Status: 04/21/2023 1:00 p.m
Marsh and moor landscapes, orchards and fields characterize the Lower Saxony region on the Lower Elbe. The tranquil region between Stade and Otterndorf is ideal for exploring by bike.
The Kehdinger Land is sparsely populated, only a few small towns such as Freiburg an der Elbe, Drochtersen and Wischhafen are in the region, which has all the more water and greenery to offer. The Old Baljer Lighthouse is one of the most famous sights and photo opportunities. Despite its low height of only 16 meters, it offers a wide view over the Elbe estuary. Around 150 kilometers of cycle paths run through the flat area, including the Mönchsweg and the Elberadweg, which crosses the region.
Natureum in Balje shows local wildlife
In addition to an exhibition on the importance of the Elbe for the region, numerous living animals can also be seen in the Natureum.
If you want to learn more about the natural landscape formed by geest, marshland and moors, the Niederelbe Natureum is the right place for you. The nature center includes a coastal museum, which shows, among other things, the huge skeleton of a sperm whale and several aquariums with local fish and provides information about the importance of the Elbe for nature, culture and the economy of the region. The museum also shows changing special exhibitions. Next door in the Elbe Coastal Park and Coastal Zoo there are numerous domestic animals such as horses and rabbits as well as various wild animals such as ferrets, turtles and pygmy otters.
The Natureum is located next to the Oste barrage, which has been protecting the hinterland from storm surges since 1968 – in the past centuries, storm surges had flooded large areas of the bank all the way inland. The river can be explored in a leisurely manner on a trip on Germany’s oldest passenger ship, the “Mocambo”, built in 1872. The trip starts in Oberndorf and leads from there in a northerly direction through the barrage to the Elbe.
Elbe Island Krautsand and Coastal Shipping Museum
The former Elbe island Krautsand has a beautiful long natural beach to offer. From there you can take a ride with the “Tidenviewer” to do: The flat-bottomed ship has a particularly shallow draft and offers various natural trips across the Elbe and the Schwinge river to Stade.
Anyone interested in the maritime tradition of the region can visit the Kehding Coastal Shipping Museum plan in Wischhafen on the Elbe. It is housed in a listed old granary and illuminates various aspects of everyday life on board coastal ships in the past. The “Iris Jörg”, a coaster built in 1956, belongs to the museum.
Observe wild and migratory birds
In autumn, tens of thousands of barnacle geese fly into Kehdinger Land from their arctic breeding grounds.
Kehdingen is a paradise for wild birds. A little north of the Natureum, near the Baljer lighthouse, there is a separate conservation area. A visit in autumn is particularly worthwhile, when tens of thousands of migratory birds rest in the region. In particular, large flocks of barnacle geese come to Kehdinger Land to spend the winter there. Between 50,000 and 80,000 of the large black and white sea geese populate the area between Freiburg and Balje every year – that is about 20 percent of the world population. The animals can be observed well by one, among others observation tower at the Wischhafen Elbe ferry or on Allwörden dike. Bird watching is particularly easy on a guided tour with the double-decker bus “bird watcher“, which invites you to a three-hour trip from Freiburg (Elbe) every Saturday at 2 p.m. from March to the beginning of June and from September to the beginning of December.
Further information
