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On the way: East Frisia
On the way: East Frisia
North-northeast course
Advertising for a Frisian beer promises no traffic jams, no hectic rush. Tempting, said MOTORRAD employee Sylvia Lischer and toured the country between Ems, Dollart and Jade.
Sylvia Lischer
10/26/2007
On the wooden box is emblazoned in black letters: “Rossell Tea Limited, Gurusaday Road, Calcutta, India”. A 100-year-old clipper creaks in the harbor basin, which once sailed safely to India. And fishing cutter Ane anchors quite unabashedly next to the Ems dream ship Warsteiner Admiral. It smells of freedom and adventure, childhood fantasies of wild seafarers who plundered the world’s oceans with their ships bloom. That the crew of the Warsteiner Admiral is actually preparing for the evening “riverboat ride with dance and buffet” is who cares?
One more look into the medieval streets of the empty old town, then I leave the »Gate of East Friesland« via Stortebekerstrasse in the direction of the North Sea. North course with the BMW Boxer, always along the Ems dike, which closes around the wide plain like the edge of a soup plate. Oldersum shows that not only I am susceptible to seafaring romance. There the pirate flag was hoisted in a vegetable garden in honor of the legendary pirate and East Frisian folk hero Klaus Stortebeker. Or maybe you just want to scare off cucumber thieves … The route is now called the Green Coastal Road, but the sea is only ten kilometers further in sight.
In Emden, where the Ems flows into the Dollart, a light North Sea breeze welcomes me. Over there, off the Dutch coast, the contours of tankers and cargo ships can be seen, the ferry to Borkum leaves from the outer harbor, a fishing cutter comes in and crosses my path into the city. Sure, who has right of way in Emden, which is criss-crossed by canals: the traffic light turns red, the street “Amtonshof” rises 50 meters vertically, as do the railway tracks next to it.
I stroll to the old inland port, linger a little at the rolling kiosk “Emder Heringslogger”, which sells crab rolls, fish cakes and smoked matjes. Quaint fishing trawlers and the tomato-red fire-fighting ship Deutsche Bucht, which, in addition to the restaurant and museum, also houses a registry office’s wedding room, swing in the background. But not everything here revolves around water and shipping. “Dat Otto Huus” can be viewed at the Stadtgarten. Comedian Otto Waalkes, born in Emden, has such unique exhibits as his first stubble.
Back on Stortebekerstrabe, I direct the R 1150 R over the Krummhorn to the red and yellow ringed Pilsum lighthouse. It is a bright midsummer day. One or the other little cloud pulls across the steel-blue sky, the wind gently sweeps over the meadows. It’s just a shame that the highest point in East Frisia is between the highway and the North Sea. In order not only to smell the sea, but also to see it, I have to climb between dozens of sheep on the North Sea dike, which – sometimes almost nine meters high – encloses the land between the Ems, Dollart and Jade almost completely. Above then the view of the mudflats, the sea and the vast country. Motorcycle jacket and helmet plop into the grass, I fall behind like the man from the Jever advertisement.
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Only when the frantically ringing church tower bells tear the silence of the landscape apart, do I rap my way up again. My next destination: the small fishing nest Greetsiel with its 600 year old port. At the end of the village I follow the green coastal road to Eilsum and promptly get into the hinterland. Not planned, but still welcome, as there are pretty tree-lined avenues along the way. The flat land is suddenly arched, even if not upwards, but downwards. Germany’s lowest point is reached at Freepsum: 2.30 meters below sea level! The East Frisians don’t make a big fuss about it. Corridor number 3, parcel 35 can only be found with the help of the cycle path signs. In the middle of the bushes I can then spot a marker stick. In addition to Germany’s lowest point, there is also the 24.5 meter high dune on Spikeroog, East Friesland’s highest point. And, about a meter above, the 2963 meter high Zugspitze. A not quite true to scale relationship to the highest mountain in Germany.
In Marienhafe, a good ten kilometers from the coast, you pass projecting hulls: the theater backdrop of the Stortebeker open-air theater. When the pirate captain showed up here in 1396, the North Sea reached almost as far as the Marienkirche due to previous storm surges. At that time the church had a 72 meter high tower in which the pirates made their homes.
