Mensinger Ravine
Encyclopedia
The Mensinger Ravine is a steep-sided valley in the Wiehen Hills in Central Germany that is situated on the territory of the town of Lübbecke
in the district of Minden-Lübbecke.
The ravine begins on the eastern slopes of the Wurzelbrink
hill and runs northwards from there in a curve as far as the B 239 federal road. The ravine is around 800 metres long. The valley floor in its upper section lies at a height of around and drops to at the end of the valley, where the source of the Ronceva
stream is found. In the ravine itself, although it was formed by erosive influences, there is no permanent stream - only during heavy rainfall at the "upper reaches of the Ronceva", so to speak, does any water flow. The valley floor itself is impassable on foot in places. However, immediately to the east is a forest track, that enables the valley to be walked from end to end in 15 minutes. The ravine is forested throughout.
The Mensinger Ravine is a typical example of a Siepe, a narrow, wet, ravine-like, V-shaped valley in higher hills or low mountains with a source stream. (in the East Westphalian region of Ravensberg Land
and in the Lipperland such a terrain feature is known as a Siek).
The source streams in such a valley do not necessarily carry water all-year round, as in the case of that in the Mensiger Ravine, however, the stream is the reason the V-shaped valley was formed. It must however be taken into account for terrain shaping, that in the post ice age
the water levels flowing out of the mountain range
s, including the Wiehen, were greater, so that streams were able to cut into the terrain much more than they do today. This is the reason the ravine is so deep despite the rather low levels of water flow on the ravine floor today.
Lübbecke
Lübbecke is a town in northeast North Rhine-Westphalia in north Germany. This former county town lies on the northern slopes of the Wiehen Hills and has around 26,000 inhabitants. The town is in the Eastwestphalian district of Minden-Lübbecke...
in the district of Minden-Lübbecke.
The ravine begins on the eastern slopes of the Wurzelbrink
Wurzelbrink
The Wurzelbrink is a hill south of Lübbecke which, at , is the second highest peak in the Wiehen Hills in north Germany. Immediately to the south is the no less majestic Kniebrink...
hill and runs northwards from there in a curve as far as the B 239 federal road. The ravine is around 800 metres long. The valley floor in its upper section lies at a height of around and drops to at the end of the valley, where the source of the Ronceva
Ronceva
The Ronceva is a stream that flows through the East Westphalian town of Lübbecke.- Course :The source of the Ronceva lies at in the Wiehen between the hills of Heidbrink and Horsts Höhe at the lower end of the Mensinger Ravine. It flows initially to the east of the B 239 federal road on its way...
stream is found. In the ravine itself, although it was formed by erosive influences, there is no permanent stream - only during heavy rainfall at the "upper reaches of the Ronceva", so to speak, does any water flow. The valley floor itself is impassable on foot in places. However, immediately to the east is a forest track, that enables the valley to be walked from end to end in 15 minutes. The ravine is forested throughout.
The Mensinger Ravine is a typical example of a Siepe, a narrow, wet, ravine-like, V-shaped valley in higher hills or low mountains with a source stream. (in the East Westphalian region of Ravensberg Land
Ravensberg Land
Ravensberg Land is a cultural landscape in the district of Ostwestfalen-Lippe in the northeast of the German federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia. It lies between the Wiehen Hills to the north, the Teutoburg Forest to the south, the state border with Lower Saxony to the west and the large bend...
and in the Lipperland such a terrain feature is known as a Siek).
The source streams in such a valley do not necessarily carry water all-year round, as in the case of that in the Mensiger Ravine, however, the stream is the reason the V-shaped valley was formed. It must however be taken into account for terrain shaping, that in the post ice age
Ice age
An ice age or, more precisely, glacial age, is a generic geological period of long-term reduction in the temperature of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, resulting in the presence or expansion of continental ice sheets, polar ice sheets and alpine glaciers...
the water levels flowing out of the mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
s, including the Wiehen, were greater, so that streams were able to cut into the terrain much more than they do today. This is the reason the ravine is so deep despite the rather low levels of water flow on the ravine floor today.