Westerstede: Parks, Church and Draisine Rides

Westerstede combines extensive gardens, a striking building in the town center and leisure activities with a range of different focuses. Hobbie Rhododendron Park is known for its expansive grounds and extensive network of paths, St. Peter’s Church for its prominence in the town, and the draisine for rides along a disused railway line. When looking for accommodation in Westerstede, you can start by asking yourself whether nature and walking routes, culture or a seasonal excursion will shape your stay.

Gardens and Special Trees

At 70 hectares, Hobbie Rhododendron Park is Germany’s largest rhododendron park by area. Its network of paths covers more than ten kilometers. By contrast, individual trees and perennials take center stage in the Park of Rarities: 212 special trees and more than 2,000 accompanying perennials are on display there. Guided tours of the park are available by arrangement. The two parks offer different points of reference for planning: one has the expansive grounds and network of paths, while the other has a quantified plant collection.

Thalenweide Town Park in the center of Westerstede also has its own distinctive character. Among other features, it is home to a 350-year-old oak. This remarkable tree is another of the nature and landscape experiences described here, alongside the larger parks. Westerstede also has a dense network of cycling and hiking trails and is a state-recognized recreational resort.

Church and Open-Air Theater

St. Peter’s Church stands in the town center. It is the oldest building and a landmark of the town. Its distinctive tower is 48 meters high. The church provides a clear point of reference in the town center; at the foot of the building, the Old Market Square also serves as a stage for open-air theater.

Every two years, the Freilichttheater Gemeinschaft Westerstede transforms the Old Market Square into a theater stage, presenting two plays for visitors of all ages. This may be of interest to people traveling together who are looking for culture suitable for different age groups. If a performance is to shape your travel plans, check the performance dates in advance.

Trails and Draisine Fun

For Draisinenspaß Ammerland, the station is located on the grounds of the G. D. Boehlje tree nursery in Westerstede. The seven-kilometer route has three stops for breaks and follows a disused railway line between Westerstede and the district of Ocholt. Since 2006, twelve bicycle d rails, each for four people, and three club d rails, each for 16 people, have run along the route. The season runs from April 1 to October 15; check the timetable before making specific plans.

Another route option is the Linsweger Eschweg, which starts and ends at the Westerstede district office or the Sonnenhof Hotel. Together with the cycling and hiking trail network and the paths in the rhododendron park, it offers a range of different ways to enjoy being active.

A Further Look at Ammerland

The wider destination of Ammerland also offers garden and landscape experiences. The Gardens Park covers 14 hectares and is located on the grounds of the first Lower Saxony State Garden Show, held in 2002. More than 90 distinct areas—including themed gardens, plant collections and educational trails—are laid out across the park; it also includes more than 40 show gardens.

The only freshwater tidal flat in the northwest is located in Apen, within the wider destination of Ammerland. It was created in 2005 when a dike was moved back to provide a retention area for potential flooding from the Aper Tief. Regular flooding of some parts of the terrain, caused by the ebb and flow of the tides, creates a distinctive flora and fauna in this designated nature reserve. Guided dike walks in the Aper Tief area explain how it was formed, its intended purpose, and the particular features of nature conservation and flood protection. Participants determine the length, which is approximately three to six kilometers.

Discover more destinations: Wiefelstede, Rastede, Apen, Edewecht, Bad Zwischenahn.

Return to the overview of the wider destination: Ammerland.