Nehmten between estate, forest and lake

Nehmten is located right on the Great Plön Lake and is part of the Holstein Switzerland Nature Park. Nehmten Estate, extensive woodland and paths through meadows, low-lying areas and lakeside landscapes shape the area. During your stay, you can choose between hiking, riding trails and nature watching, with different focuses and timeframes.

Forest, lake and distinctive landscapes

Nehmten Forest is one of the larger contiguous woodland areas in Schleswig-Holstein; about half of its area is deciduous forest. The circular trails also reveal different sides of the landscape. At Stocksee, the route passes through a small hilly landscape shaped by the Ice Age.

The municipality of Nehmten describes marked trails for hiking, cycling, horseback riding and carriage rides. A planned renaturalization project covers 116 hectares of meadows along the Tensfelder Au. This brings the meadows and low-lying areas of the Au into view alongside the forest and lake.

Circular trails with different highlights

The Nehmten Estate circular trail is 8.97 kilometers long and takes about 2 hours and 13 minutes. It starts at the parking lot by the Im Sande bus stop in Nehmten. The route passes through meadows and the low-lying area of the Tensfelder Au to Hornsmühlen, then returns along the wooded shore of Stocksee. Open countryside and a wooded section of lakeshore therefore define different parts of the loop.

At 15.4 kilometers, with a stated duration of 3 hours and 52 minutes, the Nehmtener Horn circular trail is longer. It runs along the Sepeler Kliff FFH site and, because of the sensitive habitat, follows the water's edge below. A narrow path climbs about 25 meters up the cliff and opens up a sweeping view over the Great Plön Lake. Sepeler Kliff is a former shoreline of Lake Plön. Rare plants such as wild thyme, maiden pink and restharrow bloom on the nutrient-poor soil from June to September. Depending on the season, you may spot waterfowl, red-backed shrikes and white-tailed eagles at Lake Plön; sightings cannot be planned reliably.

The Stocksee circular trail heads toward Ziegelhof Nehmten and runs through woodland and pastureland along Stocksee. From elevated spots, you can see across the lake; tufted ducks and other waterfowl may be visible there. One possible detour leads to a bathing spot with a pier and a view across Stocksee. The route also offers opportunities to observe the local plant and animal life. In comparison, the routes focus on meadows and the Au lowlands, the cliff, or Stocksee with its possible detour.

Nehmten Estate, riding trails and game

Nehmten Estate has been family-owned since 1768. Together with the municipality of Nehmten, the estate provides a free, continuous network of riding trails spanning more than 15 kilometers. The trails pass through fields, meadows, and deciduous and coniferous forests, and in places run along the Great Plön Lake and Stocksee. Horseback riding therefore offers another way to experience the landscape, alongside the circular walks described above.

Nehmten Estate sells portioned, frozen game meat directly from the farm, including fallow deer, roe deer and wild boar; the selection also includes grilled sausages and salami. If you plan to buy directly, check availability before your arrival.

Choose accommodation to suit your stay

When choosing accommodation in Nehmten, it helps to first decide on the kind of day you want: would you like to focus on a loop of just over two hours, or the nearly four-hour tour at Nehmtener Horn? Are you especially interested in the Au lowlands, the view from the cliff, or nature around Stocksee? Riding trails and the possible detour to the bathing spot may also factor into your plans. This makes it easier to tailor your accommodation search to the experiences you want to prioritize in Nehmten.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Brodersdorf, Plön, Nettelsee, Bokhorst-Wankendorf, Helmstorf, Rastorf, Martensrade, Preetz-Land.

To the main travel overview: Plön.