Upleward: Dry Beach and Medieval Church

Upleward offers several specific points of interest for a stay: the dry beach as a recreational area, mudflat walks starting at the kiosk, and a medieval church. If you are looking for a hotel in Upleward, these features can help you work out your travel interests and decide what to focus on during your stay.

Dry beach: recreational area behind the dike

The Upleward dry beach is a 9,000-square-meter recreational area immediately behind the dike. It includes sand, children’s play equipment, water play areas, and a pirate ship. There are also seating areas, volleyball, and beach soccer. The range extends from play and water features to ball sports, so you can assess the recreational area based on which activities matter to you.

The dry beach is free to use. Facilities include toilets, barrier-free access, parking, a sanitary building, and a kiosk. As facilities may change, check their current status before you travel.

Mudflat walks starting at the kiosk

Mudflat walks start at the kiosk next to the dry beach. The dry beach is also designated as a starting point for walks from the Greetsiel National Park House. For a specific tour, check dates and booking requirements in advance; both may vary depending on the walk.

The medieval church in Upleward

The church in Upleward was built in the first half of the 14th century as a Gothic, rectangular, single-nave brick church. “Single-nave” refers to a main interior space; “rectangular” describes the floor plan. The exterior walls feature an elaborate arrangement of blind arcades. Blind arcades are arch shapes that decorate and divide a solid wall without opening a passage. Some pointed-arch windows have been preserved in their original form. Above a former entrance is a trefoil arch, named for its three-part outline. This makes it possible to distinguish the floor plan and building material from the decorative features on the walls and windows.

Inside is an 18th-century pulpit. Traces of paintings, probably depicting consecration crosses, remain on the walls. The pulpit therefore belongs to a later phase of the church’s furnishings than the medieval building; the wall paintings should be interpreted more cautiously.

Remains of a sacrament house from Upleward church are on display at the Mill Museum in nearby Pewsum. If you would like to include this furnishing in your plans, Pewsum is where the museum is located.

Church admission is free seasonally. Parking is available nearby; bus access is via route 422. Check seasonal opening arrangements before you travel.

Weighing up interests for your stay

As a guide, the features can be distinguished briefly: the dry beach brings together play, water play, and ball sports; the church offers insight into medieval architecture and historic furnishings. Mudflat walks add a specific starting point at the kiosk to the leisure options.

Discover more destinations: Greetsiel, Rysum, Hamswehrum, Visquard, Pewsum, Eilsum, Campen, Loquard

For the broader travel overview: Krummhörn.