Hünenweg
Description
- Name Hünenweg
- Length of trail 208 km, 129 miles
- Length in days 10 days
- Start of trail Osnabrück
- End of trail Papenburg
- Traildino grading EW, Easy walk, nature trail


Osnabrück - Papenburg, 208 km, 10 days
This path is named after the many dolmens (Hünengrab in German) in this region. These dolmens are prehistoric burial tombs, built of massive stones. They date from the Neolithic period, 3000 - 4000 BC, and can be found all over Europe.
The old name for this trail, by the way, is Friesenweg.
The trail connects to the Ostfriesland Wanderweg, which starts at the North Sea coast. The start (or end) of the Hünenweg is in the town of Papenburg. Papenburg is an old peat colony, a place that has sprung up around the exploitation of vast moors. This kind of villages are typically very long, and Papenburg is considered one of the longest in Germany. Hence, the path runs south, trodding on poor sandy soils. Eventually it leaves the flat north German landscapes and touches the first mountains of Germans interior. We now reach Osnabrück, and the historic center of this city is the end of the trail. On its way the trail visits some historical castles and monasteries.
Links
Facts
- Hünenweg | Niedersachsen | Fernwanderweg - www.wanderkompass.de (German)
Wanderkompass.de gives detailed descriptions of the different sections of the Hünenweg, with Google maps and GPS data.
- Wanderbares Deutschland (German)
Use the left menu to find any trail. Wanderbares Deutschland (Wanderful Germany) is a very good webpage, created and maintained by the German Walking Association, Deutscher Wanderverband. You will find many trails, including sketch maps, descriptions (often also in English), relevant guides and maps, and so on.
- Wandern auf dem Hünenweg - Im Land der mystischen Steine (German)
Excellent page by Fernwege.de on the "Chicken Way" or Hünenweg (also called Friesenweg), with sketch maps, route description, GPS donwload, documentation.
- Friedensstadt Osnabrück | Friesenweg (German)
Some information on the website of the Osnabrück Tourist Organisation.
- Hünenweg – Wikipedia (German)
- WGV | Willkommen beim Wiehengebirgsverband (German)
This is the hiking organisation of the Wiehengebirge and the whole of Northwest Germany north and west of these hills. You will find a overview of the hiking trails, when you click on "Wegeübersicht".
Reports
Guides and maps
Lodging
Organisations
Tour operators
GPS
Other
Books

Netherlands
- Wanderführer Hünenweg
- Friesenweg 1 : 40 000 WanderführerWanderführer für den Hauptwanderweg Nr.2 des Wiehengebirgsverbandes Weser-Ems e.V.In acht Etappen von Osnabrück nach Papenburg - über 190 km durch Berge, Wälder, Moor und HeideAlles drin - vom Feldweg bis zum Museum, vom Hotel bis zur Bademöglichkeit - Amtliche Wanderkarten im Maßstab 1:40000 für jede... Read more
- Also available from:
- Bol.com, Belgium

Belgium
- Wanderführer Hünenweg
- Friesenweg 1 : 40 000 WanderführerWanderführer für den Hauptwanderweg Nr.2 des Wiehengebirgsverbandes Weser-Ems e.V.In acht Etappen von Osnabrück nach Papenburg - über 190 km durch Berge, Wälder, Moor und HeideAlles drin - vom Feldweg bis zum Museum, vom Hotel bis zur Bademöglichkeit - Amtliche Wanderkarten im Maßstab 1:40000 für jede... Read more