Discover Loit: Stone Church and Canoe Trip on the Loiter Au

Loit offers two very different starting points for planning your trip: a small Romanesque fieldstone church in the village and a canoe trip that runs from Loit along the Loiter Au to Winningmay. The surrounding landscape of the Schlei Nature Park is another draw; according to the 2023 nature park plan, Loit lies entirely or partly within it. When looking for accommodation, consider what matters most to you: local history, an extended time on the water, or nature experiences in the wider park area.

Romanesque Church and Historical Traces

The small fieldstone church dates from the late 12th century. Irregular masonry patterns are preserved on its side walls, and the church complex includes a churchyard. Inside are Passion paintings, a Late Gothic triumphal cross group, and a granite baptismal font. The furnishings also include a wooden pulpit, considered the oldest in Angeln. Together, these elements give the church interior a distinctive blend of Romanesque architecture, artworks, and later furnishings.

According to the state monument register as of February 1, 2021, Loit Church is considered significant for its historical, artistic, urban-planning, and landscape-defining value. The protected ensemble includes the church and its furnishings, the churchyard, granite retaining walls, and a ring of lime and elm trees. The churchyard is also classified as an archaeological monument.

At Dorfstraße 22 stands a residential building dated to 1756 and 1845. It was part of a former three-sided farmstead and adds the history of farm buildings to the village’s historical themes.

Canoe Trip on the Loiter Au

The canoe trip from Loit to Winningmay covers about 15 kilometers along the Loiter Au and takes approximately five hours. Along the way, it passes through an almost untouched landscape in the Schlei Nature Park. The stated duration makes the trip an activity in its own right, so you can set aside enough time for it.

The Loit canoe launch is located on the Loiter Au. Launching is straightforward at any water level, and the site can also be reached with a trailer. There is a large parking lot. This clearly identifies the starting point, route, and approximate duration of the trip, which should not be confused with a shorter outing.

Schlei Nature Park: Landscape and Trails

The Schlei Nature Park covers around 52,000 hectares and is the second-largest nature park in Schleswig-Holstein. Its landscape includes gentle hills, forests, hedgerow landscapes, rapeseed and grain fields, as well as sandy beaches and swimming bays. The Schlei’s brackish waters provide habitat for numerous endangered bird species. The nature park can be explored on foot, by bicycle, or on the water.

For a longer hike, the approximately 40-kilometer nature park trail stretches from Maasholm on the Baltic Sea to Fleckeby on the inner Schlei. Farm shops selling regional products are also part of the nature park’s offerings; they are listed in the park’s regional shopping guide. These examples refer to the Schlei Nature Park as a whole and complement Loit’s specific starting point with a wider landscape perspective.

Location and Wider Regional Context

The B201 runs through Loit’s built-up area. This can serve as a reference point when looking for accommodation in the village and comparing your plans with the location of the built-up area.

The wider travel destination of Schleswig-Flensburg offers additional historical themes: Haithabu and the Danevirke have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since June 2018. More than 25 kilometers of the Danevirke rampart still remain today. The Idstedt Museum and the historical memorial site provide information about German-Danish history surrounding the uprising of 1848 and the Battle of Idstedt.

If your main aim is to explore the Schlei Nature Park, you can also include the park-wide hiking, cycling, and water-based perspectives in your plans.

Discover more destinations: Rügge, Stolk, Steinfeld, Ulsnis, Boren, Saustrup, Scheggerott, Nottfeld.

View the broader travel overview: Süderbrarup.