Willmsfeld: Colonial History and Cycling Route

Willmsfeld can be understood through its colonial history, the “Good Holt” club and its connections to travel by bus and bicycle. If you are looking for a hotel for a stay in Willmsfeld, these different aspects may play a role in choosing where to stay. The town’s history stretches from the founding of the colony to the conversion of heathland into agricultural land.

Colony, Name and Landscape

Willmsfeld originated as a Westerholt colony on the extensive moorland and heathland south of Westerholt. In 1892/93, farmer Johann Willms from Terheide sold 150 Diemat of heathland to various colonists. They initially called the new colony “Willms sien Feld,” later “Willmsfeld.” The first colonists cultivated Willmsfeld’s barren moorland, sandy and heathland areas, converting them into agricultural land. The history of the name and the transformation of land use thus go hand in hand: the place name derives from the colony’s early name, while the landscape was changed through the work of the first colonists.

The History of “Good Holt”

Willmsfeld is home to the KBV “Good Holt” Willmsfeld club. The club’s history includes the founding of the “Good Holt” Klootschießer and Boßel club in 1918. Christian Wübbenhorst, a farmer’s son from Willmsfeld, founded it together with other young men. The club’s history offers a different way of exploring the town’s past than its colonization: the focus is on the founding of a local club and the Frisian sporting tradition.

Planning Your Trip by Bus and Bicycle

The timetable for bus route 378 lists the Willmsfelder Hof, Grundschule and Heidehof stops in Willmsfeld; the route connects Esens, Holtgast, Westerholt and Aurich. Check the operator’s current timetable before travelling.

A tour report from 2026 describes the return leg of the “Mit Rad up Pad” cycling tour through Westerholt, Willmsfeld and Eversmeer. Bus and bicycle provide different kinds of planning information: the timetable lists stops and connected towns, while the report describes the route of a return leg.

In the Wider Westerholt Travel Destination

The approximately 48-kilometre Holtriem Walking Trail is part of the wider Westerholt travel destination. It links existing farm tracks into a circular walking route through Holtriem’s scenic areas and is well signposted. Families with children can explore it in sections suited to their abilities. Its length, signage and the option to choose sections offer different points of reference for planning a hike.

Westerholt Church also offers historical details: it preserves remnants of medieval paintings on its south wall, and its pulpit is among the oldest wooden pulpits in East Frisia. At one time, the church was fortified and surrounded by a rampart and moat. As a fortified church, it protected the western border of the sphere of power of the Harlingerland regional chiefs.

The organ of Westerholt Peace Church was built between 1840 and 1842 by Esens organ builder Arnold Rohlfs. The single-manual instrument, with an attached pedal and eight stops, has largely been preserved and was restored by Martin Haspelmath in 1988/89. In neighbouring Westerholt, the local history museum can also open on other days if you contact them by phone. Arrange your visit by phone in advance.

For the wider travel overview: Westerholt.