The Hase river is a small forest and grassland river. Its source can be found in Teutoburger Wald (Teutoburg Forest) to the south of Osnabruck. Its mouth flows into the Ems river 193 km away at Meppen.
The Hase river is perfect for beginners and family fun on the water. It traverses a park-like landscape and is the only one of the rivers in Germany where canoers can find a bifurcation: a geographical phenomenon where a river forks off and the arms flow into several different river systems. Boat slides and rock ramps often make it easier to cross the few weirs along the way. Canoeists can paddle along the entire river from Osnabrück. The many camping sites dotted along the route are geared towards your canoe trip. Enjoy incredible canoe adventures along a number of tributaries and oxbow lakes.
Tourists can also take in a special highlight - even from the river: the “Kunst am Fluss” (Art on the River) open-air gallery. Canoers will encounter extraordinary works of art at seven locations along the Hase river here.
Information
Nature conservation and navigation instructions
Visitors can go on a tour of Osnabruck, but portage at the weir is a very cumbersome task. Getting out of the canoe at the Mittellandkanal (Mittelland Canal) 116.9 km along the river also takes a lot of effort. From this point, there is a 3 kilometre stretch where getting out of the canoe with the help of a vehicle is recommended. At the weir in Bersenbrück, do not canoe down the arm of the river because you will not be able to get out of your canoe along this stretch of the route. There are no more weirs in the section between Quakenbrück and Meppen.
For further information, please contact the district of Emsland’s regional nature conservation authority.
The specifics of the tour
There is a train station in the centre of Osnabruück with excellent connections to the major cities in the east and south.
Visitors can also find stations along the Hase river in Bersenbrück, Quakenbrück and Meppen with rail connections to other towns and cities.
For more information, please contact Hasetal Touristik GmbH.
They will also be able to provide you with a map of riverside walking routes in the Hasetal valley with all the necessary information. This map also depicts the course of the Hase river and shows information points along the route.