Discover Heek: St. Ludgerus and the Schlöffken custom

When choosing a hotel in Heek, it is worth first considering the themes that define the town: St. Ludgerus Church and the Schlöffken custom. Nearby, the NRW State Music Academy in Heek-Nienborg and the Dinkel Valley nature reserve add to the picture. This can help you decide whether you are mainly interested in Heek’s history and customs, or would also like to explore regional culture and landscapes.

St. Ludgerus and the Schlöffken custom

The Catholic Church of St. Ludgerus was first mentioned in a document in 1256. The nave, faced with rubble stone, has been preserved; historically significant details include the late Romanesque portal on the south side. The church’s long documented history and surviving architectural features offer distinct historical points of reference: the first documentary mention dates the record, while the nave and portal identify specific features of the building.

Another part of local cultural life is the Schlöffken custom, celebrated in Heek every January for generations. The men make their way through the village in Schlöffken attire: wearing a wooden clog on one foot and a leather shoe on the other, and carrying a stick and a Mettwurst sausage. Along the way, they visit the local inns in turn. The custom is defined not only by its name, but also by its distinctive clothing and recurring sequence of events.

The Schlöffken statue at Eppingscher Hof commemorates this custom. It also points to its origins: the tradition dates back to Carnival and originated in the 19th century. The custom and the statue offer two different ways to explore local culture—the event held every January and a permanent memorial in Heek.

Tours and music in Heek-Nienborg

Tours of most of the sights in Heek, Nienborg and the farming community of Ahle are available by arrangement. For information, contact the municipal citizens’ office in Heek. If a tour fits your plans, arrange it with the office in advance; the offer covers most, but not all, sights.

Nearby, the NRW State Music Academy’s activities are spread across seven buildings in the Nienborg ring fortress complex and in Heek-Nienborg. The music centre includes three halls; the concert hall can accommodate up to 300 people. These details give a concrete impression of the institution’s scale and location, but do not imply that any particular events are open to visitors.

Exploring the Dinkel Valley and cycling routes

The Dinkel Valley nature reserve lies just south of Heek. Stretching for around four kilometres, it encompasses the largely natural course of the Dinkel between Düstermühle in the south and the Oldemölls Venneken nature reserve in the north. It also includes adjoining woodland and extensive grassland. The nearby landscape is therefore a different point of interest from the church and custom in the town itself.

Another cycling-related point of interest lies west of Nienborg: when it opened in 2014, the Dinkel Cycle Route closed a gap in the cycling and walking network between the Dinkel nature trail and the village. If you are planning to use this route for a current trip, check its present course in advance. For longer rides in the Borken district, there is a network of more than 5,000 kilometres of cycling routes, described as well developed and running away from busy roads. The signposted junction network allows flexible planning across state and district borders; themed routes include the 100 Castles Route, the Hohe Mark Cycle Route and the Flamingo Route.

Culture in the Borken district

The Borken district also offers cultural attractions beyond Heek. At kult Westmünsterland in Vreden, a permanent exhibition explores borders through themes including trade and transport, smuggling and the law, faith and religion, and regional identity. In Borken, Gemen Water Castle stands on two islands in the former marshland of the Bocholter Aa; it was built more than 900 years ago. Since 1946, the Diocese of Münster has operated it as a youth education centre under the name Jugendburg Gemen. These examples are in the wider district and should be distinguished from the sights in Heek.

Ludgerus, local customs and tours in Heek, music in Heek-Nienborg, or a broader exploration of culture and cycling routes in the Borken district. This way, you can choose Heek based on the interests that matter most for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Isselburg, Ahaus, Schöppingen, Südlohn, Raesfeld, Velen, Bocholt, Gronau.

For the main travel overview: Borken.