Today, I’m up here in the north, in the little town of Sottrum.
Excuse me, Sottrum isn’t all that little. It encompasses quite some real estate, especially if you add in all the other towns and villages that are part of the Collective Municipality, Amt Sottrum.
The “village” itself is the largest of them all, with over 6,000 souls living here. And what it lacks in traditional sightseeing, it more than makes up for it with its many, many festivals and cultural events.
Sightseeing is limited to its Watermill Stuckenborstel (this is really picture worthy — so snap away on the digital or smartphone cameras), and its Local History Museum (called Heimatmuseum, in a half-timbered building, no less). Wow, tour over — let’s go home.
No, just kidding. I haven’t told you all about hiking along the Breitenfelder Moor, or the Kräuterregion. And I don’t mean sauerkraut, BTW. ;-)
Anyway, this is all about the herbs, the orchards, and other sweet smelling plants growing in a number of Sottrum’s villages — passing farms, fields of honeysuckle, and medicinal plants. A bike path is a great way to see (and smell) most of it, passing many tiny farms along the way.
There is one castle along the way, Burg Clüversborstel, a 15th century private castle in the village of Reeßum. Reeßum’s hamlet of Taaken has archaeological evidence dating back to around 4,000 B.C. — and was once teeming with Romans and Saxons.
Sottrum’s festivals and other events today would make any Roman or Saxon proud; and I think you’ll like them too. Come join the fun at one of the two Erntefests in September, a Heimatfest, Christmas Markets, Community Baking events, Parades, or amateur theater performances.
It’s so nice to be back up here in the north — otherwise I’d have totally missed out on the adventures of Sottrum. :-)
