Attractions and Places To See around Natural Park Dosenmoor - Top 13

The moor is well-equipped with information panels. This one also explains the Wattenbeck staff. It appears to be a very old, treated staff that has survived the centuries in the moor remarkably well.

The information center seemed very deserted on a weekend at the end of November. It's probably only open seasonally. But: the information center does indeed exist. It's likely more active during the summer months.

Impressive moorland landscape. A bit bumpy to drive.

The Dosenmoor nature reserve in the north of Neumünster is the largest and best preserved raised bog in Schleswig-Holstein! A walk around the most beautiful paths: 120 minutes by foot or 30 minutes by bike, past cotton grass, bell heather, sundew, peat pits and hand-cut peat. The Dosenmoor near Neumünster-Einfeld is considered the best preserved Atlantic plateau raised bog in Schleswig-Holstein and also the largest raised bog in the eastern hill country. The nature reserve, which was secured by state ordinance in 1981, still has its full and original size of 521 hectares. This means that the raised bog is still clearly recognizable as such in the landscape today. In addition, standing in the centre, you can also experience the hourglass-shaped bulge of the treeless raised bog, which rises above the surrounding landscape. Since the 18th century, peat has also been used by farmers in Dosenmoor, and with it a continuous, deep-reaching

very informative board about the staff found here

“It is not known what the staff ultimately served. The experts vary between calling it a cult staff, consecration staff, messenger staff or shepherd's throwing stack. - The assumption that it is a cult or consecration staff could be contradicted by the fact that it is an isolated find. - If there had been a messenger staff, the message would have been recorded with less effort. - Throwing sticks were usually thickened at one end, were easily lost or got stuck in trees. The risk of losing such an ornate staff would be far too high. It is most likely that the Wattenbeker staff was simply used for daily driving of cattle. The staff as well as the Wattenbek local files with the correspondence and research results from Hans Hingst are now in the Archaeological State Museum Gottorf Castle preserved.” [Information board]

“Nothing is known anywhere in the world from the Iron Age that is comparable to the Wattenbeker Staff. The large number of figures skillfully cut into wood, which dynamically represent an impressive scene, are considered particularly unique and significant: • over 20 rushing, mostly horned animals, * two human figures (perhaps shepherds) as well as the legs of a third person and - presumably - two dogs, * a series of 53 notches as well * a web-like pattern that divides the group of animals. According to the opinions of the Heidelberg ethnologist Dauvel (1954) and the representative of the Jessen State Hunting Association (1958), the row of notches could represent numbers, while the net pattern more likely indicates a net hunt. Interesting are Jessen's interpretations that the net is broken through by the animals and only the legs of the net post can be seen because it lies under the net." [Information board]

The Dosenmoor is located north of Neumünster, right next to the Einfelder See, and covers an area of 521 hectares. It is one of the best preserved raised bogs in Schleswig-Holstein and invites those seeking relaxation to its hiking trails, viewing areas and an educational trail. Many rare plants and animals are adapted to the special living conditions in the raised bog and can be easily observed from some of the trails. For example, you might notice blue frogs at the waters from March to April. These are the colorful male moor frogs. The blue coloring can only be observed at this time of year, when the frog man calls for his chosen one. Although the Dosenmoor is one of the best preserved in our country and some rewetting measures have already been implemented, it still shows many traces of human intervention in the natural system, such as the subsidence of the bog, which was caused by drainage. The drained bog was previously used to extract peat. The Doosenmoor has been a nature reserve since 1982 and has been re-wetted since then. Sheep and goats graze here so that the areas do not grow over again, but provide light and space for the typical moor plants such as peat mosses, heather plants and the rare sundew. The Dosenmoor offers a great diversity of species, especially birds. A walk on the paths through the Dosenmoor is definitely a worthwhile experience. https://www.stiftungsland.de/was-wir-tun/erlebnisraumgestalter/karte/stiftungslandgebiete/dosenmoor/