Mesekenhagen: Nature between meadows and the Bodden

Meadows, moorland and nature experiences in Mesekenhagen

Mesekenhagen is a picturesque Bodden community close to woodland and waterways. If you want to make landscapes and nature watching the focus of your holiday, there are several themes to explore: the Karrendorfer Wiesen as a resting area for birds, the Mesekenhagen polder with its moorland and Gristow Nature Experience Park, with walking trails through biotopes. Views and culture round out the nature experiences in Gristow.

Karrendorfer Wiesen and the polder landscape

The Karrendorfer Wiesen cover 365 hectares and are part of the “Insel Koos, Kooser See und Wampener Riff” nature reserve. During migration, they are an important resting area for waders and waterbirds.

Between Jager, Kirchdorf and Mesekenhagen, the Mesekenhagen polder encompasses around 600 hectares of moorland with deep peat. A network of ditches and a pumping station drain the area into the Gristower Wieck. The area also contains numerous legally protected biotopes, as well as parts of several Special Areas of Conservation. When planning your holiday, you can therefore take different nature themes into account: bird activity in the meadows and the polder’s moorland.

Walking trails and animals at Gristow Nature Experience Park

Gristow Nature Experience Park has 9 km of walking trails through various biotopes.

Around 300 animals can be observed at the nature park, including sheep, goats, horses and fallow deer. The approximate figure therefore includes animals of various species, not just one group. For families who enjoy a range of nature-watching experiences, a visit here can offer a different focus from watching waders and waterbirds during migration. Which of these experiences appeals to you most may play a part in choosing where to stay.

The nature park’s annual programme also includes the traditional horseback barrel-hitting event. So, alongside walking trails and animal watching, a local custom is also in the spotlight. The reference to the annual event describes a recurring tradition, not a specific date for your stay. If you are interested in local customs, barrel-hitting offers a distinct cultural highlight alongside Mesekenhagen’s nature themes.

Views and culture in Gristow

The tower of Gristow Church has about 141 steps. In good weather, the view extends across the Gristower Wieck to Greifswald and Rügen. The approximate number of steps gives you a concrete idea of the climb; the view is explicitly dependent on good weather. This lets you complement nature watching and walking trails with a perspective from above, provided conditions allow a clear view.

Gristow Church is used for art events, concerts and readings. It is therefore not only a landmark for views across the Wieck, but also a venue for cultural events. If you value culture as much as scenery during your stay, you can take this use into account when planning your trip. When looking for a holiday apartment in Mesekenhagen, the different themes provide some guidance: birdlife and moorland, trails and animals at the nature park, or views and culture in Gristow.

Other places at the same level: Wackerow, Dargelin, Dersekow, Neuenkirchen, Weitenhagen, Diedrichshagen, Hinrichshagen, Behrenhoff.

For the higher-level travel overview: Amt Landhagen.