From the Weser to the North Sea: 7 cycle tour tips for the Wesermarsch region
Wilfried Spürck
· 08.02.2024
Wesermarsch is the name of a district in the federal state of Lower Saxony. It stretches roughly from the mouth of the Ochtum into the Weser about ten kilometres northwest of Bremen and around 100 kilometres north to the North Sea coast to Langwarden on the Butjadingen peninsula on the Jade Bay. A few kilometres south of there is Eckwardenhörne, which is connected to Wilhelmshaven opposite by ferry. The district reaches its greatest width between Jaderberg and Brake on the Lower Weser at around 25 kilometres. The Wesermarsch landscape also partially extends into other districts. It is characterised by the waters of the rivers Weser and Hunte as well as the North Sea. The marshland is protected from flooding and storm surges by dykes. In addition, villages and small towns with their beaches, harbours, promenades and shipping traffic offer maritime flair. The moors are also typical of the region, the most spectacular of which is the Floating Moor on the Jade Bay, an outstanding natural monument.
ADFC cycle touring region Wesermarsch - 870 kilometres of excellent cycle path network for leisure cyclists
But half-timbered houses, mills and milk houses ("Melkhus") for a little break in between also give the Wesermarsch a special charm. The best news for cycle tour fans: the region is ideal for exploring from the saddle. The cycle path network there covers a total of 870 kilometres. Thanks to its high quality with predominantly asphalted and signposted flat routes, excellent services and good connections to the public transport network, the Wesermarsch was named a cycle touring region by the ADFC in 2018. A total of 14 tours received this special seal of approval. We have selected seven day tours to represent a cross-section of the region. Almost all of them bear the ADFC seal. Exceptions are the Brake Nord tour, which is almost identical to the "Brake und umzu" tour, and the "Deichroute des Oldenburg Deichbandes", which we find particularly interesting.
7 tour tips from the MYBIKE editorial team for the Wesermarsch cycling region
1. around the Jade Bay through the Wadden Sea National Park
Tour: 55 km | Start/Finish: Eckwarderhörne/Wilhelmshaven
The Jade Bay is particularly suitable for experiencing the natural spectacle of high and low tide on a bike tour, when the water of the 190 square kilometre bay flows into the North Sea and back again twice a day. The area is part of the Lower Saxony Wadden Sea National Park, which, together with other national parks in the north, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The route, which was opened in 2015, leads from Eckwarderhörne as close as possible to the coastline, once around the bay to Wilhelmshaven - or vice versa. Cyclists cross not only the Wesermarsch but also the district of Friesland and get to know the whole variety of natural and man-made features of these coasts. These include geological phenomena, rare animal and plant species, landscape and cultural history, characteristic landmarks and buildings, mud and sand flats, dykes and harbour towns. The tour offers many rest stops, sights and viewpoints. Five environmental periscopes, four of which were set up in 2015, invite you to do so in Eckwarderhörne, Sehestedt at Varel harbour and in Dangast and Cäciliengroden,
the most significant brands of the Jade Bay shore unobstructed over the wide
the wide mudflats and water surface of the bay. Otherwise unrecognisable details can be seen through the peepholes of the periscopes.
Note: About 10-15 km south of Eckwarderhörne, the bike has to be pushed for about 1 km.
Highlights
- Eckwarderhörne current table with the option of simulating the change between high and low tide
- Five environmental periscopes
- Floating bog near Sehestedt
- Wilhelmshaven with the Naval Museum and the Kaiser Wilhelm Bridge and other sights
Tips
In summer, a passenger bicycle ferry runs between Wilhelmshaven and Eckwarderhörne.
Info
- butjadingen.de
- nationalpark-wattenmeer.de
2nd Mill Tour Stadland in the heart of the region
Tour: 35 km | Start/Finish: Rodenkirchen
This route takes you around and through the municipality of Stadland. The region between the western banks of the Weser and the Jade Bay offers a lush green landscape with trees characteristically bent by the wind. The centrepiece of the route is the Seefeld Mill, built in 1876 not far from the coast of the Jade Bay, which has become a regionally renowned cultural centre. The starting point is the market square in the small Weser village of Rodenkirchen, from where the route leads along quiet farm tracks, first westwards and then northwards towards Seefeld. The view is almost endless. Cyclists pass large agricultural businesses as well as small farms - and the entire tour is accompanied by the view of huge wind turbines on the horizon, which now also leave their mark on the area.
