Elmendorf: Experience Nature and History

Elmendorf brings together nature, trails and traces of history. When planning your trip, you can choose from different focuses: forests and landscapes, a guided tour in Dreibergen or a hike along the Zwischenahner Meerweg. If you’re looking for a hotel in Elmendorf, you can plan your stay around whichever of these appeals to you most.

Forests and Landscapes

The 28-hectare “Elmendorfer Holz” Natura 2000 site lies north of the Zwischenahner Meer in the Oldenburg Geest. As a local recreation area, it is also highly significant in connection with tourism around the Zwischenahner Meer.

Herrenholz Dreibergen is home to oak and beech trees up to 180 years old. Since 2018, the western section on both sides of the old church path has been left to develop naturally. The reference to the church path defines this area more precisely: natural development applies to the western section, not to Herrenholz as a whole.

Guided Tour, Hiking Trail and Bathing Area

A guided tour in Dreibergen is available on request throughout the year and explores the northern shore of the Zwischenahner Meer. If you plan to join the tour, arrange a specific date in advance. The bathing area in Dreibergen has an extensive sunbathing lawn and a small sandy beach, inviting you to relax or take a refreshing swim.

The Zwischenahner Meerweg is a 12.18-kilometre circular hiking trail. These are distinct options: the guided tour explores the northern shore and is available on request, while the circular route is described as a hiking trail with a specific length. The 12.18-kilometre distance gives you a concrete reference point when planning your hike.

Traces of History

In the 17th and 18th centuries, Gut Blexhaus was a post station with hereditary inn rights. These two historical functions reflect different aspects of the estate’s role at the time: postal services and the right to operate an inn.

A castle belonging to the Counts of Elmendorf stood on the site of Elmendorfer Burg in Bad Zwischenahn in the mid-12th century. Information boards explain its history, and admission is free. The castle’s name and its location in Bad Zwischenahn are part of this historical context.

Culture in the Wider Destination of Bad Zwischenahn

Bad Zwischenahn offers further historical subjects as a broader regional context. St. John’s Church was founded in 1124 by Count Egilmar, the first hereditary count of Oldenburg, as a daughter church of Wiefelstede. Its interior includes, among other things, a medieval wall cabinet and a 15th-century baptismal font.

The Ammerland Farmhouse is one of Germany’s oldest open-air museums of its kind. Located in the heart of the spa gardens, the museum comprises 17 houses and outbuildings harmoniously integrated into the landscape. Here, you can discover what life was like 300 years ago. The windmill offers another glimpse into history: it dates from 1811 and was first erected in neighbouring Westerstede.

Whether you plan your stay around forests and hiking, a guided tour or historic sites, the options described have clearly distinct focuses.

For an overview of the wider destination: Bad Zwischenahn.