Hillgroven is a settlement spread over a wide area. Fields of grain, rapeseed, cabbage, potatoes and sugar beet shape the Wesselburen marshland around the village. Holiday homes and holiday apartments for visitors are part of Hillgroven’s accommodation options. Because the settlement is spread out, it is also worth checking the exact location of your accommodation when planning excursions.
Fields and water engineering in the Wesselburen marshland
The fields give Hillgroven a distinctly rural setting. Water engineering also offers a glimpse into the region’s history and infrastructure. The Eider Barrage is one of the popular destinations in the Wesselburen area. The 230-metre-long structure was designed to protect the Eider estuary from storm surges and is also intended to ensure drainage in the Eider area. A road tunnel through the barrage connects Wesselburenerkoog with the Eiderstedt peninsula.
Another structure is the Hillgroven pumping station. It was built in 1972 as an outer-dike pumping station as part of a dike reinforcement project and is located near Koogweg in Wesselburenerkoog. Its construction date and function place it within the history of dike reinforcement; the Eider Barrage, by contrast, is associated with protecting the Eider estuary and draining the Eider area.
Dithmarschen as the wider natural region
Beyond the village, the wider destination of Dithmarschen offers a broader natural setting. The Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea is one of Germany’s 14 national parks and the largest between the North Cape and Sicily. It is considered one of the most bird-rich areas in Europe. The Wadden Sea’s salt marshes are home to hundreds of plant and animal species found only in this habitat. These natural features are part of the wider Dithmarschen region; they should not be equated with Hillgroven’s fields.
Tidal flats, trails and culture in Dithmarschen
In the wider destination of Dithmarschen, guided mudflat walks along the coast are led by National Park mudflat guides with local knowledge and expertise. At low tide, they reveal the diverse life of the Wadden Sea. Tides and the dates of individual tours vary, so it is advisable to check the available dates before planning.
Hiking trails also vary in length and format. The “Mötjensee and Sea Eagle” circular trail near Lunden is 12.79 kilometres long and described as an easy route. The North Sea–Baltic Sea Hiking Trail runs in five stages from Meldorf to Kiel; its first stage passes through Dithmarschen and is just under 40 kilometres long. This gives you the choice of a shorter circular walk or a significantly longer section of a long-distance hiking trail in the wider destination.
Dithmarschen’s cultural attractions include, among others, the Büsum Museum Harbour, the Dithmarscher Landesmuseum, the Klaus Groth Museum and the Albersdorf Stone Age Park. The regional museum in Meldorf takes visitors through 1,200 years of Dithmarschen—from the wealth of the farmers’ republic to rural everyday life in the 1960s. Dithmarschen’s museum network brings together 19 museums, run by both paid staff and volunteers, in eleven locations.
At the Stone Age Park, the programme includes practical activities such as flint knapping, archery, making Stone Age jewellery, fire-making and bread baking; individual activities may vary depending on the programme. In addition to the park, the Stone Age Forest covers around 40 hectares of naturalistic open space that is permanently free to access. It contains nine original archaeological monuments. Check access arrangements before visiting. Another point of reference is the Friedrichskoog National Park Station: an information centre with a national park exhibition on the south side of the harbour.
Cabbage and regional events
Dithmarschen is a large, contiguous cabbage-growing area: around 90 million heads of cabbage are produced there each year. During the Dithmarschen Cabbage Days, farmers’ markets, town festivals, and sporting and cultural events take place throughout the region. Dates and individual programme items may change.
At the Krautwerkstatt in the KOHLosseum, demonstrations followed by tastings take place on Tuesdays to Thursdays at 2, 3 and 4 pm. From 1 November until Easter, only the 2 pm demonstration takes place. Check the schedule before your visit.
Discover more destinations: Friedrichskoog, Gudendorf, Arkebek, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Koog, Dingen, WelmbĂĽttel, Kuden, Stinteck.
See the wider travel overview: Dithmarschen.
