Uplengen lies in the coastal moorland region known as East Frisia. Life in this part of Germany is a tad different from what you’ll find in the rest of the country but, diversity is what makes our life remarkable.
Since tea is the drink of choice around here, start your day off with a cup before heading out about town. But, anytime is a good time since the “good for you drink” is drunken throughout the day. It’s sweetened with a rock candy known as Kluntje and usually served with cake or cookies on weekends and holidays.
There are nineteen villages in Uplengen and you’ll find the gorgeous 12th century military church of St. Martin in Remel. That’s also where you’ll find an early 19th century Dutchman Windmill. A hundred years later Uplengen built another Dutchman Windmill in Südgeorgsfehn; and another dots the landscape in Großoldendorf.
When passing through Südgeorgsfehn at the entrance to the village cemetery there’s a war memorial dedicated to the dead and missing from both World Wars. There’s not much left to the castle that used to be here, but its embankments are still visible.
When you’ve had your fill of traditional sightseeing, rent a bicycle and trek about on any number of bicycle route, swim at the town’s bathing lake (with waterslide), or try canoeing. Uplengen is a great place to sit back and fish.
A trip on the Ella is a good idea for anyone visiting Uplengen. The old peat transport boat was restored to her former glory and now offers open boat rides from May to September.
Uplengen likes a good festival, too. The Osterfeuer is a large bonfire held on Easter Sunday, the Potato Celebration is held in August, the Herbstmarkt (Autumn Market) a month later, and the Christmas Market a few weeks before the December holiday.
That’s the time of year when a hot cup of East Frisian tea works as an antidote against the cold crisp North Sea air. :-)
