What’s it like to take a walk through NaturGut Ophoven in the city of Leverkusen, a big park where you also can celebrate children’s birthdays?
On this beautiful fall day, we ventured out to NaturGut Ophoven with grandma and aunty. Entrance is free. In addition, one can book events for kids, all around the topic of getting to know nature and how to preserve it. We saw plenty of mushrooms, an awesome lake with water lilies and rocks in it you could walk across on, as well as the last of the flowers that were still in bloom. Another lake was so green and looked like a meadow that it had a sign saying, “careful, this is a water surface”!! 😉 We collected some waterweed and put it in a glass of rainwater at home, to watch it multiply.
NaturGut Ophoven is an extracurricular place of learning in Leverkusen Opladen, sponsored by the city and the organization Förderverein NaturGut Ophoven e.V. It offers many pedagogical programs around nature as well as energy and environmental protection. When we went there in September 2024, the houses with the museum exhibitions and the restaurant were closed due to a recent flooding. However, we took a walk in the park and crossed the lake. At the end of the park, there’s a public swimming pool. In addition, there’s a herb garden where you can see differently labelled herbs and plants. Someone has built little wooden sun sculptures in it.
NaturGut Ophoven lies on a 6-acres big area in Leverkusen, and its former moated castle has been a center for environmental education since 1984. It focuses on the climate and natural resources in order to benefit future generations. Here, you can download some of their educational materials for grade school and secondary school children.
On one of the paths is a special stone with a big hole in it, the “humming rock.” If you put your head into the hole and hum a song, the whole opening around your head vibrates. It’s quite cool! Additionally, we saw lots of snails and several bugs.
One always thinks that Leverkusen is just an industrial city because of the ChemPark of Bayer, while it actually has nice, green spots! Thus, if you’re in the vicinity, come and enjoy a walk through the park at NaturGut Ophoven. You won’t regret it 🙂