Highlights
- Seefelder Mühle (guided tour offered)
- Kleinensiel beach
- Bronze Age house (replica of a farmhouse from the 9th or 10th century BC)
- St Matthew's Church
Tips
Farm shops along the way such as Hof Butendiek (hof-butendiek.de) or Moorfreude (blog.moorfreude.de)
Info
stadland.de
3. relaxed cycling in Nordenham-Burhave and back
Tour: 41.4 km, flat | Start/Finish: Nordenham
This tour gives the sea its special flair. Relaxed and enjoyable beach holidays, especially in warm temperatures, marvellous impressions of marshland and the view of the North Sea, which widens out behind the estuary at Nordenham. The start and finish point is located at the mouth of the Weser in the North, opposite Bremerhaven. With over 25,000 inhabitants, it is the largest town in the Wesermarsch district and also offers opportunities for sightseeing and shopping. The route leads north-west towards the Butjadingen peninsula along an old railway embankment through the marshland. The route then heads back to Nordenham via the North Sea resort of Burhave along the dyke.
Highlights
- Nordenham: Museum, masks on the tower building Peterleeplatz, Seenpark
- Burhave: Beach, North Sea lagoon
- Historic Abbehausen department stores', Moorseer Mühle Museum
Tips
- Leisure pool Störtebecker Nordenham with indoor and outdoor area
- Refreshments: Moorseer Mühlencafé
- Butjadinger Hof Burhave (www.butjadinger-hof.de)
Info
- butjadingen.de
- nordenham.com/en
4th Dyke Route of the Oldenburg Dyke Association - diverse educational tour
Tour: 53 km | Start/Finish: Tweelbäker See (Oldenburg)/Delmenhorst-Hasbergen
Always along the dyke! The motto is as simple as the impressions on this tour, which is characterised by three rivers. It starts at Tweelbäkker See in Oldenburg and initially runs north-east along the Hunte until shortly before Elsfleth, where it turns south and follows the Weser for a while until it reaches the mouth of the Ochtum. The route runs along this tributary of the Weser for a while, then moves away from it and ends in Delmenhorst-Hasbergen at the church there.
This cycle path was designated around ten years ago by the I. Oldenburg Dike Association, which was founded in the 19th century with the support of numerous co-partners. The association works to protect the dykes so that people can live safely in this land, which is threatened on three sides by the waters of the rivers mentioned. The route leads to 25 locations and provides information about the work of the dyke association on display boards. In this way, it conveys knowledge in a lively way and allows cyclists to experience 1,000-year-old cultivated land. You will pass through a purely agricultural area next to the Hunte shipping route, a historic row of settlements reminiscent of the De, where time seems to have stood still, and pass modern shipyards and industrial plants on the Weser shipping route.
Highlights
- Holle dyke sheep farm
- Holle pumping station
- Neuenhuntorf Estate
- Münnich family crypt (old noble family)
- Dike sheep farm Piependamm
- B74 motorway service area
- Warfleth church, Warfleth sand
- Plateau Bardenfleth
- Weitblick observation tower,
- Weser-Side-Gallery Lemwerder
- Watermill Delmenhorst-Hasbergen
- Delmenhorst-Hasbergen church
Tip
Stop off at the Landcafé Moorriem in Bardenfleth/Elsfleth (moorriemerlandcafe.de)
Info
first-oldenburg-dike-band.de
5 Brake North: From the Weser city out into the countryside
Tour: 22 km | Start/Finish: Brake Nord
In the district town of Brake on the Lower Weser with its 15,000 inhabitants, which developed into an important industrial location for shipping in the 19th century, almost everything revolves around water: the charming waterfront promenade, the shipping traffic that can be observed from there - a small spectacle, as ocean liners weighing several tonnes pass through here every day -, the harbour as the heart of the town, the quay with large grain silos north of the town centre, the picturesque inland port or the shipping museum. The route heads south along the dyke past 19th and 20th century captains' and shipowners' villas, continuing east towards Norderfeld. There, the route turns south again, revealing pretty old farmhouses and gardens. Shortly after St Bartholomew's Church, the route heads east to the Weser dyke, where you can let your gaze wander, and back into Brake.
