Schierensee: Lake District and History

Lakes and waters in Westensee Nature Park

Schierensee is located in Westensee Nature Park. The local landscape is shaped by the Großer and Kleiner Schierensee lakes. The lakes and the area’s location within the nature park are central to understanding the character of the place. Walks and the history of Gut Schierensee offer different points of interest for planning your trip.

Nearby, the Unterer Schierenseebach connects the Kleiner Schierensee with the lower-lying Westensee. More than 500 invertebrate species have been recorded in the stream, including the rare freshwater pearl mussel and mayflies, which depend on clean, oxygen-rich water. The Ahrensee and northeastern Westensee nature reserve is also nearby. It protects a representative, largely intact complex of lakes and flowing waters in Schleswig-Holstein’s young moraine landscape.

Walks and hiking trails

Suggested walks in Schierensee include the 1.5 km village loop, the 5.4 km lake loop, the 8.4 km long lake loop, the 2.5 km estate loop, and the 3.5 km route via Marienberg. The village loop is the shortest, and the long lake loop is the longest of the five routes. The other three distances fall between these two, giving you more options for choosing the length of your walk.

The local walking routes are not marked. Take this into account when finding your way, and check current route conditions before setting out. At the regional level, the Nature Park hiking trail runs for around 35 km through Westensee Nature Park. There are 17 circular hiking trails; routes 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 17 can be downloaded to a navigation device or a smartphone navigation app. Digital availability may change, so check the information before your hike. This lets you consider the local walks and regional hiking trails as different options.

Swimming area and café

Schierensee has walking routes and a swimming area. The swimming area at Großer Schierensee is also visited by people from outside Schierensee. Café am See 17 is located at a swimming area in Schierensee and freshly prepares cakes, tarts, burgers, and fries. The café places importance on organic and regional products. It operates seasonally; as opening and menu details may change, check the latest information before your visit.

The history of Schierensee village and estate

A notable date in the local history is 1470: that year, the village of Schierensee was sold to Bordesholm Monastery. The history of Gut Schierensee is linked to Caspar von Saldern. He had the manor house built and died at Gut Schierensee in 1786. Between 1776 and 1782, the manor house was expanded with Baroque and Neoclassical decorative elements, along with a landscaped garden.

The manor house can be visited by prior arrangement with the estate administration. If you are planning a visit, arrange it with the estate administration in advance. This keeps the visit as a distinct activity, separate from the walks, the lakes, and the seasonal offerings at the swimming area.

Discover more destinations: Neudorf-Bornstein, Thumby, Strande, Groß Vollstedt, Emkendorf, Borgdorf-Seedorf, Karby, Lindau.

Back to the main travel overview: Rendsburg-Eckernförde.