Lehmkuhlen is characterized by its natural landscape and agriculture. Two different questions are useful when planning your trip: Which visits need to be arranged in advance, and what route length suits your plans? Visits and guided tours at Bredeneek Castle are available by arrangement; the Schusteracht, meanwhile, comprises two circular routes of approximately 30 and 33 kilometres. These differences can help you plan cultural visits and tours as separate priorities.
Bredeneek Castle: Visits by arrangement
Bredeneek Castle has been undergoing restoration since 2004, with the aim of remaining as true to the original as possible. If you would like to visit the castle or take a guided tour, arrange your visit with the owner. Contact them directly to agree on your preferred date. This makes arranging a date part of your plans from the outset.
Bredeneek Castle can also be booked for family celebrations, company events and other business functions. These are different occasions, each with its own arrangements: visits and guided tours must be arranged with the owner; send event enquiries directly to the castle. Check availability and conditions with them.
Chestnut Avenue and Arboretum
The chestnut avenue at Gut Lehmkuhlen is protected as a historic landscape monument. The Lehmkuhlen Arboretum at Gut Lehmkuhlen is classified as a garden monument of historical, scientific, artistic and cultural-landscape significance. Its listing in the register of monuments is scheduled for an update dated 6 April 2026. The two classifications highlight different aspects: the avenue’s status as a landscape monument, and the arboretum’s classification as a garden monument and its diverse significance.
The Schusteracht: Circular Routes and Landscape
The Schusteracht is approximately 64 kilometres long, well signposted and has only a few significant climbs. It has a northwestern circular route of around 30 kilometres and a southeastern one of around 33 kilometres. The difference between their approximate lengths is about three kilometres—a useful point of reference when comparing the route options. Route lengths and infrastructure may change; check the current route before setting out.
The route passes through forests and nature reserves, by lakes and along the River Schwentine. Historic estates, manor houses and cultural monuments line the Schusteracht and invite visitors to stop. Landscape and cultural heritage are recurring themes along the route, while the different circular routes let you choose according to distance.
One described route runs from Preetz via Bredeneek Castle/Lehmkuhlen to Gut Rastorf and back to Preetz. Another runs from Preetz via Gut Rethwisch and Lehmkuhlen towards Trenthorst, Sophienhof, Gut Wahlstorf and other listed places, before also returning to Preetz. For navigation, these sequences are more useful than assigning them to the northwestern or southeastern circular routes: they list their stops without identifying them as either of those loops. Check the route before travelling, as it may change.
The Wider Destination: Plön
The wider destination of Plön offers a broader perspective than Lehmkuhlen alone. The district of Plön is home to around 80 lakes, including Lake Großer Plöner See, covering 29 square kilometres, and Lake Selenter See, covering 22 square kilometres. The district lies between the Baltic Sea and Holstein Switzerland and has about 50 kilometres of Baltic Sea coastline. Along this coast, swimming is possible from Mönkeberg to Sehlendorfer Strand; sailing, surfing, diving, boat trips, offshore sailing excursions, cutter trips and surf fishing are also available. This regional perspective complements Lehmkuhlen’s local themes of castle history, garden monuments and the Schusteracht with a distinctive lakes-and-coast landscape.
Discover more destinations: Warnau, Schellhorn, Bothkamp.
Back to the overview of destinations: Preetz-Land.
