Discover Hesel: Forest, history and swimming pool

Hesel combines forest walks and cycling with insights into the history of settlements, churches and estates. If you are looking for a hotel in Hesel, these themes can help you narrow down your choice of destination: would you like to spend time in the forest, use the swimming pool or explore the archaeological and local history? The themes are quite distinct and can be weighted according to your priorities when planning your trip.

Nature and trails

The Hesel Forest is ideal for extended walks and observing local wildlife. The forest also has an adventure playground and a tree trail. These facilities complement wildlife observation with two specific activities: playful exercise and learning about trees.

Around Gut Stikelkamp, approximately 5 km of forest trails invite you to take a walk. The approximate trail length gives these routes a different character from the extended walks in the Hesel Forest, where local wildlife is the focus. This means you can choose between a walk around the estate and longer forest trails with opportunities for wildlife observation.

History and art in Hesel

The archaeological exhibition at Villa Popken presents the settlement history of the Geest village of Hesel, from the Stone and Bronze Ages through to the Middle Ages. One focus is the history of Barthe Monastery in the Hesel Forest. The exhibition thus combines a broad historical span with a clearly defined topic.

The Ludgeri Church also tells the story of different building periods: the medieval church had to be demolished because it had fallen into disrepair; a new church building was erected in 1742. The pulpit with corner columns and reliefs of the Evangelists, as well as the altar with its painting of the Last Supper, were created in 1653 by Tönnies Mahler from Leer. Mahler was a joiner, woodcarver and panel painter. The dates refer to different things: 1653 to the furnishings, and 1742 to the new church building.

The “Stone Axe” Scheuerpfahl sculpture by Sven Thater offers a different approach to art. It is made of oak and sandstone and is 2.40 metres high. Its materials and dimensions give the work a distinctive profile alongside the historical themes of the exhibition and the church.

Gut Stikelkamp was once an outlying estate of the former Johanniter Monastery of Hasselt. The surviving residential building is thought to date from around 1400. It showcases the upper-class rural domestic culture of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. This brings together a presumed construction date of around 1400 and a presentation of domestic culture from three later centuries.

Swimming pool and cycling route

The Hesel swimming pool has a 16.66 × 8.00-metre pool with a movable floor. Following renovations in 2013/2014 and 2023/2024, it is once again open to the public.

The 41 km Hesel Experience Route is a cycling tour that includes, among other things, a river crossing on a “do-it-yourself ferry.” As the ferry’s seasonal operating schedule may vary, it is advisable to check its operating times before your bike ride. The route’s length and ferry crossing make it a distinct cycling plan, separate from the walking trails around Gut Stikelkamp.

Culture in the wider destination of Leer

In the wider destination of Leer, Evenburg Castle is a cultural and historical landmark in its own right. This nationally significant cultural monument comprises the castle, park and outer bailey. Since May 2014, it has been open with a permanent exhibition on the life and livelihood of a noble family in the 19th century, and serves as a centre for garden culture.

Discover more destinations: Kleinhesel, Siebestock, Neuemoor, Beningafehn, Brinkum, Detern, Bingum, Holtland.

Return to the wider travel overview: Leer.