Hersel: Rhine floodplain, cycling route and local history

For a stay in Hersel, you can consider its natural landscape, cycling and walking routes, and local history as different reasons for choosing the destination. The Rhine floodplain defines the landscape; the Bornheim secondary route and the Nature and Culture Trail place Hersel on routes with different layouts. The local history brings together an estate, a church, a former brewery, and memorial sites.

Rhine Floodplain, Routes and Nature

The Rhine floodplain near Hersel is a large area protected as a landscape conservation area. The towpath along the Rhine in the floodplain near Hersel is used by pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists. The floodplain trail runs right through the Rhine floodplain near Hersel; pedestrians, joggers, and cyclists also use it.

For orientation, the routes differ mainly in their course: the towpath is described as running along the Rhine, while the floodplain trail runs right through the floodplain. If you include walking, jogging, or cycling in your trip plans, both routes offer a direct connection to the Hersel landscape.

Herseler Werth lies entirely within the municipality of Bornheim and is a nature reserve on an island in the Rhine. The Eurasian golden oriole, nightingale, and black kite nest on Herseler Werth. It is a protected habitat.

Cycling Route and Trip Planning

One way to include Hersel in a longer cycling tour is the approximately 40-kilometre Bornheim secondary route of the RHEINISCHE APFELROUTE, which connects to Hersel. The loop links all 14 Bornheim localities between the Rhine and the Vorgebirge hills. The approximate length refers to the route as a whole.

The Nature and Culture Trail consists of three individual tours in Hersel, Uedorf, and Widdig. The routes therefore differ in their layout: the Bornheim secondary route links localities in a loop, while the Nature and Culture Trail is divided into separate tours. Herseler Herbst traditionally takes place on the third Sunday in September. If the festival is relevant to your trip plans, check the latest event details in advance.

Architectural History and Memorial Sites

The Marienhof in Hersel is a four-wing estate with a late Neoclassical manor house dating from 1867. The former farm and wine-growing estate is surrounded by extensive parkland with mature trees. The owners’ family runs a winery and wine shop there. The Marienhof thus brings together the estate’s historic character and today’s wine business.

The former Germania Brewery is a historic landmark of Hersel and dates from 1864. The Aegidius Hall is a small Baroque church built in 1744 and is now used as a community centre. The parish church of St. Aegidius was built from 1899 onward and consecrated in 1901. The parish church of St. Aegidius is open for church services and events; if you would like to visit on another occasion, check access arrangements in advance.

The Hersel Jewish Cemetery was established in the mid-19th century, probably between 1848 and 1853, on what is now Elbestraße. Stolpersteine—memorial plaques set into the pavement—in front of the former home of the Rolef family at Germanenstraße 26 commemorate family members murdered in the Holocaust. These sites preserve different chapters of Hersel’s history: the 19th-century Jewish cemetery and the memorial to the Rolef family at their former home.

Discover more destinations: Widdig.

For the main travel overview: Bornheim.