Discover Nettetal: Lakes, Trails and Culture

Nettetal combines an extensive hiking landscape with lakes, birdwatching and distinctive cultural themes. You can shape your stay in different ways: around trails and natural areas, activities on the water or textile history. Around 145 kilometres of signposted hiking trails, some crossing the border, offer a variety of options: premium trails, nature trails, circular routes and accessible routes.

Hiking trails between lakes, marshland and heath

Nettetal’s hiking landscape includes lakes and wetlands, forests, ridges, marshes and heathland, as well as broad, green floodplains. If you like to plan around a specific circular route, the Krickenbecker Seen offer a green and a blue loop of 7.3 and 10.2 kilometres; both are suitable for hiking or cycling. At De Wittsee, a 3.8-kilometre circular trail runs along the large lake, opening up views of the water, a swamp forest and extensive meadows. The different route lengths offer a tangible point of comparison when planning your day.

Guided themed hikes are also available to visitors in Nettetal: the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park and the Niederrhein Association offer them regularly. The Biological Station also runs a programme of excursions in the Lower Rhine region from its information centre. If you prefer to explore nature on your own, the Krickenbecker Seen reveal another side of the landscape: they are designated as a Natura 2000 site under the Habitats and Birds Directives. The information centre beside the lakes explains the protected areas’ natural environment through exhibitions. Its shop sells hiking and cycling maps, nature books, drinks, snacks, ice cream and regional products.

Experience the water and watch birds

At De Wittsee, nature watching and water sports go hand in hand. From seating on the old railway embankment, you can observe the varied birdlife along the natural shores. The large lake also offers opportunities for swimming, sailing and canoeing; check the local rules before your visit. The smaller southern lake is protected and serves as a spring breeding ground for waterbirds. A cycle path at De Wittsee follows part of the former Kempen–Kaldenkirchen railway line. The same named lake therefore appeals to different interests: quiet observation, activities on the water and cycling.

Nature and culture with distinct focuses

The NABU Nature Conservation Farm has chickens, wildflower meadows, ponds and fruit trees across an outdoor area of around two hectares. Its programme includes nature tours and themed events for adults, families, kindergartens, school classes and people with disabilities; individual offerings vary. For families, this expressly named target group is a useful starting point if you are looking for a shared nature theme.

The textile museum DIE SCHEUNE features changing exhibitions on the development of textile production and industry in the Lower Rhine region. Hand spinning, treadle spinning and hand weaving are demonstrated there, including on a working Jacquard loom. This combines an insight into regional textile history with a hands-on look at traditional crafts. The Sequoiafarm in Nettetal’s Kaldenkirchen district offers a very different perspective on plants: the arboretum covers more than 35,000 square metres, contains more than 400 rare woody plant species and is associated with the first cultivation of sequoias in Europe. NetteKultur also shapes Nettetal’s cultural offerings, with a varied programme and artists on stage.

When choosing accommodation in Nettetal, you can first consider what you want your stay to focus on: hiking trails and lakes, birdwatching, water sports, textile history or woody plants. The activities described give you specific themes to build your trip around.

Viersen as a broader travel destination

Beyond Nettetal, Viersen is explicitly to be understood as a broader travel destination. The district of Viersen, together with its towns and municipalities and the Schwalm-Nette Nature Park, forms an important part of the Lower Rhine tourism destination. Maas-Schwalm-Nette Nature Park offers ten premium hiking trails through water-rich landscapes, forests, heathland and fields.

The Viersen District Railway Cycle Route also offers a distinct regional perspective: it is 122.8 kilometres long and follows or runs parallel to disused railway lines through open fields and quiet forests. The route leads to the idyllic lake landscape of the Krickenbecker Seen. If you want to look beyond the experiences in Nettetal when planning your trip, these regional hiking and cycling routes broaden your view of Viersen as a wider travel destination.

Discover more destinations: Niederkrüchten, Grefrath, Kempen, Brüggen, Willich, Tönisvorst, Schwalmtal, Viersen

Back to the broader travel overview: Viersen.