Nesthausen: Lake, Water Skiing and Local History

In Nesthausen, Lake Nesthausen offers opportunities for exercise and water sports; local history and protected landscape areas add to these features. The activities also differ in their conditions: a lighting period is specified for the running route, while the respective operating hours and opening times apply to water sports and beach volleyball. This helps you choose the destination’s attractions according to your interests.

Running, Water Sports and Cycling

There is a fully lit 3,500-meter circular running route at Lake Nesthausen. Starting points are at the water-ski facility or on the eastern side of the lake. The route is lit from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Its fixed length makes it a clearly defined option for a run, and you can choose between the two specified starting points.

At neighboring Lake Nesthausen, two cableways invite you to enjoy active water-skiing sessions. Stand-up paddleboarding is also offered at Wasserski Paderborn; the rental station is open during the water-ski cableway’s operating hours. Wasserski Paderborn also provides free beach volleyball courts. Their use is included in the admission price and is possible during opening hours. When planning, it is worth distinguishing between the different time periods: the lighting hours for the running route, the cableway’s operating hours, and the courts’ opening hours.

One version of the Paderborn Lakes Tour runs alongside Lake Nesthausen, which is referred to there as the “water-ski lake.” The project to install historical information boards in Elsen also includes a stop titled “The Farming Community of Nesthausen.” A route for visiting the boards is laid out for walking or cycling. This means a cycling route by the lake and a separate way to learn about the history of the farming community are both available.

The Landscape and History of the Area

In Nesthausen, the protected landscape feature LB 2.4.21 “Row of Oak Trees and Woodland Strip in Nesthausen” lies between Federal Highway 64 to the south and Nesthauser Straße to the north. The two roads mark the southern and northern boundaries of the named area. The Lippeniederung bei Sande nature reserve protects the communities of still waters in the former extraction ponds “Nesthauser Grundsee” and “Heddinghauser See,” which are used for nature conservation.

Nesthauser Straße leads from Elsen to the district of Nesthausen, which was first mentioned in 1296 under the form “Nosthusen.” This distinguishes a specific road connection from the historical name recorded at the time of the area’s first mention: the road describes the route from Elsen, while “Nosthusen” is the historical form preserved in the record of its first mention.

The history of community life is also connected with Lake Nesthausen. In 1989, the City of Paderborn made the festival grounds by the lake available to the Nesthausen local heritage association. The grounds are considered the center, or village square, of Nesthausen. The Nesthausen local festival includes a bird-shooting competition.

Paderborn as a Distinctive Urban and Cultural Highlight

The wider destination of Paderborn offers other attractions. More than 200 Pader springs rise in the city center; the Pader is considered Germany’s shortest river. The Museum in the Imperial Palace presents the history of Paderborn and Westphalia from the 6th to the 12th century. One focus is Charlemagne’s imperial palace, which he had built above the Pader springs in 777 as the first and only palace he had built in Saxony. These topics belong to Paderborn and provide a distinct urban and historical highlight.

For the wider travel overview: Paderborn.