Highlights
- Fisherman's house from 1731
- Brake waterfront promenade
- Brake inland harbour
- Telegraph
- Maritime museum of the Oldenburg Lower Weser
- St Bartholomew's Church in Golzwarden (built in 1263)
Tip
Break at Melkhus Schildt
Info
brake.de
6. marsh and moor Elsfleth
Tour: 35 km | Start/Finish: Touristik-Info Kaje Elsfleth
The circular tour offers much of what is typical of the Wesermarsch. The small town of Elsfleth with its beach, cultural offerings and a marina, half-timbered villages such as Neuendorf, farm gardens, moors, ponds and pretty little villages with their farm cottages that invite you to take a break. Cyclists can enjoy sweeping views of the marshes from the dykes and the peace and quiet. The Gellener Torfmöörten are a real natural highlight. The 120-hectare nature reserve consists of a raised bog and fen complex with fallow moor grassland, ponds, siltation and forest communities as well as peat bogs and moor heaths. The quite rare marsh calla grows abundantly here and numerous dragonfly species can be found here.
Highlights
- Jewellery furniture shop Wesermarchee
- Corn maze (only in summer)
- Maritime museum of the Oldenburg Lower Weser
- Sailing training ship of the Grand Duchess Elisabeth
- Small Mallorca" sandy beach in Elsfleth
Tips
- Break at the Melkhus Fuchsberg
- Stop off at the Landcafé Moorriem in Bardenfleth/Elsfleth (moorriemerlandcafe.de)
Info
elsfleth.de
7. town and country around Oldenburg
Tour: 43.5 km | Start/Finish: Oldenburg main station
It is only a few kilometres from Oldenburg, which has a population of around 170,000 on the Weser tributary Hunte, to the south-west of the Wesermarsch district. The city has a lot to offer: for example, a large pedestrian zone, Lower Saxony's most important inland harbour and a historic castle. The surrounding countryside is characterised by moors, dykes and marshland, and the easy route with few inclines allows you to experience the charming contrast between city and countryside. Beyond the urban area, cows and sheep are constant companions on the meadows and dykes, where cyclists experience many typical facets of rural life. From the start at the Ems-Halle, the route heads towards Pferdemarkt, where you can see the building of the State Library, which was opened in 1792. The rest of the route is characterised by the typical gabled houses known as "Oldenburg dog kennels" with their beautiful façade and roof decorations. After Etzhorn, where there are two distilleries to visit, and the former Oldenburg district of Wahnbek, a long moorland path leads through the middle of the Wesermarsch. Centuries-old farmhouses with white half-timbered houses and thatched roofs can be seen in the Moorriem settlement area along the way. The route returns to the centre via the Gellener Torfmöörte nature reserve and past the large Bornhorster See lake.
Highlights
- Oldenburg: castle and castle gardens, state library, state theatre, harbour
- Oldenburg "dog kennels"
- Hilbers distillery
- J. Hullmann grain distillery (both in Etzhorn)
- Half-timbered houses in Moorriem
Tip
Stop off at the Landcafé Moorriem in Bardenfleth/Elsfleth (moorriemerlandcafe.de)
Info
oldenburg-tourism.com
Info & tips for a cycling holiday in the Wesermarsch
Arrival
CarFrom Osnabrück A1 to motorway junction "Ahlhorner Heide", A29 direction Oldenburg/Wilhelmshaven to motorway junction "Oldenburg Nord", "continue either A29 direction Wilhelmshaven, exit Jaderberg (10) OR leave motorway direction Brake/Nordenham OR B211
From Hanover/Bremen/Hamburg: From Bremen A27 towards Cuxhaven/Bremerhaven, exit Stotel (11), direction Dedesdorf/Wesertunnel, cross under the Weser or use ferry connections (see below)
Train + BusBy train to Bremen, from there by regional train to Berne, Elsfleth, Kirchhammelwarden, Brake, Rodenkirchen and Nordenham; from there buses run throughout the Wesermarsch; to Jaderberg by train via Bremen/Wilhelmshaven and Oldenburg; between Oldenburg and Bremerhaven the bus route 404, the "Weser Sprinter", runs through the middle of the Wesermarsch. vbw-wesermarsch.de
Ferry connections:
- Nordenham-Blexen - Bremerhaven
- Brake-Golzwarden - Sandstedt
- Berne-Juliusplate - Bremen-Farge
- Berne-Motzen - Bremen-Blumenthal
- Lemwerder - Bremen-Vegesack
The 7 MYBIKE tour tips for the Wesermarsch cycling region at a glance
GPX data
The GPX data for the 7 cycle tours in the Wesermarsch can be found here as free download.
