Groß Vollstedt: Lake, Hiking Trails and Village History

Groß Vollstedt offers two easy-to-identify themes to consider when planning a stay: Lake Vollstedt with its bathing area and the village’s architectural heritage. The area also features hilly scenery and an extensive network of hiking trails. So when deciding, consider whether you would like to focus on the water, the trails or the distinctive buildings during your stay.

Lake Vollstedt and bathing area

Lake Vollstedt has been recognized as a Natura 2000 site under the Habitats Directive (FFH) since 2007. The protected area includes the lake, its shores and siltation zones, as well as surrounding lowland areas that are predominantly used as grassland. The bathing area at Lake Vollstedt is unsupervised and freely accessible at all times. There is a shelter and a barbecue area, but no kiosk or snack bar. Check current access conditions and facilities before your visit; both may change. Plan any provisions you need in advance.

The Groß Vollstedt bathing area playground is right next to the bathing area. Its facilities include a slide, a swing, a seesaw, a sandbox and a shelter. Play equipment and arrangements may change; if a particular feature is important for your visit, check what is currently available.

Hiking trails and regional distances

Groß Vollstedt is known for its hilly landscape and extensive network of hiking trails. The Westensee Tour is about 40 kilometers long; Groß Vollstedt is one of the places named along the route. Route information may change, so check the current route before setting out.

In Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, the Westensee Tour circles Lake Westensee, which covers about 700 hectares, passes through wooded and open countryside, and includes some climbs. The 180-kilometer Nature Park Hiking Trail crosses the district’s four nature parks. Westensee Nature Park is characterized by numerous lakes, gentle hills, meadows and forests. The district also offers cyclists a signposted network of 1,000 kilometers of cycling routes. These route lengths indicate different scales: the Westensee Tour and the Nature Park Hiking Trail are options for excursions of different lengths.

Chapel and water tower

The Chapel of the Good Shepherd is considered a roof-only church dating from 1958/59. It was the first small church to receive support through Schleswig-Holstein’s chapel construction program. The chapel is considered to be of particular public interest for preservation for historical and scholarly reasons. Here, architectural form and the history of the funding program come together.

The historic water tower at the northern end of Groß Vollstedt is considered a village landmark and is a surviving example of a type of water tower that was significant to rural social, public health and technological history. Today, the tower provides shelter for bats and is also connected with local efforts to protect owls.

Discover more destinations: Gammelby, Haby, Büdelsdorf, Thumby, Fockbek, Winnemark, Güby, Schönhorst

For the broader travel overview: Rendsburg-Eckernförde.