St. James

195km (national route) Jakobsweg or the Westphalian Jakobsweg via Bielefeld, Velen, Borken, Raesfeld and Wesel. The Camino de Santiago was first mentioned in 1047 as “the path that has been used by pilgrims of St. James and Peter and Paul committed ”. The destination was and still is the tomb of the apostle James in the Spanish city of Santiago de Compestela.

However, the Way of St. James also extends into regions of Germany. In the western Münsterland, hikers can walk and experience a part of this path and history, among other things. The intermediate stops could hardly be more impressive: the imposing Velen Castle or the late Gothic St. Walburga Church and Castle in Ramsdorf.

If you follow the course of the Bocholter Aa, you will come to the Gemen water castle and the Schoenstatt-Au pilgrimage and conference center of the Sisters of Mary. Then it is not far to visit the imposing moated castle in Raesfeld and walk from there through the picturesque Renaissance zoo towards Wesel.