Another swerve over Grobheide, then I roll over north to the north dike. Another marker post – this time with notched size relation to scale. Current dike height 8.60 meters, dike height 1906: 6.70 meters, storm surge on March 13, 1906: 6.70 meters of waves. Without the protective wall against the North Sea, the sun terrace of the restaurant “Moders oll Hus” on Deichstrasse would have bad cards. With waves running a good three meters, the water would be right up to the gables of the house. I peek excitedly over the top of the dike, but the North Sea has withdrawn from the coast, behind the dam are only a few puddles in the mudflats.
At the seal rearing and research station in Norden-Norddeich, I find out that seals are also affected by the moods of the rough seas. Managing director Peter Lienau points to Steffi, Nina and 28 other seal children who, separated from their mothers after violent storms and thunderstorms, were found crying on sandbanks and beaches. The boulders remain under the care of Peter Lienau until they are three months old, and so the proud owner of an old BMW police machine hardly ever gets to ride a motorcycle.
During my flying visit to the seals, the North Sea returned to the coast, and when I look over the dike I can see the contours of Norderney. There are now two ways to reach the island. Wait for the next ebb, join Captain Willis for a mudflat hike and run over. Or take the next ferry with your BMW.
Sure I can take the motorcycle with me, the lady at the port office explains to me, but driving is only allowed within a three-kilometer radius. And within that there are quiet areas, speed limits, no parking … Okay, I understand. The BMW stays here. I buy a passenger ticket with an integrated bathing card and go on board. The crossing is calm. The ferry glides through the tide-independent fairway, countering one or the other bonsai wave from oncoming shrimp cutters.
At the port of Norderney the obligatory stand with matjes and crab rolls, the latter for a proud 4.50 euros. A few steps further the first bike rental. I opt for an unsprung East Frisian wheel with a three-speed torpedo gear and pedal across the entire island on tarred promenades through lonely pine forests and extensive dune areas.
Back from the island trip, I appreciate the comfortably padded motorcycle saddle, I continue on Stortebekerstrabe along the dike. Sheep herds trot lethargically over the top of the dike, Nebmersiel, Dornumersiel, Bensersiel – the humid air makes one sweat on your forehead. But suddenly there is a sharp breeze. Souvenir sellers near the beach hurry to secure their displays: lighthouses in at least ten different sizes, plush seals and other animals with the inscription “moin moin”. Out over the North Sea, meanwhile, a jet-black cloud front is heading for the coast.
Driven by visions of storm tides, I flee inland with the BMW as if Klaus Stortebeker’s pirate team were after me. In Aurich, the clouds catch up with me, lightning flashes across the sky, downpour pounds on the visor. Only one thing helps: wait and see and drink tea. When I open the creaky wooden door to the »Kluntje« tea room in the former miller’s house, the scent of freshly baked cherry cake wafts towards me. Upholstered chairs, lace doilies and a plush sofa, in which I sink into with a sigh of relief, create the inviting ambience. While the wind is blowing through the streets outside, I enjoy candlelit tea, prepared according to traditional East Frisian ceremonies, of course. Models of shrimp cutters and sailing ships are enthroned on the showcase, and a picture of a lighthouse hangs on the wall. The only thing missing is the obligatory windmill. But it’s outside the window. In original size.
Two corners away from here, the “five mills land” beckons Grobefehn, my next destination the next day. A romantic spot with canals that can be crossed on picturesque bascule bridges and brick houses hidden behind rose hedges. From there I follow the German fen route to Marcardsmoor, accompanied for a while by the peat ship Gretje, which cruises leisurely on the Grobefehn Canal.
In Neuharlingersiel I reach the North Sea again, follow the coast to Harlesiel and Carolinensiel and then roar across Jeverland to Wilhelmshaven. Also a sluice port, except that there are no picturesque fishing cutters anchored here, but huge merchant ships and super tankers.
Another dangling along the Jade Bay to Varel Harbor, then I drive the Boxer past Windallee again towards the hinterland. Bockhorn, Neuchâtel, Friedeburg the stations. And finally: America! I didn’t expect a highway or brightly colored neon signs, but that it only consists of a handful of houses at the end of a stone-old oak alley disappoints me a little. America doesn’t even have a McDonald’s, but instead has a cycle sign hidden behind bushes: 1 kilometer to Russia.
Russia looks similar to America, the houses maybe a bit bigger, the front gardens more elaborately designed. Somehow more capitalist. There is even a Harley-Davidson shop here, a bus travel company and a pub. The Russlandhof – who’s surprised – has Russian eggs and »Russki vodka« on offer.
Towards evening I cruise over America straight into the sunset. On endless straight roads through wide open country. With one leg casually draped over the right cylinder, I enjoy the Frisian lifestyle: no stress, no hectic rush, no traffic jams, no compromises.
