Kellinghusen combines its own ceramic tradition with a natural destination north of the town: the Störkathener Heide. In town, you can discover ceramics on a self-guided walk and learn more about local craftsmanship. This gives you two distinct themes to choose from when planning your trip: culture in Kellinghusen and nature in the nearby protected area.
Ceramics and Instruments in Kellinghusen
A self-guided ceramic walk highlights the importance of pottery to Kellinghusen. Local workshops produce traditional faience, functional ceramics and contemporary vessels. You may have the opportunity to watch craftspeople at work or try your hand at ceramics yourself; access to the workshops may vary. So there is more to the experience than looking at finished vessels: it also includes the process of making them and different forms of ceramic work.
The “Museum Betont” brings Kellinghusen’s ceramic tradition together with historic keyboard instruments. Its offerings include special exhibitions, concerts on historic instruments and workshops. Check opening hours and temporary exhibitions separately before your visit.
The Störkathener Heide as a Nature Destination
The Störkathener Heide, also known as the heathland near Kellinghusen, lies north of the town. The nature reserve covers around 16 hectares. A viewpoint at the Liliencron monument and a circular trail of about 2.5 kilometres, with information panels, provide practical landmarks for your visit. The trail combines exercise with insights into the protected area, while the viewpoint offers a separate stopping point along the route. Check the applicable nature reserve rules and the condition of the trail on site.
Ceramics and heathland offer different experiences: in Kellinghusen, the focus is on workshops, vessels and historic instruments; north of the town, the nature reserve, circular trail and viewpoint take centre stage. This distinction can help you plan your stay around your interests without combining the cultural attractions and natural destination into a single sight.
More to Explore in the Wider Steinburg Destination
The varied landscape of the wider Steinburg destination stretches from the Elbe to the Holsteiner Auenland. The region also offers a broader setting for cycling trips: the Elbe Cycle Route is one of five long-distance cycle routes that run through Steinburg district. If you include these routes in your plans, check trail conditions before setting out.
Cultural attractions in the wider Steinburg destination include museums in Glückstadt and Itzehoe. The Detlefsen Museum in Glückstadt offers a comprehensive picture of the city and the Holstein Elbe marshes, past and present. The Kreismuseum Prinzeßhof is housed in Itzehoe’s oldest secular building and focuses on the history and cultural history of Steinburg district in the 19th and 20th centuries. The Wenzel Hablik Museum in Itzehoe displays the artist’s estate, including paintings, drawings, designs for utopian space settlements, furniture, textiles, and collections of shell and metal figures.
Events and seasonal offerings also shape the wider Steinburg destination. Wacken Open Air takes place every year at the festival grounds in Wacken and is one of the world’s largest heavy metal festivals; check dates and admission details for the relevant year. During the Steinburg Game Weeks, from mid-September to the end of October, chefs from the region prepare traditional and unusual dishes featuring hare, roe deer, wild boar or wild duck. Check the dates and participating venues in advance.
Explore more destinations: Brokstedt, Störkathen, Elskop, Krempermoor, Neuendorf-Sachsenbande, Krempe, Hohenaspe, Horst.
Go to the overview of the wider destination: Steinburg.
