A day in the 'Land of a Thousand Lakes' in Feldberger Seenlandschaft

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With more than 1,000 lakes, it is no wonder that the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte (Mecklenburg Lakeland) is named the 'Land of a Thousand Lakes' by locals. An extensive network of over 600 km of glacier-formed lakes and connecting canals makes this lakeland a paradise for anyone who loves water sport activities. As part of the Danish promo campaign #EinSmuttur arranged by Rejselandet Tyskland in collaboration with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, we spent a day in the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte to soak in Germany's largest lakeland.

After a couple of days in Rügen, we continued our Meck-Pomm trip with a long morning drive to nature park Feldberger Seenlandschaft situated southeast in the district of Mecklenburgische Seenplatte. The distinctive features of the Feldberger Seenlandschaft are the clear lakes and the partially untouched forests with their extraordinary flora and fauna; some of which we would experience during our 24 hours stay in the area. Tucked amidst a cluster of blue lakes we arrived to the small village of Feldberg around noon and immediately proceeded towards the sport and leisure station Ruhepuls on the connecting half island Amtsweder to meet up with Robert Gardlowski. Robert welcomed us with a big smile and quickly briefed us on our Feldberger visit, while feeding us soup and wurst at the waterfront. Ruhepuls is German for resting pulse; a suitable and descriptive word for the harmonious combination of physical activity and peaceful lakeside environment tailored into todays program.

Peaceful kayaking in the Feldberger lakes

The day in Feldberger started with a few hours of kayaking, setting off from the Ruhepuls station by lake Haussee where we had picked up a dobbelt kayak. Being more than half a year since our last kayak trip, a tiny crash course on paddling techniques was necessary to refreshen our memories. Soon we were paddling in a perfectly synchronized movement like a set of siamese twins. With one stroke at a time we quickly moved forward and away from the lovely view of Feldberg and its towering church spire. From lake Haussee we continued via a short yet picturesque canal into lake Breiter Luzin (58 m), the second deepest lake of Mecklenburg. Both sides of this short connecting passage were lined with trees casting beautiful mirrow-images on the surface of the water - and we suddenly heard our amazon-thirsty voyager within us saying "stay, stay", leaving us with a deep desire to forever linger around this narrow and mystical canal.

Moving to the open waters of Breiter Luzin we felt summer spirit being injected into us by every light ray striking our winter pale faces. This bubbly feeling building up inside of us simply had to be channeled through song and what other than Pocahontas “Colors of the Wind” now that our kayaking bodies were unified with the gliding water itself. As the words "How high will the sycamore grow, if you cut if down you will never know.." crossed our lips, we glared towards the sky in hope to see two eagles perched on a tree top. Feldberger Seenlandschaft is known as the Land of the Eagles and thus it would not be unlikely to catch a glimpse of a circling hunter in the sky. The expansive stretches of water and forest in Feldberger Seenlandschaft still offers habitat for eagles, otters and black storks - not to mention wild orchids and wild rosemary. The sole presence of these species can be considered as a prestigious natural stamp of approval for the purity and integrity of the Feldberger nature. Although we didn’t encounter any of them on our way, it was still heartening to be in such a lush and wild nature. haft is known as the Land of the Eagles and thus we were waiting for the golden moment to catch a glimpse of a circling hunter in the sky.

Set on a forested peninsula on the shore of lake Breiter Luzin we arrived at Seehotel Lichtenberg, where we were greeted by smiles and waves from sunbathing Germans in their birthday suits as we docked our kayak. One hour rest was unfortunately all we had available here, but it was enough time for us to enjoy a homemade lemonade on the hotels lake-side terrace and go wandering off in the nearby woodland, chasing mirror-wolves as part of their amusing visuel installation.

On the way back to the Ruhepuls station, we took it with more ease and allowed ourselves to become immersed in the soul of the landscape. Our thoughts started to wander as we paddled peacefully on the water; where would the water take us if we had gone even further in this maze of lakes and canals? We both concluded that a few days would be more appropriate to fully submerge oneself into the Mecklenburgische forests, lakes and marshes.

Besides Feldberger Seenlandschaft, the Mecklenburgische Seenplatte offers wildlife experiences and recreation at several other nature parks such as Kummerower, Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide and Mecklenburgische Schweiz, as well as Müritz National Park.

As an ideal place for kayaking, canoeing, and lakeside camping, suitable water vehicles can be rented in almost every village and there are multiple designated campsites to choose from. If you opt to follow The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, there are even rafts on which you can stay during long trips. Thankfully, loud combustion engines are taboo in most parts of these sensitive nature reserves - making the shores blissfully silent, aside from the chirping birds and the rustling of tree leaves and reeds in the wind.

