Hersel combines extensive protected Rhine meadows with a roughly 40-kilometre Bornheim cycling loop and local history that ranges from an estate to places of remembrance. Nature, cycling, architectural history and remembrance offer different focuses for planning a trip.
Rhine meadows and paths along the Rhine
The Rhine meadows near Hersel are an extensive floodplain and are protected as a landscape conservation area. The towpath runs along the Rhine through the meadows and is used by walkers, joggers and cyclists. The Auenweg runs through the middle of the Rhine meadows and is also used by these groups. The practical difference lies in the landscape: the towpath follows the Rhine, while the Auenweg runs through the floodplain itself. This makes it possible to plan walks, runs and cycling trips at different points in this landscape.
Herseler Werth lies entirely within Bornheim. The approximately 15-hectare Rhine island is a nature reserve and has been off-limits to visitors since 1993. Golden orioles, nightingales and black kites nest there. This restriction is part of the destination’s natural appeal, as are its distinctive bird species: Herseler Werth cannot be planned as a walkable day-trip destination.
Cycling route and themed trails
Hersel is connected to the approximately 40-kilometre Bornheim branch route of the RHEINISCHE APFELROUTE. The loop connects all 14 Bornheim communities between the Rhine and the foothills. It provides a regional framework for planning a cycling trip that extends beyond Hersel. The approximate distance, connected communities and route between the Rhine and the foothills offer useful points of reference when choosing a tour.
The Nature and Culture Trail consists of three individual tours in Hersel, Uedorf and Widdig. Its name brings together nature and culture, while the three communities indicate the scope of this range of tours. As well as cycling, visitors can choose individual tours with a local focus on nature and culture.
Architectural history and remembrance
The Marienhof in Hersel is a four-winged estate with a late Neoclassical manor house dating from 1867. The former farm and vineyard is surrounded by a large park with mature trees. The owners’ family runs a wine cellar and wine business there. The estate, its former uses and its wine business bring together several aspects of Hersel’s local history in one place.
The former Germania Brewery is also an old landmark of Hersel and dates from 1864. The Aegidiussaal tells a different architectural story: the Baroque church dates from 1744 and is now used as a community centre. During construction of the church in Hersel, which began in 1744, the remains of an extensive Augustinian canons’ monastery were found. St. Aegidius Parish Church, in turn, was built from 1899 and consecrated in 1901.
The Hersel Jewish Cemetery on what is now Elbestraße was established in the mid-19th century, probably between 1848 and 1853. At Germanenstraße 26, in front of the former home of the Rolef family, Stolpersteine commemorate family members murdered in the Holocaust. These places represent different forms of remembrance and are part of a broader engagement with Hersel’s history.
The “Herseler Herbst” traditionally takes place on the third Sunday in September. If you would like to plan your trip around this event, check the current event dates in advance.
More culture in Bornheim
In the Bornheim destination, the nearly 3-kilometre Heinrich Böll Trail offers a literary and local-history focus of its own. The themed circular route passes through Merten and Rösberg and introduces visitors to Heinrich Böll’s life and the history of both communities. Along the way, QR codes provide access to audio recordings of interviews with contemporary witnesses and excerpts from Böll’s short story “Oblomow auf der Bettkannte.” In this way, Bornheim adds another perspective to Hersel’s local focus, one explicitly rooted in Merten and Rösberg.
Discover more destinations: Widdig
For the main travel overview: Bornheim.
