The Holtriem Hiking Trail is a great focus for a trip to Holtriem: The approximately 48-kilometre circular route passes through scenic areas and connects existing farm tracks. There are also options for shorter sections, a well-signposted cycling network in the Holtriem countryside, and a variety of cultural and technological history topics. This lets you tailor your stay to your interests without having to plan a full circular tour for every activity.
Hiking the Holtriem circular route
The Holtriem Hiking Trail is well signposted and can be left in any village. Families with children can explore sections suited to their abilities. This makes the route a flexible option: you can take on the whole trail as a hiking goal or include just one section in your plans. The approximately 48 kilometres refer to the length of the circular hiking trail, not to the distance of any one section. Choose a section based on how far you want to hike that day.
The cycling network offers a different way to explore the Holtriem countryside: it is a well-signposted network, not the single circular hike of the Holtriem Hiking Trail. The landscape includes largely unspoilt and intact marshland, geest and moorland areas. Swimming is possible as a leisure activity in the Holtriem countryside; check specific facilities and conditions locally. In addition to the Holtriem Hiking Trail, cycling and swimming offer further ways to explore the Holtriem countryside.
Cultural and technological history
The Nenndorf peat-fired brickworks is a notable example of technology. Built in 1896, it preserves traditional production processes and contains the oldest Hoffmann ring kiln in Germany fired with peat. It thus brings together the history of brickmaking and a distinctive kiln. If you plan to visit, check current access arrangements beforehand.
Mills also offer an opportunity to explore different architectural and technological histories. The Dutch windmill is considered a landmark of the Holtriem collective municipality. In Schweindorf, the Klaashensche Mill is a gallery Dutch windmill dating from 1907; its features include a fantail and sail-shaped blades. The term “gallery Dutch windmill” identifies the mill type, while the fantail and sail-shaped blades are specific parts of the structure.
The Kastrop Rose Garden in Eversmeer covers approximately 2,000 square metres and is home to 60 to 70 varieties of roses. A garden’s appearance depends on the season; visiting arrangements may also change. So check the current visiting options before you go. A tour can be arranged by registering at 0 49 75 – 6 61; check the contact details in advance.
Another topic in technological history is the Norderland wind farm. One wind turbine that is open to visitors has an internal spiral staircase and a glass-enclosed viewing rotunda beneath the machinery housing. Visits are generally available by appointment from the start of the Easter holidays to the end of the autumn holidays. Before making plans, ask whether visits are currently being offered and arrange an appointment.
Additional cultural history in Westerholt
Westerholt has its own historical context, separate from the places in Holtriem mentioned above. The church there was probably built between 1250 and 1270; remains of medieval paintings survive on its south wall. Its pulpit is one of the oldest wooden pulpits in East Frisia. The church was fortified for a time, surrounded by a rampart and moat, and, as a fortified church, protected the western border of the sphere of influence of the Harlingerland chieftains.
The organ in Westerholt Peace Church can also be dated precisely: it was built between 1840 and 1842 by the Esens organ builder Arnold Rohlfs. The instrument, with one manual, an attached pedal and eight stops, is largely preserved and was restored by Martin Haspelmath in 1988/89. Another historical topic is the Westerholt-Terheide gold bowls. They are made of pure gold; prehistorians classify them as Bronze Age drinking vessels.
The Norderland wind farm is located in the Hammrich area of the municipalities of Nenndorf, Westerholt and Schweindorf. A total of 35 wind turbines with a combined capacity of 52.5 megawatts began operating in mid-1998. At the turbine designated for visitors, the 68-metre-high viewing rotunda is below the machinery housing. In good weather, the East Frisian Islands and the East Frisian peninsula can be seen from there. In Westerholt, state road 6, running east to west, and state road 7, running north to south, also meet at the roundabout.
Tailor your stay
When looking for accommodation in Holtriem, it helps to first decide what kind of stay you want. If hiking is the main focus of your day, you can choose between the circular route and individual sections. For cyclists, the signposted network in the Holtriem countryside offers a different way to get around; cultural and technological history offers other points of interest. If you plan to visit a site, check its arrangements separately. CultureCall provides information about the culture of eleven historic sites in the Holtriem collective municipality by phone; the sites are marked with uniform signs. Check the current contact details before calling.
Discover more destinations: Werdum, Harlesiel, Friedeburg, Blomberg, Ochtersum, Utarp, Nenndorf, Neuschoo
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