Info
The land between the Dollart and Jade Bay bays offers enough attractions for explorers to make up for the curve deficit.
getting there
From the south via the A 31 Dusseldorf – Emden, from the northeast via the A 1, A 28 and A 31 Hamburg – Bremen – Emden, from the east and southeast via the A 7, A 27, A 28 and A 31 Hanover – Bremen – Emden.
Stay
The Hotel Twardokus, Kirchstrabe 6, 26603 Aurich, is located in the old town center of Aurich. For an overnight stay with breakfast in the lovingly restored town house, you pay 35 euros per person; Telephone 04941/99090, Fax -990929, Internet: www.twardokus.de. A family atmosphere prevails in the Hotel Nordstern, Kirchstrasse 69 in 26529 Osterupgant / Marienhafe. Bed and breakfast costs 30 euros per person; Telephone 04934/222, Fax -9109970. We also recommend the Hotel Faldernpoort, Courbièrestrabe 6, 26725 Emden. Here you have to pay for bed and breakfast from 40 euros; Telephone 04921/97520, Fax -28761, Internet: www.faldernpoort.de.
Worth seeing
A must for animal lovers: Seal rearing and research station in Norden-Norddeich. Information under phone 04931/81635. Recommended for the fun group: »Dat Otto Huus«, the Schmunzel-kabinett by comedian Otto Waalkes in Emden, Grosse Strasse 1. In the bottle ship museum, Am Hafen West 7, Neuharlingersiel, there is the ship in the bottle from dugout canoes to atomic Marvel at submarine. The Sielhafenmuseum in Carolinensiel offers large-scale historical cutter wrecks and the German Naval Museum, Sudstrand 125, Wilhelmshaven, exhibits such as the U 10 submarine; Internet information for the Naval Museum at www.marinemuseum.de.
You can take a leisurely break in the »Kluntje« tea room in Aurich, Oldersumer Strabe 28, where the East Frisian tea ceremony is celebrated in the historic miller’s house next to the abbey mill, which has been converted into a mill museum; Information on phone 04941/18989.
literature
You are well equipped with the vacation handbooks “North Sea Coast Lower Saxony” (EUR 12.50) and “East Frisian Islands” (EUR 10.50) by Roland Hanewald and the HB picture atlas “Ostfriesland, Oldenburgerland” for 8.50 euros.
The recommended map is the general map Extra No. 3 “Lower Saxony” on a scale of 1: 200000 for 7.50 euros or the slimmed-down general map Pocket No. 4 “Bremerhaven, Emden, Osnabruck” on a scale of 1: 200000 for 4.95 euros. If you need more details, you can use Allianz Leisure Map No. 3 “East Frisia and Islands” on a scale of 1: 100,000, price 4.95 euros.
The islands
The majority of the East Frisian Islands (Juist, Baltrum, Langeoog, Spikeroog and Wangerooge) are car and motorcycle free! You can take the machine with you to Borkum and Norderney, but you won’t have much fun with it due to a number of traffic restrictions. There are regular (tide-independent) ferry connections between Norddeich and Norderney, for example. The crossing takes around 50 minutes and costs twelve euros for a motorcycle and 14 euros per person (round trip). For more information, contact the Norden-Frisia shipping company, phone 04931/9870, Internet: www.reederei-frisia.de.
The island of Norderney should definitely be explored by bike. Solid Dutch bikes and mountain bikes are available, for example, from Reinke’s bike rental at Hafen, Hafenstrasse 1, phone 04932/1326, email: FahrradReinke@aol.com. Exciting alternative to crossing by ferry: mudflat hikes to Baltrum, Norderney, Langeoog and Spiekeroog. Information by phone 04933/1706, Internet: www.wattfuehrer.com.
information
Information can be obtained from Ostfriesland Touristik, Rheinstrasse 1, 26506 Norden, phone 04931/9383200, fax -9383219, email: info@ostfriesland.de, Internet: www.ostfriesland.de. Friesland Touristik GmbH, Lindenallee 1, 26441 Jever, is responsible for the district of Friesland; Telephone 04461/9191930, fax -9191990, email: touristik@friesland.de, Internet: www.friesland.de. Information about Wilhelmshaven: Tourist Information Wilhelmshaven, Ebertstrabe 110, 26382 Wilhelmshaven, phone 04421/913000, fax -9130010, email: info@whv-freizeit.de, Internet: www.whv-freizeit.de.
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