Visitors can explore Mettingen on seven circular hiking trails ranging from 7 to 12 kilometres. There are also two museums covering different themes and a forest marble run in the Köllbachtal valley. The cultural highlights focus on school life and the history of flax cultivation and the linen trade. This lets you plan your stay around either nature or culture. For practical information, it is also worth checking the e-bike charging stations: their availability may change.

Choose a circular hiking trail by length

The seven circular hiking trails range from 7 to 12 kilometres in length. This makes distance a clear starting point for comparison: there is a five-kilometre difference between the shortest and longest routes. Use this range to choose a distance that fits your stay, and check current trail conditions before setting out. This way, you can select a hike based on the distance you have in mind, rather than treating all the trails as options of equal length.

School history and the linen trade

Mettingen School Museum was established in 1998 in the former stable building of the restored Schultenhof farmstead to preserve the memory of the small rural schools and everyday school life there. The focus is therefore on education and the daily history of these small schools. The Tüötten Museum explores flax cultivation and its processing, as well as the customs of linen merchants. The two museums offer different perspectives: school history and everyday life at one, flax, processing and the linen trade at the other. Guided tours at the Tüötten Museum are arranged by appointment, so please book your visit in advance.

Forest marble run, Kneipp facility and e-bike charging stations

The forest marble run in the Köllbachtal valley in Mettingen is around 120 metres long. Wooden marbles roll through obstacles, sharp bends and other features in the middle of the forest. Unlike the circular hiking trails, this offers a different kind of experience: instead of choosing a route several kilometres long, you can watch wooden marbles travel along a short track. Check the latest visitor information before your visit, as details may change.

A Kneipp facility fed by spring water was built in 2012 in the Köllbachtal valley, near the centre. If you plan to use the facility, check in advance what options are currently available. There are two free e-bike charging stations: at the barn at Schultenhof, Burgstraße 9, and outside the police station at Markt 6. A repair kit is also available at the station at Markt 6. If a particular station is important to your plans, check its current availability.

A wider view of Steinfurt

For a regional perspective on the wider destination of Steinfurt, the twelve NaTourismus routes offer a distinct set of trails. They run through almost all the towns and villages in the Steinfurter and Tecklenburger Land regions, are between 25 and 54 kilometres long, and are suitable for discovering the diverse flora and fauna. These details relate to the destination of Steinfurt; Mettingen’s circular hiking trails are described as 7 to 12 kilometres long. This makes it easy to distinguish between the shorter circular trails in Mettingen and the longer regional routes. Check the latest route information before setting out, as distances may change.

Discover more destinations: Lotte, Westerkappeln, Laer, Ibbenbüren, Greven, Hörstel, Nordwalde, Ochtrup.

Back to the main travel overview: Steinfurt.