Large farms on terps, a wetland habitat important to birds, and a nature trail through coastal landscapes: Ostermarsch offers tangible points of interest for a trip centred on nature and settlement history. The Bird Trail connects these themes with impressions of the East Frisian coastal marsh and the Wadden Sea.
Terp Landscape and Birdlife
Large farms, often situated on terps, are characteristic of Ostermarsch. The terps had to be raised several times as sea levels rose. This makes it possible to consider the settlement pattern alongside the development of the coastal landscape. A specific natural site is the Petersbörg wetland habitat in the Altendeich area: it lies 300 m north of the Petersbörg farmstead and was designated a natural monument in October 1991. It is of great importance to waterbirds and serves as a resting, feeding and refuge area for various waders from the outer dike areas, meadow birds and northern migrants.
The Ostermarsch Bird Trail
The “Ostermarsch Bird Trail” is an approximately 7.5 km-long educational trail with nine stops. It leads from the former village school at Otto-Leege-Platz in Ostermarsch to the observation hut at Norddeich East Harbour. Along the way, it offers impressions of the original coastal village, the East Frisian coastal marsh and the North Sea coast with the Wadden Sea. The nine stops cover topics along the route and connect local history with the coastal landscape.
Near Ostermarsch, at Norddeich East Harbour, there is a birdwatching station sheltered from wind and rain, with views extending to the island of Norderney. Information boards and a spotting scope offer a glimpse of the Wadden Sea’s birdlife; the station is part of the Bird Trail. The trail thus combines landscape views with opportunities to learn about birdlife.
Farmstead Terps and Dike History
Three uninhabited medieval farmstead terps have been preserved in Ostermarsch. Two visible settlement horizons can be identified on each of the preserved farmstead terps, dating approximately from the 12th to 13th centuries AD. Between them lies a layer of clayey soil approximately 0.50 m thick. These layers make the long history of settlement tangible through specific structural remains.
The oldest dike line recorded in this area during terrain mapping is the Süderhaus dike line. The first dike ran 1 km to the south of and parallel to today’s Ostermarscher Landstraße, connecting the old terps of “Sieltog” and “Süderhaus”. Another significant change was the larger-scale diking of 1576: it created a large polder between the Lintelermarsch and Hagermarsch, almost 10 km long and ¾ to 1 km wide, of which Ostermarsch accounted for about one third of its length. Together, these details show how closely local history is connected to terps, dikes and the shaping of the marsh landscape.
Getting Here and Finding Accommodation
Ostermarsch is connected to local public transport by bus route 413 on the Norden/Norddeich–Dornumersiel route. Check the current timetable before travelling. If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Ostermarsch, you can choose the location based on your interests: the Bird Trail and wetland habitat focus on nature and coastal themes, while the terps and dike lines offer a historical focus. This will help you decide before booking whether this combination of landscape and history suits your travel plans.
Discover more destinations: Norddeich
Go to the higher-level travel overview: Norden.
