Lehe: Cable Ferry, Hiking Trails and Family Experiences

The Lehe Pünte ferry, routes through wet meadows and forests, and a family-oriented Pünte certificate give Lehe a distinctive mix of nature and shared experiences. When planning your trip, it is worth keeping these themes separate: the ferry offers a special crossing of the Ems, the hiking and walking routes focus on different distances and landscapes, and the Struven Hus is centered on family activities and holiday apartments.

The Lehe Pünte: a special crossing of the Ems

The Lehe Pünte is the only cable ferry on the navigable Ems and is located between the Herbrum and Bollingerfähr locks. Volunteer ferrymen take pedestrians and cyclists across the river. The Pünte is therefore a clearly defined destination for anyone who wants to include a ferry crossing on foot or by bike in their travel plans. The three Lehe hiking and walking routes run close to the Pünte. Check the ferry’s seasonal operating arrangements before your trip.

Hiking and walking routes of varying lengths

The three Lehe hiking and walking routes were completed in 2011 and are signposted. They range in length from 2.2 to 11.9 kilometres. This provides a clear comparison of route distances: a shorter tour offers a different experience from a route of nearly twelve kilometres. The trails pass through wet meadows, ponds, pastures, hedgerows, forests and heathland. The landscape changes along the routes rather than being limited to a single type of natural scenery.

Eleven habitat information boards explain the landscape and local flora and fauna. They give the routes an educational focus alongside the physical activity: along the way, you can look out for the habitats and species described on the boards. Together with the proximity of the Lehe Pünte, this lets you include two distinct aspects in your day’s plans—the landscapes along the trails and the ferry crossing of the Ems.

Family activities and holiday apartments at the Struven Hus

The Lehe Pünte certificate includes Ems rat catching, ring tossing and fishing as family activities. These activities may depend on local arrangements. The Struven Hus has a children’s area with drawing boards and other child-friendly play options. It also offers four family-friendly holiday apartments in a former farm building. Each is about 80 square metres, and accessibility is taken into consideration.

Visitors can view historic agricultural machinery and equipment on the grounds of the Struven Hus. Access may depend on the accommodation arrangements. When planning your accommodation, check the availability and facilities of the holiday apartments as well as the on-site amenities before booking. If you would like to see the historic equipment, also check which accommodation arrangements apply to access.

The Emsland as a wider regional setting

As a broader travel destination, the Emsland offers another scale for active holidays: more than 1,400 kilometres of cycling routes and 1,100 kilometres of riding trails complement the options for hiking and Nordic walking. The 395-kilometre Emsland Route is a circular route through five landscapes: the Northern Ems Valley, Hümmling, Bourtanger Moor, Hasetal and Southern Emsland. It is very well signposted, mostly flat, paved and traffic-free. The route connects 19 towns; any town in the Emsland along the route can serve as a starting or finishing point. It is particularly suitable for beginners and families with children. Its regional scale differs considerably from the three Lehe routes, which range from 2.2 to 11.9 kilometres.

In the northeast of the Emsland district, Hümmling Nature Park covers around 580 square kilometres. Cycling and hiking trails with information points along the way pass historic sites, megalithic tombs and Clemenswerth Palace. The Theikenmeer Loop is also among the nature park’s trails that meet the German Hiking Association’s quality criteria. The Crane Trail leads into the Theikenmeer nature reserve over a distance of about 2.5 kilometres; the return route follows the same trail, making the total walking distance around five kilometres.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Emsbüren, Spelle, Esterwegen, Lähden, Lingen (Ems), Dörpen, Heede, Fresenburg

Back to the main travel overview: Emsland.