The area around Bad Oeynhausen and the Weserbergland hills is certainly well worth exploring, with a number of unexpected retreats where you can get away from it all, as well as attractive leisure facilities. In the idyllic hilly landscape, which is dominated by the river Weser, there are many wonderful, neatly kept medieval towns to visit. Alternatively, you can experience the romance and nostalgia of the mills tradition on the Westphalian Mills Route or discover the Pied Piper town of Hamlyn.Westphalian Mills Route
A tour along the Westphalian Mills Route in the Minden-Lübbecke region is a way of winding the clock back to the turn of the 20th century when windmills, watermills and treadmills were still used to grind the grain for people's daily bread. Nowhere in Germany is the art of milling – and the story of inventive technical genius – portrayed as instructively and in such diversity as in this area of fields, meadows and parks between the Wiehengebirge hills and the River Weser and Lake Dümmer. During the mills' restoration, many bakehouses were also renovated, so that on certain days modern city dwellers can see how grain is milled to make flour and then baked into nourishing bread in stone ovens.The Pied Piper town of Hamlyn
Famous around the world as the setting for the story of the Pied Piper, Hamlyn is situated in the heart of the picturesque Weserbergland hills. The Pied Piper is said to have come to Hamlyn in 1284 to save the town from rats. With many highlights ranging from the Pied Piper Hall to the Pied Piper open-air plays, it's hard to imagine Hamlyn without this famous character. The town's other rewarding attractions include the demonstration glassblowing works where you can watch a blob of 1,200°C molten glass being turned into a vase, a bowl or an enchanting glass animal figure. Visitors to the historical Pulverturm ("powder tower") are invited to experience the world of glass and its fascinating history.Mittelland Canal
Cycle along the "Canale Grande" through the Hannover region. This is the busiest shipping route in Lower Saxony and the ideal place for a whole range of enjoyable leisure activities. The Mittelland Canal, the construction of which began in 1906, branches off from the Dortmund-Ems Canal near Rheine and continues for a total distance of 325 kilometres before it meets the river Elbe near Magdeburg. It is Germany's longest canal and the only one that runs from west to east. A cycling tour along the stretch of the canal in the region between Minden and Hannover will take you through some beautiful countryside, past major industrial areas and some amazing attractions.