Wolf Gorge
Wolfsschlucht is the name of a small area around the Wulfsbieke spring stream. It is part of the approximately 66-hectare Seppenrader Schweiz nature reserve, one of the conservation objectives of which is the preservation of near-natural springs and streams. Its name is a puzzle and its history illustrates the changing understanding of nature in our time.
The name Wulsbeck (old German for wolf stream) first appears on official maps in 1826. Later, the stream was known as Wulfsbieke and it was not until the middle of the 20th century that the name Wolfsschlucht (wolf gorge ) became common for the entire valley of the stream. But where does the reference to the wolf come from? The heraldic expert Anton Fahne noted in 1860 that the origin of the word "wolf"... "a great deal has already been fabulated".
There are said to have been wolves in Seppenrade at that time. According to oral tradition, a pack of wolves could still be found in the area around the village 250 years ago. The sighting of two wolves in 1838 is documented, even though the last wolf in Westphalia was supposed to have been killed in Nordkirchen three years earlier. However, there has never been any evidence of wolves in the gorge. The reference seems unlikely.
For a long time, a wolf with a double tail could also be seen in the Wolfsschlucht on a sandstone coat of arms, which corresponded to an image in the stained glass windows of the village church. This has its origins in the coat of arms of the Lupus de Ludinchusen family (Wolf zu Lüdinghausen), first mentioned in 1271. The family owned the gorge at the end of the Middle Ages and its seat was Wolfsberg Castle in Lüdinghausen. It is therefore conceivable that the name of the stream at that time was due to the family name.
If you look into the tree-covered Wolfsschlucht gorge today, it is hard to imagine that there was a tropical sea here around 80 million years ago. In the Cretaceous period, not only Seppenrade but the entire Westphalian Bay was covered by seawater. The seabed can still be found here today: fossilized, along with the animals that lived in it. In various layers of calcareous sandstone and chalk marl, it forms the mountain range of "Seppenrade Switzerland".
Around 20 springs bring up the groundwater around the ridge. The spring water has been washing out the slopes of soft rock for many thousands of years. This has created deep valleys, such as the Wolfsschlucht gorge. In Seppenrade, these valleys with a spring are called Siepe. They are probably part of the place name (Seppe = Siepe). The second part of the name indicates forest clearing, so that the words together describe the distinctive area at that time.
Springs are protected biotopes. The reason for this is the sensitivity of this small-scale habitat to change. Its inhabitants have adapted to the constant temperature and chemical composition of the water for thousands of years. Some relict species from the Stone Age - such as the Alpine whirlpool worm - are now only found in springs. If living conditions change, many species are unable to leave their island biotope due to their limited mobility.
In the Seppenrader Schweiz nature reserve, in addition to the typical spring stream inhabitants such as the whirlpool worm and caddis fly larva, plants worthy of protection can also be found. The rhododendron, arum, spleenwort, giant horsetail and marsh marigold are rare plants that enhance the ecological value of this area in Seppenrade.
Nature through the ages
The history of the spring stream and its gorge also tells of the changing understanding of nature over the centuries: from a well-tended park to wild nature. As early as 1900, the Wulfsbieke was a popular excursion destination due to its uniqueness in the region and fulfilled the wild and romantic ideas of nature of the time. Back then, nature did not necessarily mean natural: walkers strolled through the park-like grounds and Sunday excursionists gathered for picnics.
During the Second World War, a paramilitary construction group attempted to drive bunkers and tunnels into the Wolfsschlucht and destroyed the paths and terraces in this unsuccessful venture. In the post-war years, the Wolf Gorge received little attention. The half-buried spring was used as a dump and polluted by various entries.
In 1967, as part of the "Our village should become more beautiful" campaign, voluntary work initiated by the Seppenrade local history association brought the Wolfsschlucht back into the public eye. A major clean-up campaign made it attractive for visitors again. As a result, the spring brook once again became part of the local recreation area.
In 1995, when the lease expired, the involvement of the Seppenrade local history association came to an end and visitor traffic ebbed away. The subsequent period of low disturbance benefited the plants and animals that actually have a home in the sensitive Quellbach habitat.
In 2018, the Wolfsschlucht was actively upgraded ecologically. Project funds from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development were used to finance the removal of barrages in the three ponds, among other things. The unobstructed watercourse now more closely resembles its natural appearance.
Since January 2021, the barrier-free viewing platform has provided a view of the sensitive spring area. The protected animal and plant species adapted to the habitat in the Wolfsschlucht gorge have a place to retreat and can develop without any human intervention. To ensure this continues to be the case, it is no longer permitted to enter the Wolf Gorge outside the circular trail. The path now leads along the Wolfsbieke to the characteristic orchards on the slope and offers beautiful views of the town of Lüdinghausen.
