In 2007 the town of Meine turned 1,000 years old. Sure, that’s pretty old. Downright ancient to some folks; but this is a town where some 6th century B.C. settlements were found.
I wish some of them were still here, as sadly not too much of anything historical is still around.
There is one place that would qualify as a historical site. Found in the village of Grassel (one of Meine’s eight villages) is a Gothic Revival church built in the 1860’s, with a tower that remains from the Middle Ages.
However, if you’ve managed to find yourself in Meine, you’re probably not here for old buildings or anything; you’re here for the nearby Lüneburg Heath.
Meine couldn’t be better located to hike or cycle around the Heath. You’ll also find it in the triangle of the cities of Brunswick (that would be Braunschweig in German), Gifhorn and Wolfsburg.
Call it whatever you want, but as you’re off exploring all sorts of walking paths though the grass- and woodlands you’ll probably find yourself a bit speechless.
That’s OK; the Heath has that effect on people.
Meine has the Midland Canal Nature Trail, which is a nice route to take; and quite educational — there are information boards along the route that highlights all sorts of info about the area.
If you’d rather join civilization, Meine has a bunch of sporting activities to keep you engaged. It’s got everything from tennis courts to horseback riding, with an equestrian school to boot.
Want a balance between modern and the stillness of the Lüneburg Heath? Then it’s the two villages of Gravenhorst and Ohnhorst that you’ll want; both are very rural, but you’ll still be near people.
Meine prides itself on its quiet countryside and its proximity to the Lüneburg Heath. Maybe it doesn’t need all those historical sites, I think it’s perfect the way it is.
Besides, if you’re a thousand years old, you can pretty much do whatever you want. Right? ;-)
