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Main canal in Papenburg

by Marc 08/03/2024 | 2 IMAGES IN THE BLOGPOST | No Comments

Papenburg really appealed to me. Not because of the Meyerwerft shipyard, Papenburg’s major employer, because I don’t like cruise ships in particular. But mainly because of the beautiful main canal.

The streets on both sides are traffic-calmed and therefore left to cyclists and pedestrians. Only a few roads cross the canal and it is correspondingly quiet and tranquil. We even experienced time and again that drivers on the crossing road — who actually have the right of way — let us through!
Cycling is simply much more natural in Emsland and East Frisia than here in Buchholz or Hamburg.

Wagtail feeding

by Marc 07/28/2024 | 7 IMAGES IN THE BLOG POST | 2 Comments

A young white wagtail. Like the big one, it was always bobbing its tail up and down, especially when it spotted a parent bird with food. I was lucky enough to experience a little story with a fly that was far too big. But see for yourself what they have to tell: read more or write a comment …

Hahnentang Mill

by Marc 07/20/2024 | No Comments

The Hahentanger Mill in Rhauderfehn is one of 4 mills owned by the municipality but rebuilt and operated by mill associations. It was built in 1864 and 65 and burned down in 1885. It was then rebuilt in 1886 and 87 and has been through many ups and downs since then. Damage was repeatedly repaired until it was renovated by the public authorities at the end of the 1980s and then rented by the municipality for 10 years. In 1991, the mill association was founded, which from then on invested in the maintenance of the mill and the expansion of the mill complex with barn, sales room and bakehouse. read more or write a comment …

Backemoor sexton’s house — A gulf house

by Marc 07/13/2024 | No Comments

The listed sexton’s house next to the church of St. Laurentius and St. Vincentius is a so-called Gulf house. It is a type of farmhouse that appeared in East Frisia in the 16^th and 17^th centuries and houses a dwelling house, stable and barn under one roof. The Gulfhaus owes its origins to economic circumstances. The predecessor of the Gulfhaus was the old Frisian farmhouse, which, like the Gulfhaus, was also a stable house.

These small buildings provided farmers with sufficient space, as there was no need to store a large harvest. Grain cultivation was only possible on a few high-lying areas, while the inadequately drained marshes were only suitable for grass and pasture. Later, improved drainage techniques using wind-water mills made it possible to drain fertile low-lying marshland and use it for large-scale grain cultivation. A house with a large capacity was needed to store the growing harvest, which gave rise to the Gulfhaus.

St. Laurentius and St. Vincentius Church Backemoor

by Marc 07/06/2024 | 2 IMAGES IN THE BLOG POST | No Comments

I was particularly taken with the interesting light on the slate-covered roof of the apse of the church in Backemoor. From glistening light on one side to dark black on the other.

Backemoor’s church of St. Laurentius and St. Vincentius dates back to an apse church that was built in the first half of the 13^th century at the meeting place of the councillors from the entire Overledingerland. In the 15^th century, the west tower was added to the church. The nave was shortened slightly and the old portals were walled up — two in the south and one in the north. The thick walls, embrasures and a chimney on the west tower indicate that it was used as a defensive tower. The entrance has since been located in the tower basement.

Source: Wikipedia

On the other hand, I hadn’t expected to find such a massive church in this small town with just over 480 inhabitants. read more or write a comment …

Hedgerows near Backemoor

by Marc 06/29/2024 | 2 IMAGES IN THE BLOG POST | No Comments

Previously, I had already reported on the hedgerows as a typical cultural landscape of East Frisia. As I was so often out and about in the countryside near Backemoor, I decided to show these small fields, framed by stately old oak trees, from above. This was the only way to clearly see how they stretch around the villages and access roads.

On the cover picture of the article you can see the small village in the background on the left. But you can also clearly see how open fields lie between the villages further to the right. I have captured this a little more clearly in a second picture. read more or write a comment …

East Frisian hedgerows

by Marc 06/23/2024 | 2 IMAGES IN THE BLOG POST | No Comments

Hedgerows are an integral part of our East Frisian cultural landscape, whose origins go back over 1000 years. They shape the landscape, protect against wind erosion, mark boundaries and are a habitat, refuge and food source for hundreds of animal species, some of which are threatened with extinction.

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