LandStreifer Raesfeld 'In the footsteps of Count Alexander II'

The trip to Raesfeld Castle was really worth it. A beautifully maintained castle complex that invites you to linger on its grounds with coffee. The zoo is not in the classic sense. You look in vain for animal enclosures. The animals live freely in a fenced area and can therefore not be seen.

Today we went to Raesfeld to follow the Landstreifer "In the footsteps of Count Alexander II" on not entirely unknown paths. Beautiful, varied tour in beautiful weather... We deviated slightly from the original route twice: once to visit the Wellbrockquelle, and the second time we walked "around the back" of the castle. The start and finish are identical, this was apparently not recorded correctly. More information about the LandStreifer: https://www.hohe-mark-steig.de/landstreifer/landstreifer-auf-den-spuren-graf-alexanders/

https://www.hohe-mark-steig.de/landstreifer/landstreifer-auf-den-uren-graf-alexanders/ "Enjoy the magic of nature, learn exciting stories about the historic Raesfeld moated castle and its Renaissance zoo: Hike through the forest, moats and alleys, enjoy culinary delights. Stroll through the castle freedom with beautiful small buildings and a chapel that was built a long time ago near the castle. Take a look into the old castle chapel (only open on weekends from Easter to All Saints Day). Marvel at the Astrologer's Tower on your tour, from whose balustrade Alexander II of Velen liked to look at the starry night sky. Hike through one of the oldest surviving Renaissance zoos in Germany; idyllic landscape architecture, forest air and the sounds of the forest await you. It goes through the landscape of the Münsterland into that of the Lower Rhine, over the Issel through forests and fields and back to the historic zoo with its unique magic. On the other hand, the recently created community park near the castle with a sensory path, boulodrôme, treading pool and fitness equipment and a spectacular view of the Raesfeld moated castle is completely contemporary. Experience tips: + The Wellbrockquelle, an artesian floodplain, rises in the middle of the zoo. Their water is particularly pure. + If you like, you can explore the zoo with the digital themed nature trail, information about this can be found here! + The zoo rally is particularly fun for children - just ask at the tourist information center and off you go! + The nature adventure area invites you to play and run around - particularly easy to bear on sunny summer days!" Arrival by car: Hagenwiese or Südring car park, 46348 Raesfeld 51°45'44.5"N 6°49'40.8"E Public transport: Castle, Raesfeld Download flyer as a PDF file: https://www.hohe-mark-steig.de/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/230613_HMS_LandStreifer_Flyer_Raesfeld_Auf-den-Spuren-lowres.pdf

"In the footsteps of Count Alexander II" is the title of today's second tour, which starts at the beautiful Raesfeld Castle. Due to its length of around 6 km, it is ideal for an afternoon walk. In addition to the castle, the lakes, meadows and forests offer wonderful variety. An absolute recommendation, especially with the highlight Raesfeld Castle. 🌞⛰️🥾🏞

Since more than 20 liters of rainfall is expected tomorrow, I spontaneously added another LandStreifer (Landwalker). The length can be roughly doubled using a local hiking trail, but it was enough for today. The star attraction is, of course, the imposing Raesfeld moated castle. The nature conservation center and the zoo also round out the tour harmoniously.

After a week of almost compulsively working on overdue garden maintenance, I decided to take a day off. I regularly see Schloss Raesfeld pass by on Komooters. This week, @Strandgut wrote that the castle is covered in scaffolding. That was a shame because I couldn't get it off. Inspired by this, I looked up the first walking tour I saw. LandStreifer Raesfeld, Auf den Spuren Graf Alexander II. This was a really nice walk. Definitely worth it and the castle is of course beautiful. A kind of mini Castle 's Heerenberg. I should cross the border more often. Germany isn't that bad after all 😉.

Stroll through one of the oldest surviving Renaissance zoos in Germany, where idyllic landscape architecture, forest air, and the sounds of the forest await you. The route leads through the landscape of the Münsterland region into that of the Lower Rhine, over the Issel River, through forests and fields, and back to the historic zoo with its unique charm. Alexander II of Velen (1599-1675), Baron of Raesfeld and Bretzenheim, was Imperial Field Marshal of the Catholic League during the Thirty Years' War. After the death of his father, Alexander I, in 1630, Alexander II of Velen took over Raesfeld Castle, which he had already managed independently for some time. In 1636, Velen received a special guarantee of neutrality for Raesfeld Castle. He had the damaged Raesfeld Castle expanded between 1646 and 1658 into a prestigious residential palace as the centerpiece of his intended imperial principality.

A super nice lunch break :-) Raesfeld Castle is beautiful to look at, but the associated forest is even more beautiful. Just lovely!