Sparkling blue, lush green, bright purple, soft pastel shades and soothing velvet red: the Ammerland is a colourful region just off the German coast. The area is dotted with traditional thatched-roof houses, wide fields full of wildflowers and several bodies of water, all of which make for a wonderfully varied hiking experience. You can enjoy these beautiful Ammerland landscapes on the Jade Trail.

This long-distance hiking trail takes its name from the River Jade, which is only 22 kilometres (14 mi) long. The Trail begins at the Jadebusen, or more precisely in Wilhelmshaven, and then leads you over a good 130 kilometres (80 mi) through the Geest landscape to the Zwischenahner Meer, to Oldenburg and finally to Wildeshausen.

Along the way, you'll encounter ancient natural landscapes, such as the primeval forest of Neuenburg, wander across the unique moors of the North German Geest landscape and be persuaded time and again to enjoy delicious cakes and a cup of tea in cosy cafés. On every stage of the hike, you can enjoy wide views over the fields and often spot friendly cows grazing alongside.

In this Collection, I’ve divided the long-distance trail into six stages. A few detours to places worth seeing add just under 7 kilometres (4 mi) to this variant. You can get to the starting point in Wilhelmshaven by train. The destination of the long-distance hike, Wildeshausen, also has a railway station. Since there are always sparsely populated regions in Lower Saxony, I’ve ensured the stages always end where you can find overnight accommodation. This means you can always approach the end of each day with peace of mind.

If you can spare more than six days for this hike, I recommend making longer stops in both Bad Zwischenahn and Oldenburg. Not only are the towns themselves well worth a visit, but the surrounding area also has a lot to offer in terms of nature and culture. But maybe you often feel the same way as I do: I prefer to dive deep into tranquil paths, surrounded by nature, to escape the urban hustle and bustle. The Jade Trail is a wonderful way to do that.