Waterways, Fehn culture and the history of technology offer different ways to explore Barßel. At the Elisabethfehn Canal, distinctive water engineering structures stand amid a landscape whose development is also explained at the Elisabethfehn Moor and Fehn Museum. Historic ships, a windmill and a variety of cycling routes round out the picture, offering specific themes for planning a trip tailored to your interests.

Canals, Shipping and Cycling Routes

The Elisabethfehn Canal is considered Germany’s only remaining fully navigable Fehn canal. Its infrastructure includes six lifting bridges and four manually operated locks. These structures also make the canal an interesting subject in the history of technology and culture. The Elisabethfehn Moor and Fehn Museum is part of a historic ensemble with the bridges and lock.

Cruises on the Barßeler Tief, the Jümme and the Soeste operate aboard the MS Spitzhörn. The waterways around Barßel are affected by the tides; in Barßel harbor, the tidal range is about one meter and varies with the tide calendar. Trips are seasonal, so check the timetable for your planned travel dates.

If you prefer to explore by bike, the Barßel-Saterland recreation area offers the option of planning your own routes of about 20 or 80 kilometers along rivers, canals, moorland and dikes. The two route lengths offer different scales for planning your own ride without prescribing a fixed day route. Four themed tourist routes meet at Dreibrücken: the German Fehn Route, the Cloppenburg Cycling Tour, the Moorland Experience Route and the Boxenstopp Route. Check route conditions and signage before setting out.

Ships, Moorland and the History of Windmills

The Angela of Barßel museum ship was built as a tjalk in 1896 at the A. Mulder shipyard in Stadskanaal, the Netherlands. Members of the supporting association restored the ship in 1985 and 1986. It has been listed in Lower Saxony’s register of movable monuments since 2008. Excursions and special trips can be booked aboard the Angela of Barßel; check in advance whether your preferred trip is available on your chosen date.

The Elisabethfehn Moor and Fehn Museum explains how raised bogs formed and how people shaped the landscape around Elisabethfehn. This connects the formation of the moorland with the history of landscape development. Exhibits include large peat-cutting machines and canal boats; there is also a moorland educational garden and a moorland water-level observation platform. A tearoom serves food and drinks typical of the moorland region. Check before your visit whether food and drinks are available.

The Ebkens windmill offers another glimpse of historic technology. Built in 1892, it is a three-story gallery Dutch windmill with a runner mill and an oil press. These specific components add another technical structure to the broader themes of water engineering and the Fehn landscape.

Another Way to Experience the Surroundings

The Harkebrügge barefoot park winds through a wooded setting and features 60 barefoot stations. This offers a different focus from shipping, museums and historic structures. Check current access before your trip.

Discover more destinations: Saterland, Petersfeld, Bösel, Löningen, Emstek, Cappeln, Molbergen, Lastrup.

Go to the overview of the wider area: Cloppenburg.