Campen can be explored through two very different reasons to visit: climbing Germany’s tallest lighthouse and cycling an approximately 43.5-kilometre loop through the terp villages of the Krummhörn. The tidal landscape of the Wadden Sea is another attraction. If you’re looking for a hotel in Campen, you can begin planning your trip by deciding which of these highlights you want to shape your stay. The tower offers a specific viewpoint, the loop connects Campen with the terp villages and the dike, and the Wadden Sea offers a connection with nature that changes with the tides. These differences help you decide whether to focus on a specific visit or a cycling tour, without prescribing a fixed day’s itinerary.
The Lighthouse: Climb and Views
The Campen Lighthouse is a 65.30-metre-high steel lattice tower and Germany’s tallest lighthouse. Visitors can climb 308 steps to the lower gallery. On clear days, the view from there extends towards Borkum, across the Krummhörn and as far as Emden. If you’re climbing mainly for the distant views, bear the need for clear visibility in mind when choosing your visit date.
Opening arrangements may change seasonally. Before your visit, check the visiting options that apply to your chosen date. Public parking is available on LeuchtturmstraĂźe. These details relate to different planning considerations: the parking information helps with travel arrangements, while the seasonal arrangements are relevant to visiting the tower.
Cycling Through the Krummhörn
The cycling loop offers a different way to include Campen in your trip. The circular route through the terp villages of the Krummhörn is approximately 43.5 kilometres long. From Campen, cyclists follow the signs towards Rysum and Emden. The route also connects the dike and the Campen Lighthouse; from its platform, the view extends across the Krummhörn and the Wadden Sea. The approximate distance gives you a concrete idea of the scale when planning your trip, while the connections to villages, the dike and the tower describe the character of the route. You can consider whether a circular ride should be the main focus of your day or whether you mainly want to plan a visit to the lighthouse as a standalone destination. Signposting and the route may be updated, so check the current route before relying on the signs.
The Wadden Sea and the Tides
The Wadden Sea follows a different timetable from the tower. At low tide, the muddy seabed is exposed and provides food for many bird species. This makes the tides a practical consideration for nature enthusiasts: the state of the mudflats is not always the same, and the weather also affects conditions. If you’re particularly interested in birds or the mudflats, you can take low tide and the weather into account when planning your visit. This way, a fixed viewpoint complements a landscape whose conditions change over time.
You can consider the cycling loop and the lighthouse together when planning your trip, as the route leads to the Campen tower. Whether you include the climb also depends on the seasonally changing opening arrangements. This lets you choose between a cycling tour that includes the lighthouse and a visit focused specifically on the tower.
Discover more destinations: Rysum, Loquard, Greetsiel, Pewsum, Eilsum, Upleward, Visquard, Hamswehrum.
For the wider travel overview: Krummhörn.
