The holiday community Apen, formed by the wet element, opens up to the relaxing East Friesland's expanse. Pervaded by many small rivers and canals one can imagine a hint of North Sea - the never ending rhythm of low and high tide runs far into the land. The peacefulness and the harsh charm of this landscape is an ideal to rejuvenate your soul.

The Ammerland-route accompanies the softly meandering Aper Tief on long stretches at the green river dike. In connection with this waterway Apen is mentioned for the first time as the gate to East Friesland in the 13th-century and was protected by a castle well into the 18th-century.

Today 11.200 citizens live in the 77 km2 large community, which is spread into nine villages. On tour the cyclist will pass again and again juicy meadows with trenches on which Friesian cows graze peacefully.
But be careful: road-bowling is here a national sport. and how about to change from pedal to paddles and undertake an entertaining canoe-tour?

Distinctive is also the dead straight Augustfehn-canal with its interesting flap bridges. Who would guess that first industrial plant originated in the Ammerland with the Augustfehner steel works in 1850? By the way in this section the Ammerland-route overlaps with the German-Fehn-route.

Further information:
Apen Touristik
Hauptstraße 200
26689 Apen
Tel.: 04489 7373
Fax: 04489 7380
E-Mail: touristik@apen.de
Internet: www.apen.de

Image Copyright: Ammerland-Tourist-Information

ST. NIKOLAI CHURCH
The Romanesque brick church St. Nikolai in Apen was built in the 13th-century. Some wall paintings from construction times have been preserved. The Münstermann pulpit had a complete facelift and shines now in new splendour. In the passageway of the detached, three-level belfry (15th-century) are some Baroque gravestones to be found.

Image Copyright: Ammerland-Tourist-Information

HAM SMOKEHOUSE
A heaven full of delicatessens: Apen houses the oldest ham smokehouse in the Ammerland, where Ammerländer farmer's ham has been hanging in the smoke for the last nine generations ... The curing chamber of the Schinkenmuseum (ham-museum) spreads its own unmistakable aroma of cold beech smoke.