Nettelsee: Lakes, Redders and Chapel History

Nettelsee reveals itself through its lakes, the course of the Nettelau and a rare sunken lane lined with hedges. The municipality includes Nettelsee and Holzsee, the Nettelau and smaller meadow areas. In summer, hills and meadows frame the lake. Kielerkamper Weg makes its own impression with hedges on both sides. Water landscapes and characteristic paths thus come together with a point of cultural-historical interest: the Nettelsee Chapel.

Water, trails and nature

The Nettelau flows near Gut Nettelau from Holzsee and Nettelsee. According to the project status as of July 2026, it is being renaturalized as part of the A21 project; the measures are intended to protect otters and natterjack toads. Construction and path conditions may change, so check the latest status before visiting.

Kielerkamper Weg is a rare sunken lane: hedges line both sides. This double row of hedges explains the path’s distinctive form and creates a striking contrast with the open landscapes of lakes, hills and meadows. Those interested in the landscape will find, alongside the bodies of water, a characteristic type of path to explore.

Chapel and regional history

The Nettelsee Chapel was completed in early summer 1965. It was intended as a cemetery chapel and as a space for church services and gatherings. It was funded through the chapel construction program of the former Evangelical Lutheran Church of Schleswig-Holstein. A church report from 2015 described the chapel as continuing to serve as a place for community and quiet reflection.

The chapel is located at Kirchweg 17, 24250 Nettelsee. Check access arrangements before visiting. The history of the estate also offers a point of reference: Gut Nettelau was established in 1795 as a Meierhof of Gut Depenau.

Plan your hike and journey

A route description from 2014 leads via Nettelau to Holzsee. The hike is about 6 km long and takes approximately 2 hours. These estimates offer an initial timeframe for planning your day; check the route details locally before setting out. The local route description from 2014 says that a section of the route near Holzsee is closed to motor vehicles and open to pedestrians and cyclists. As this access information also comes from a local description dating to 2014, confirm access conditions locally.

Two bus routes are relevant for travelling by bus: Route 363 runs between Plön, Ascheberg, Kalübbe, Depenau and Nettelsee; Route 425 between Warnau, Nettelsee, Löptin and Preetz. The places served differ by route. Check the current timetable for your travel date. If you are considering Nettelsee as a possible place to stay overnight, you can compare the routes with your planned destinations.

Plön as the wider setting

The wider travel destination of Plön opens up a broader landscape. The district of Plön has around 80 lakes, including Lake Great Plön, covering 29 km², and Lake Selent, covering 22 km². The district lies between the Baltic Sea and Holstein Switzerland and has around 50 kilometres of Baltic coastline. There are places to swim from Mönkeberg to Sehlendorfer Strand; along the coast, you can also sail, surf, dive, take boat trips, go on offshore excursions, join cutter trips and fish in the surf. This makes it possible to distinguish between different highlights: the lakes and the Nettelau in Nettelsee, and the coastal activities in the district of Plön.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Barmissen, Probsteierhagen, Nehmten, Rastorf, Martensrade, Schwentinental, Kletkamp, Pohnsdorf.

Back to the main travel overview: Plön.