Hütten Mountains
Germany's northernmost federal state has much more to offer than the North Sea and Baltic Sea coasts. Southwest of the port city of Eckernförde, the Hüttener Berge rise to a height of over 105 meters. The nature park covers almost 22,000 hectares and is the smallest in Schleswig-Holstein. It is worth getting to know the special charm and sights of the Hüttener Berge. Locals and visitors alike appreciate the landscape of the nature park with its lakes, hills, forests and moors.
The Hüttener Berge offer ideal conditions for long walks, hiking, cycling, horse riding and much more. We recommend, for example, a cycle tour around Lake Wittensee with a detour to the Kiel Canal. Or you can set off on foot along the historic Ochsenweg trail. This circular hiking trail leads through heathland and forest, through the Sorgwohlder inland dunes and the picturesque valley of the small river Sorge. In earlier times, many pilgrims used the Ox Trail, which was part of the legendary Way of St. James.
If you are looking for a hotel in the Hüttener Berge, you will certainly notice the inviting website of the Seehotel Töpferhaus am Bistensee. This traditional and modern hotel pampers its guests according to the motto "Casual. Sustainable. Nordic." Here you can relax in comfort, feast in style, get romantically married and feel at home in an idyllic location.
Seehotel Töpferhaus: perfect location in the Hütten mountains
The Töpferhaus is an excellent place to stay to explore the region's scenic diversity. An excursion tip for cyclists: you cycle for about an hour along the Wittensee towards Eckernförde. The former fishing town between the Baltic Sea and the Noor inland waterway is over 700 years old. The Baltic seaside resort of Eckernförde has long since become a popular summer resort with a long sandy beach and a beautiful promenade. Here you can rent a beach chair and look out over the bay, swim in the sea or enjoy the maritime flair at the harbor in the striking round silo.
If you prefer athletic activities, we recommend the nature park hiking trail, which opened in 2021. It is 180 km long and leads through the entire district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde: From the Hüttener Berge Nature Park, you can cycle north to the Schlei Nature Park or south to the Westensee or Aukrug Nature Parks. You can see the Baltic Sea fjord, the sea, the canal, the lakes, hills and forests that make Schleswig-Holstein a popular travel destination. The nature park hiking trail is bordered by several circular tours on which you can discover many scenic highlights.
The "peaks" of the Hütten mountains
It takes just under two hours on foot from the Seehotel Töpferhaus to climb the highest of the Hütten mountains. It is located not far from the village of Ascheffel and is 105.8 meters high. From there, it is not far to the 98-metre-high Aschberg, on which there is a stately statue of Bismarck. To the southwest of Ascheffel, the 99.1-metre-high Heidberg attracts numerous hikers. On a clear day, you have a great panoramic view from here as far as Eckernförde Bay and the Schlei. Other hills around Brekendorf include the Brekenberg, the Immenberg and the Arnsberg. This trio is between 80 and 90 meters high.
A so-called microclimate prevails in the Hütten mountains. This is the reason why the average annual temperatures in the western part differ from those in the eastern part of the nature park. There is also significantly more rainfall on the western side than in the east. Typical of the Hüttener Berge are also still waters such as Fresensee, Heidteich and Owschlager See as well as rivers such as Alte Eider, Osterbek and Sorge.
After hiking or cycling through the unique landscape during the day, you can fortify yourself in the evening with delicious food and a good drop of wine in the Töpferhaus restaurant "LammButtRind". The original name says it all: the kitchen brigade's creations are innovative and cooked with fresh regional ingredients. Not only hotel guests dine at "LammButtRind" in Alt Duvenstedt, where vegetarian and vegan dishes are also served.
Further recommendations for the Hüttener Berge region
It's no wonder that hikers and cyclists in particular flock to the nature park. Officially, there are 20 hiking trails and six cycle routes that take you to all corners of the Hüttener Berge. The routes for hikers are between three and 17 kilometers long, the cycle routes between 14 and 40 kilometers. So you can choose the tours that suit your mood and fitness level. Inline skaters and mountain bikers are also in good hands in the Hütten mountains. Three mountain bike trails (Brekendorfer Forsten) and a skating route are available to them.
At www.naturpark-huettenerberge.de/aktuelles/ you can keep up to date with regional events, hiking in the Hüttener Berge, news, apps and downloads relating to the picturesque nature park. If you want to take a day trip from Kiel, Lübeck or Hamburg into the beautiful nature of the north, you can reach the district of Rendsburg-Eckernförde in a maximum of 90 minutes by car. The Hüttener Berge are also ideal for an active weekend (or longer). The Seehotel Töpferhaus am Bistensee still has the status of an insider tip and offers every comfort to make your stay a soothing experience in the middle of nature.
