen towards Dörgen. The stage is short but packed with mills, with two clearly named points before the finish. Ideal if you want to spend more time at the mills along the way.
Artland-Mühle, Mühle Lengerich, Mühle Dörgen.
Stage 4: Dörgen → Badbergen (29 km)
From Dörgen you continue to Badbergen. This section links one named mill as the main stop with a straightforward town finish. Badbergen marks the end of the day.
Mühle Groß Sünderup, Badbergen.
Stage 5: Badbergen → Bersenbrück (24 km)
You leave Badbergen and ride via Querspritzen to Bersenbrück. The mill stop in Querspritzen is the fixed point for the day. After that it’s on to the stage finish in Bersenbrück.
Mühle Querspritzen, Bersenbrück.
Stage 6: Bersenbrück → Ankum (25 km)
From Bersenbrück you head via Holdorf to Ankum. The route links town waypoints with a named mill stop. Ankum is a sensible place to call it a day.
Mühle Holdorf, Ankum.
Stage 7: Ankum → Alfhausen (22 km)
From Ankum you ride via Gehrde to Alfhausen. It’s short and works well as an easy day or a buffer stage. On the way you’ve got one named mill as the main stop.
Mühle Gehrde, Alfhausen.
Stage 8: Alfhausen → Neuenkirchen (31 km)
From Alfhausen you head via Eggermühlen and Wissel to Neuenkirchen. The route gives you two mill stops as intermediate targets before you reach Neuenkirchen, so the day has a clear structure.
Mühle Eggermühlen, Mühle Wissel, Neuenkirchen.
Stage 9: Neuenkirchen → Menslage (26 km)
You ride from Neuenkirchen via Herzlake to Menslage. Mühle Herzlake is the key stop in the middle of this stage. Menslage is your target for planning an overnight.
Mühle Herzlake, Menslage.
Stage 10: Menslage → Werlte (26 km)
From Menslage the route runs via Vormeppen to Werlte. With Mühle Vormeppen you’ve got a clear point to aim for during the day. Werlte ends the stage.
Mühle Vormeppen, Werlte.
Stage 11: Werlte → Molbergen (29 km)
From Werlte you head via Matken to Molbergen. The named mill in Matken is the stop that breaks up the day. Then you ride on to the finish in Molbergen.
Mühle Matken, Molbergen.
Stage 12: Molbergen → Cloppenburg (32 km)
You start in Molbergen and ride via Lindern to Cloppenburg. Mühle Lindern gives you a fixed mid-ride stop. Cloppenburg is the stage finish.
Mühle Lindern, Cloppenburg.
Stage 13: Cloppenburg → Emstek (27 km)
From Cloppenburg you ride to Emstek. This stage is set up as a linking day between two towns. Emstek is your finish.
Emstek.
Stage 14: Emstek → Meller Berge (30 km)
To wrap it up, you ride from Emstek via Lastrup back to the Meller Berge. Mühle Lastrup is the standout stop on the way back. Reaching the Meller Berge closes the loop.
Mühle Lastrup, Meller Berge.
The Most Beautiful Section on the Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour
The most mill-dense stretch, for me, is Quakenbrück → Dörgen (stage 3) and then on to Badbergen (stage 4): in quick succession you’ve got the Artland-Mühle, the Mühle Lengerich and the Mühle Dörgen, plus the Mühle Groß Sünderup heading towards Badbergen. Highlight: Artland-Mühle and Mühle Lengerich in the same stage — perfect if you actually want to compare mills rather than ticking off “one per day”.
Highlights on the Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour
- Millenberge (stage 1) as an early anchor point right after you set off from the Meller Berge.
- Windmühle Lintorf and Windmühle Füchten on the way to Bad Essen (stage 1).
- Artland-Mühle near Quakenbrück (stage 3).
- Mühle Querspritzen between Badbergen and Bersenbrück (stage 5).
- Mühle Herzlake on the Neuenkirchen → Menslage section (stage 9).
- Mühle Lastrup on the way back to Meller Berge (stage 14).
Accommodations on the Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour
Along the Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour you'll find numerous accommodation options – from hotels and guesthouses to campsites and small tent meadows.
Campsites & Tent Options
Along the Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour there are numerous places to camp – from large campsites to small tent meadows on farms. Campsites usually don't need to be booked in advance.
Hotels & Guesthouses
Numerous accommodations along the route – from hostels and guesthouses to hotels. Important for cycle tourists: secure bike storage and no minimum stay requirements.
BikeTouri Tip: BikeTouri shows you all accommodations along the route – with prices, amenities, and reviews from cycle tourists. Also available offline.
Planning Your Niedersächsische Mühlen-Tour Trip
What should you book in advance?
During peak season (June-August), it's recommended to book accommodations in popular stops 1-2 days ahead. Outside peak season, spontaneous booking is usually possible.
What can you decide spontaneously?
Daily distances, rest stops, restaurant visits, and detours to attractions can all be decided on the day based on weather and how you're feeling.
Typical daily costs
Practical Information
Getting There & Away
The route is well connected by train at both start and end points. Most regional trains accept bicycles, though reservations may be required during peak season.
Shopping Along the Way
Supermarkets and grocery stores can be found in most towns along the route. Plan for longer stretches in rural areas where shops may be limited.
Bike Shops & Repairs
Bicycle repair shops are available in larger towns. Carry basic tools and a spare tube for emergencies between service points.
More Information
Conclusion
The strength is how committed the theme is: loads of clearly named mills, plus an official 14-stage structure you can use as your planning backbone. The weak point if you’re planning it yourself: the official info doesn’t give you much detail on surface and elevation, so you have to plan with a bit of uncertainty. If you like having mills as the red thread and you want the option to start and finish flexibly, this loop works really well.
Why BikeTouri?
We don't just show the big campsites – but also small tent meadows, farms, and cyclist-friendly guesthouses. With prices, reviews from cycle tourists, and offline maps.