Krempe: Marshland Trails and Fortress History

Krempe combines open marshland with a distinctive town history. The town lies in the Kremper Marsch within the Elbe marshes north of the Lower Elbe. Wide views across the dikes and paths through flat countryside sit alongside the town hall, church and traces of the former fortress. If you are planning a stay, you can decide whether to focus on the countryside outdoors or on the town’s architectural history: both perspectives offer different ways to get to know Krempe.

Marshland trails of varying lengths

For a short tour of the town’s history, the 1.5-kilometre “Historic Town Centre” circular walk (Rundgang 1) is a good choice. It follows streets that formed Krempe’s town centre during the fortress era. Circular Trail 3, “Around Krempe” (Rundwanderweg 3), is five kilometres long and runs along the edge of the town. Along the way, there are wide views across the marsh and changing vistas of Krempe’s panorama of towers. The two trails have different focuses: one on the historic street layout, the other on the towers and open countryside beyond.

The ten-kilometre Stör Hiking Trail is a circular route through the flat marshland. In addition to wide views across the dikes and the bends of the Stör, it takes in wetland vegetation, a historic drainage pumping station dating from 1884, and an area in the outer floodplain beyond the dike where birds rest. If you are looking for a shorter countryside walk, there are other five-kilometre options: Circular Trail 4, “Along the Au to Süderau” (Rundwanderweg 4), follows a historic remnant of the Kremper Au dike to Süderau and returns along the left bank. Circular Trail 5, “Around Schmerland” (Rundwanderweg 5), runs through the fields of neighbouring Grevenkop, framed by rows of trees and the Schmerlander Wettern. The varying distances and landscapes make it easier to choose a route that suits your plans.

Renaissance, church and traces of the fortress

The townscape brings together buildings from different periods. Built in 1570, the town hall is one of Schleswig-Holstein’s notable Renaissance buildings. The three-aisled St. Peter’s Church is a well-preserved Hansen church: F. C. Heylmann built it between 1828 and 1832 to plans by Christian Frederik Hansen. Its tower combines simple Neoclassical forms with a lantern. The contrast between the Renaissance building and the Hansen church offers a tangible architectural perspective on the town’s history.

Individual features around town also reveal the history of the former Krempe fortress. In its final form, it comprised six bastions and two ravelins; the wall was 4.5 metres high and the moat 25 metres wide. The Burggraben in the town park preserves part of the former fortress moat. The site of the former southeastern bastion remains at Mühlenberg. Here, history is not just a matter of dates or figures, but also part of the present-day landscape. Flag-swinging in Krempe is regarded as a regionally significant event in the Steinburg district.

Cycling and other interests

The flat Kremper Marsch also offers a distinctive setting for cycling, with very few significant climbs. Cycle paths lead out of Krempe along state and district roads. A section of the Monks’ Trail also passes through the Krempermarsch and Krempe. Krempe’s heated outdoor swimming pool is near the town’s school and sports centre, adding another destination to the choice of hiking and cycling themes.

When looking for accommodation, you can take the focus of your stay into account: a short historic walk offers a different experience from a longer route through the marsh or a cycling tour. The route lengths and landscape features mentioned here provide practical guidance, without requiring you to limit yourself to just one way of exploring.

Discover more destinations: Kaaks, Horst-Herzhorn, Bokelrehm, Brokdorf, Hennstedt, Kollmar, Hohenaspe, Breitenburg.

View the main travel overview: Steinburg.