Long-distance cycle paths nearby
- Weser Cycle Route: Hann. Münden-Cuxhaven (approx. 520 km)
- North Sea Coast Cycle Route: (German section) Weener-Niebüll (908 km)
MYBIKE tip
Wesermarsch circuit complete: Around 190 km from Nordenham via Burhave, Tossens and Eckwarderhörne on the Butjadingen peninsula, then south via Jaderberg, further south-east via Großenmeer and Berne to the mouth of the Ochtum into the Weser behind Lemwerder and back north again, mostly along the Weser, via Elsfleth, Brake and Rodenkirchen to the starting point in Nordenham
Bike hire
Some also offer services such as repairs, etc.
- Fahrradhaus Stedingen (Berne: fahrradhaus-stedingen.de),
- Pro Weser Sport (Elfsfleth, prowesersport-elsfleth.de),
- Nils Hoogendorn - All about bicycles (Jade-Jadeberg, zweirad-hoogendoorn.de),
- Augusthausen corner shop (Jade-Augusthausen, emmaammeer.de),
- Landhotel Butjadinger Tor (Nordenham-Abbehausen, butjadinger-tor.de),
- Bike and e-bike hire Briesenick Radde (Butjadingen-Tossens, briesenick-radde.de),
- TOSSI bicycle and pedal bike hire (Butjadingen-Tossens, bike-hire-tossi.com),
- Blinkfüer bike hire (Butjadingen-Burhave, from 18 March, nordseerad.de),
- North Sea holiday park Fedderwardersiel (Butjadingen Fedderwardersiel, nordsee-ferienpark.de),
- Bike-Sharing Oldenburg (oli-bike.com/en)
- Vosgerau am Damm (Oldenburg, vosgerau-am-damm.de),
- Oldenburg Bicycle Centre: fzol.deWilhelmshaven: wilhelmshaven-touristik.de/experience/active/bike-rental
- Bremerhaven: e.g. Tourist-Info and RadStation Schaufenster Fischereihafen (bremerhaven.de)
Service
- Bicycle Greetings (Brake, fahrradgruss.de),
- Nils Hoogendorn - All about bicycles (Jade-Jadeberg, zweirad-hoogendoorn.de),
- Meyer's Fahrrad & Freizeitcenter (Stadtland-Rodenkirchen, fahrradcenter-meyer.de),
- Fahrrad Bauer (Nordenham & Bremerhaven, bike-builder.com),
- Lembike (Lemwerder, www.lembike.de), TrumpfFahrräder (Nordenham, fahrrad-trumpf.de)
E-bike charging stations
- Tourist information centres in Burhave, Nordenham, Brake, Elsfleth, etc.
- Café Landlust Jade
- Tile parlour Butjadingen
- Meyer's Bicycle and Leisure Centre Rodenkirchen
- New pharmacy Lemwerder
- Old Fleiwa Oldenburg
- others, primarily in Wilhelmshaven and Bremerhaven
Bike-friendly accommodation
- Landhotel Butjadinger Tor, Butjadinger Straße 67 - 71, 26954 Nordenham,
butjadinger-tor.de - Hotel Bavaria, Bremer Heerstraße 196, 26135 Oldenburg, hotel-bavaria-oldenburg.de
- Beans Parc Hotel, Marktstr. 159, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, beans-parc.com
More accommodation about:
- nordseejadeweser.de/book/holiday-apartment/accommodation
- bettundbike.com
Food & drink:
Typical of the region are the Melkhüs, which are usually open every day from spring to autumn. They offer refreshments and home-made snacks - it goes without saying that milk is used in many of the dishes, given the name. With their unmistakable design and always friendly service, they offer a charming little break on the go.
Route planning & maps
Bikeline cycle map "Wilhelmshaven, Wesermarsch Wilhelmshaven, Wesermarsch"; further material on the websites see below
Info
- nordseejadeweser.de
- reiseland-niedersachsen.de (under "Cycling")
