Discover Ammerland: Nature, Water and Cycling Routes
Accommodation in Ammerland
Freshwater tidal flats, fen landscapes, gardens and Lake Zwischenahner Meer give Ammerland its many different facets. If you are looking for a holiday apartment, you can plan your trip around the experiences you want to focus on: nature and dike landscapes, longer cycling tours, water activities, or insights into regional history and garden culture.
Nature at Aper Tief and trails through the fen landscape
Apen is home to the only freshwater tidal flats in the northwest. They were created in 2005 when a dike was relocated and serve as a retention area for potential flooding from Aper Tief. In the area designated as a nature reserve, some parts of the terrain are regularly flooded by the ebb and flow of the tide. This has led to the development of a distinctive flora and fauna. The interplay of water, dike and nature shapes this part of Ammerland.
During guided walks along the dike at Aper Tief, you can learn more about how the areas were created and designated, as well as about special features of nature conservation and flood protection. The length is set by the participants and is about 3 to 6 kilometres. If you are interested in the landscape and how it is used, this gives you a specific focus for an outing, rather than seeing the area merely as a backdrop.
The Ammerland Route passes through fen landscapes and is a 165-kilometre circular route through Ammerland’s parkland. There are 11 shelters along the route where you can take a break. The route’s length can help you plan your cycling days. How far you choose to ride is up to you.
Lake Zwischenahner Meer and garden variety
Lake Zwischenahner Meer offers a range of ways to enjoy the water: sailing, surfing and swimming, as well as cycling and hiking along its eleven-kilometre shoreline. A round trip on the Weisse Flotte takes about 70 minutes. Round trips run daily from April to October, and you can start or interrupt your trip at any landing stage. This makes a boat trip an outing in its own right, whether you would rather be active along the shore or on board that day.
The Park of Gardens offers another way to spend time outdoors. The 14-hectare site is located on the grounds of Lower Saxony’s first State Garden Show, held in 2002. It comprises more than 90 independent areas, including themed gardens, plant collections and educational trails, as well as more than 40 different display gardens. The wide variety of gardens makes the park especially interesting for anyone who wants to take a closer look at plants and garden design.
History and regional highlights
Historic sites also tell of the different facets of Ammerland. The open-air museum in Bad Zwischenahn comprises historic thatched-roof houses that authentically depict life 300 years ago. Guided tours of the Ammerland Farmhouse are available year-round on request. In Apen, the oldest ham-smoking business in Ammerland is part of the region’s food culture. Guided tours of the Ham Museum cover the rooms and techniques associated with curing, the smokehouse and tradition.
In the rural community of Hengstforde, the Hengstforde Mill, a gallery-style Dutch windmill, stands right by Aper Tief. A wooden mill stood on this site from 1742; it was replaced by a stone building in the late 19th century. The mill can be visited free of charge, and guided tours are available by prior arrangement. Tollhus up'n Wurnbarg was once a customs station between Ammerland and the Oldenburg Münsterland. Today, the open-air museum displays numerous exhibits on the history of Ammerland’s agriculture. Visits and guided tours are available there year-round by prior arrangement.
Two churches with very different historical features are also among the area’s notable landmarks. St. Peter’s Church is the oldest building and a landmark of the town of Westerstede; its tower is 48 metres high. It can be visited free of charge. St. Ulrich’s Church in Rastede is almost 1,000 years old and was endowed in 1059 by Count Huno and Countess Willa. Its freestanding gate tower, dating from the 15th century, has three bells from 1498, 1522 and 1992.
When choosing a holiday apartment, you can start by thinking about whether cycling tours, days by the water, gardens or historical discoveries should shape your trip. These different themes offer practical starting points without requiring you to commit to just one kind of holiday.
For further orientation, you can view the towns in Ammerland individually: Bad Zwischenahn, Westerstede, Apen, Rastede, Edewecht, Wiefelstede.
To the overview of the wider region: Lower Saxony.
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