Discover Greven: cycling routes, nature and culture

In Greven, activities on the Ems, nature and local cultural attractions can be combined. Options include cycling, hiking and paddling on the Ems. The town’s history can also be explored in different places: from the historic district of Der Hoek to a reconstruction of an early medieval farmstead. Which of these aspects you focus on during your stay can shape your plans.

Cycling, hiking and paddling

Around 25 kilometres of the EmsRadweg cycle route run through Greven’s municipal area. There is also a dense, well-signposted network of cycle paths through the Ems floodplains and parkland, suitable for day trips and multi-day tours. These two details describe different things: the roughly 25 kilometres refer to the EmsRadweg within the municipal area, while suitability for day trips and multi-day tours refers to the local network of paths.

On the water, canoe trips between Telgte and Greven offer a different way to experience the Ems. They follow a largely natural stretch of river through floodplains, fields, meadows and woodland. If you prefer to explore on foot, marked hiking trails can be found in the Bockholter Berge nature reserve. There, the paths lead through oak and pine forests in a sandy landscape of dunes and heathland. A clearly defined route with a stated distance is the Emsdeich Sculpture Trail: it runs between Greven’s Ems bridges and is 2.5 kilometres long.

Ems floodplains and nature reserves

Emsaue is Greven’s largest nature reserve. The floodplain provides food and breeding habitat for numerous animal and bird species, including species considered worthy of protection. Together with the forests, dunes and heathland of the Bockholter Berge, it creates a varied picture of nature around Greven: the focus here is on different landscapes, not just one path or activity.

History and culture in Greven

Der Hoek is Greven’s oldest surviving district. It developed as an extension to the settlement in the 17th century and preserves typical houses belonging to farming townspeople. The open-air Sachsenhof Museum in Greven-Pentrup offers a different way to explore life in earlier times. It reconstructs a 1,200-year-old early medieval Saxon farmstead; experimental cultivation of crops and arable weeds typical of the period complements the reconstruction. The open-air museum is accessible to visitors at any time, and admission is free. Nevertheless, check visitor information before your trip.

The Averkamp farmstead museum on the edge of Gimbte also focuses on rural life in earlier times: its collection of historic equipment and tools offers insights into agriculture in the past. The Grevener Baumwollspinnerei Cultural Centre (GBS) has a renovated bale warehouse and, on the site of the former mill, houses a music school, an adult education centre and a youth café. The Kunstturm is home to the art association, which regularly holds exhibitions there. These places offer different perspectives, from rural history and industrial heritage to art and cultural institutions.

The wider regional setting: Steinfurt District

Steinfurt District also offers a wider setting for exploring nature and culture. The district’s parkland includes numerous manor houses, moated castles, monasteries and palaces. The 100 Castles Route links important architectural monuments in the district. These regional themes complement Greven’s own blend of the Ems, cycling routes, protected areas and cultural attractions, without suggesting that district-wide attractions are located in Greven.

Discover more destinations: Tecklenburg, Westerkappeln, Lotte, Saerbeck, Ladbergen, Altenberge, Steinfurt, Ibbenbüren.

Back to the regional travel overview: Steinfurt.