Holtriem: Discover Hiking, Landscapes and Culture

Holtriem invites you to combine wide-open landscapes with traces of regional history. In the Holtriem region, landscapes range from marshland and geest to moorland; they are considered largely unspoiled and intact. There are also hiking and cycling trails, mills, churches and nature education sites. When choosing your holiday apartment, you can start by asking yourself whether outdoor activities or cultural attractions should play a greater role in your vacation days.

Hiking, Cycling and Spending Time Outdoors

The approximately 48-kilometer Holtriem Hiking Trail links existing rural roads to form a circular route through Holtriem’s landscapes. It is well signposted and can be left in any village. Families with children can explore sections suited to their abilities. So it is not just the overall length that matters: shorter sections are another way to plan a day of hiking.

If you prefer to travel by bike, the Holtriem region has a well-signposted network of cycling routes. Hiking and cycling therefore offer different ways to shape active vacation days.

Mills, Brickworks and Regional History

The Nenndorf peat-fired brickworks was built in 1896 and preserves traditional production processes. It houses Germany’s oldest Hoffmann ring kiln fired with peat. The Dutch windmill also has a special status: it is considered the landmark of the Holtriem collective municipality. In Schweindorf, the Klaashensche Mill is another tangible reminder of the history of milling. This gallery-style Dutch mill dates from 1907 and has a tailpole and sail-shaped blades.

The higher-level destination of Westerholt has its own historical focus. The church there was probably built between 1250 and 1270, and traces of medieval paintings remain on its south wall. For a time, it was fortified and surrounded by a rampart and moat; as a fortified church, it protected the western border of the territory controlled by the Harlingerland chieftains. Its pulpit is one of the oldest wooden pulpits in East Frisia.

The organ in Westerholt’s Friedenskirche also tells a story of craftsmanship: Esens organ builder Arnold Rohlfs built it between 1840 and 1842. The instrument, with one manual, an attached pedal and eight stops, has largely been preserved; Martin Haspelmath restored it in 1988/89. The church in Blomberg was consecrated on June 19, 1870. The gold bowls of Westerholt-Terheide are made of pure gold and are classified by prehistorians as Bronze Age drinking vessels.

Nature Attractions and Special Experiences

The “Ewiges Meer” nature trail provides information on twelve panels. Question-and-answer games, along with lift-up and rotating elements, add interactive stops to the walk. The Kastrop Rose Garden in Eversmeer is home to 60 to 70 varieties of roses across approximately 2,000 square meters. Its appearance and current layout may change with the seasons, so factor your travel dates into your plans.

The Norderland Wind Farm is located in the higher-level destination of Westerholt. A special attraction at the wind farm is an accessible wind turbine with an internal spiral staircase and a glazed viewing rotunda beneath the machinery housing. The wind farm is located in the Hammrich area of the municipalities of Nenndorf, Westerholt and Schweindorf; 35 wind turbines with a total capacity of 52.5 megawatts began operating in mid-1998. In good weather, the East Frisian Islands and the East Frisian peninsula can be seen from the visitor turbine’s viewing rotunda, which is 68 meters high. Visits are generally available by arrangement from the start of the Easter holidays until the end of the autumn holidays. Check whether a visit is currently possible before you go.

When looking for a holiday apartment in Holtriem, it helps to decide on your preferred focus first: the hiking trail and cycling network suit active days, while the churches, mills and brickworks reveal other aspects of regional history.

Discover More Destinations

Neuschoo, Dunum, Ochtersum, Utarp, Esens, Blomberg, Harlesiel, Nenndorf

For the overview of the wider travel region: Wittmund.