During a stay in Dinklage, the history of the castle and church sits alongside nature and walking trails. In the castle forest, you’ll find the wildlife park and a fitness trail; in the town center, St. Catharina Parish Church adds its own architectural accent. There is also the Path of Courage, cycling and pilgrimage routes, and Schweger Mill. If you’re looking for a hotel, you can plan your trip around one of these highlights: a particular trail, history, or an event such as the mill festival.

Dinklage Castle and the castle forest

Dinklage Castle is one of the oldest and most important moated castle complexes in the Oldenburger Münsterland. Clemens August Count von Galen was born at the castle on March 16, 1878, the eleventh child of Ferdinand Count von Galen and Elisabeth, née Countess von Spee. The castle chapel was built between 1841 and 1844 in the Neo-Gothic style. This local history connects the importance of the complex with its architecture and the life story of a son born there. In the forest, you can also discover the remains of the so-called “Ferdinandsburg.” They lie 500 meters east of the present-day castle grounds, making them a separate landmark in the castle forest.

Church and Path of Courage

St. Catharina Catholic Parish Church stands in the town center of Dinklage. The three-aisled Neo-Gothic church was built in 1875/78 by August Hanemann of Münster and consecrated in 1884. Its 72-meter-high tower is considered the tallest church tower in the Oldenburger Münsterland. The Path of Courage connects the parish church with Dinklage Castle. Along the historic procession route are eight sculptures that explore different aspects of courage. The trail thus connects two named places through a shared theme. If you’d like to consider architecture and culture together, the church and castle chapel also offer two examples of Neo-Gothic architecture from different periods: 1875/78 and 1841 to 1844.

Nature, exercise and different trails

At the Dinklage castle forest, visitors can see fallow deer, goats, chickens, sheep and miniature pigs up close at the wildlife park. The park is located in a 27-hectare conservation area and serves both recreation and environmental education for the local community. There is also a reactivated fitness trail in the front part of the castle forest, with 14 stations over 2.8 kilometers. Since facilities can change, check the trail’s current condition before your visit.

For a cycling tour, the “From Castle to Castle” route passes through forests and meadows, connecting Dinklage Castle with Burg Hopen in Lohne. The 24-kilometer pilgrimage route between Damme and Dinklage offers something different: it consists of four stages and features prompts on the “cardinal” virtues at five stations. Its theme is based on the life and work of Cardinal von Galen. The two routes thus differ clearly in their mode of travel, destinations and theme: a cycling connection between two castles on the one hand, and a pilgrimage route divided into stages on the other.

Schweger Mill: a place to learn and celebrate

Schweger Mill offers another way to explore local history. For school groups, it serves as a learning venue where students can learn about how a mill and its equipment work and are built. The school program also covers different types of flour and how the ovens in the bakehouse work. The mill festival is a separate event: freshly baked stone-oven bread is offered, and members of the friends’ association lead interested visitors through the mill. Festival dates and programs may vary. If you’d like to plan your trip around the mill festival, check the current dates and offerings in advance.

Discover more destinations: Visbek, Lohne, Bakum, Goldenstedt, Damme, Holdorf, Neuenkirchen-Vörden, Vechta

Go to the overview of the wider region: Vechta.