Northern district of Vechta
Nordkreis Vechta is one of five areas in the Oldenburger Münsterland in Lower Saxony that have been designated as "recreation areas" for the purpose of promoting tourism . The municipalities of Bakum , Dinklage , Goldenstedt , Lohne (Oldenburg) , Vechta and Visbek belong to the "Northern District of Vechta" .
Almost all typical natural areas in northwest Germany can be found in the northern district of Vechta. The Goldenstedter Moor should be emphasized here as a natural feature . The lowest point of the recreation area is in the floodplain near Carum (23.80 m above sea level). An extensive geest landscape , winding streams, Hutewald in Herrenholz , as well as medieval mill ponds and water mills in the area of the municipality of Visbek characterize the landscape. The numerous Schlatts that can be found are a special feature of the landscape . These are small bodies of water with no outflow, predominantly wind blow-out hollows from the last glacial period , which mostly still have a water surface in their center, but can also fall dry at times. They are the habitat for animal and plant species that have become rare. Typical of the flat, undulating Geest landscape between Visbek and Goldenstedt are the so-called Bruchbachtäler with the Geest brooks and the humid lowlands of the Aue and Twillbäke in the nature reserve Bäken der Endeler and Holzhauser Heide , all of which flow into the Hunte .
A well-developed cycling and hiking network of over 450 km in length and a 34 km long network of bridle paths open up the recreation area.