Westerberg

The Westerberg is a low ridge in northern Lower Saxony, part of the eastern edge of Land Hadeln. It forms an end moraine from the Saale glaciation, covered with mixed forest like the nearby Wingst ridge. Together with Wingst, it marks the boundary of this historic region. The ridge rises gently to its highest point, Georgenhöhe, which reaches 66 metres. Its name reflects its position as the western hill in the area.

The hill holds traces of early human activity and religious history. A megalithic grave lies hidden in the woods, built long before recorded time. Nearby stands the Steinofen, a striking rock formation shaped by ice and wind. A collection of 106 glacial erratics, known as the stone garden, shows the power of the ice age. A nunnery once occupied the hill before moving to Himmelpforten in the 13th century. The convent owned the land and its dense forest for centuries.

Visitors walk shaded paths beneath tall trees, discovering ancient stones and quiet clearings. The megalithic grave draws those interested in prehistoric burial sites. The Steinofen offers a striking natural sculpture to examine up close. The stone garden arranges boulders of different sizes and colours, each one carried south by ancient glaciers. Views stretch over rolling farmland and distant hedgerows. The ridge remains a peaceful place, where nature and history meet without interruption.