An inviting homemade dinner by fisherman Oli

Late afternoon Robert sailed us across lake Haussee in one of those motorized rafts that we had been dreaming about all day. The deep colours of the water and the forest blended perfectly together, making it nearly impossible for us to spot the small wooden fishing cabin that would serve as the platform for the evenings festivities. Fisherman Oliver Pahlke (Oli) were waiting our arrival and had prepared an inviting homemade fish dinner - entirely based on his own catches. There were smoked eel and Fischfrikadellen garnished with dild sauce and lemon. It was all so fresh and delicious! We spent the night expanding our paunches while talking about our professions and dreams. Oli told us more about the concepts of sustainability and nature conservation practised in Seenfischerei Feldberg and how traditional fishing and cooking methods are the basis of his work and tours. The evening quickly soothed into a relaxing atmosphere full of laughter and jokes as we all had to challenge ourselves with our brother tongue. Before we knew it we were back on our raft, waving aufwiedersehen to Oli who disappeared beyond the fire’s dimmed glow.

The supercool rafts became our home for the night and after a wonderful comfortable sleep, we were ready to take on the last leg of the trip in Feldberger Seenlandschaft...

Mushroom/herbal walk at Hauptmannsberg- & Hullerbusch Nature Reserve

In the early morning hours, Dr. Jochen Kurth took us on a guided mushroom- & herbal walk at Hauptmannsberg Nature Reserve. Left and right, Dr. Kurth pointed out interesting plants with effects towards diseases and improvement of general health. He even had us tasting some of the plants to distinguish the differences in taste. An almost culinary experience as our taste buds were exposed to the various plants that we encounted. Some saur, some sweet, some just pure leafy. Since we only had a couple of hours at hand, we didn’t make it to neighbouring Hullerbusch Nature Reserve which in fact is directly connected to Hauptmannsberg. A network of footpaths and nature trails covering steep slopes and rocky passages can be discovered in these natural reservoirs, but for now we only took a short roundtrip. The central area of the Feldberger Seenlandschaft, in which Hauptmannsberg and Hullerbusch is located, is part of the terminal moraine of the latest glaciation and offers some of the greatest contour differences in Northern Germany. Standing on top of Hauptmanssberg (121 m) we had a charming overview of the deep clear lakes, the sandy flats and the striking hilly terrain alternating with forest and heath landscapes. The sun was gleaming on us at this perfectly situated lookout post and it was in this very moment we could start comprehending the manifold and diverse forms of Feldberger Seenlandshaft formed by the Ice Age.

Collaboration information

The trip is made in collaboration with the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) and is part of the Danish promo campaign EinSmuttur lanched by the GNTB and partners in Northern Germany. The campaign runs from June 2017 until March 2018 and you can find inspiration as well as special offers on the website Einsmuttur.germany.travel

Ein Smuttur to romantic Rügen, the largest island in Germany

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In May we visited the German island, Rügen, as part of the Danish promo campaign #EinSmuttur arranged by Rejselandet Tyskland in collaboration with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Rügens idyllic scenery and romantic atmosphere had us gobsmacked from its agricultural heartland of corn-fields & meadows, to its extensive forests and impressive rugged coastline. The combination of land and sea creates unique opportunities for both relaxing and active holiday - and with Rügen's close proximity to Denmark, it is an ideal destination for a short trip.

Rügen is the largest island (926 km²) in Germany and belongs to the federal state Mecklenburg-Vorpommern in Northern Germany, situated off the Pomeranian coast in the Baltic Sea. If you live in Denmark you can reach Mecklenburg-Vorpommern by taking the ferry from Gedser to Rostock, or you can do like we did - cross the Danish-German land border, hit the German highway and drive towards east. Vivid images of what to expect were painted in our minds first time we heard about Rügen. We were quickly sold and the island did not disappoint, when we finally made it there. Passing into the island we were met by a picturesque scenery of rolling green pastures sweeping through the countryside, small inland villages being joint by ancient tree-lined avenues and rustic manors occasionally dotting the landscape. We both instantly agreed that Rügen would be a perfect destination for a one-week biking trip to pedal along the islands impressive 200 km biking paths, but for now we had to settle with one and a half day by car.

Catching a ride with Rasender Roland

First day was spent in the South-Eastern part of Rügen where the beloved Rasender Roland, a steam-powered narrow-gauge train, chuffs through the rural and blossoming pre-industrial landscapes between Putbus and Göhren. We enjoyed a short 30 min ride from Sellin Ost to Binz. The sounds and dynamics of the historic steam locomotive were hypnotic and it was such a thrill to watch the steam escape above us as we moved through nature with 30km/h in our open wagon ride. There is something wonderfully romantic about steam locomotives - and for people like us who love the musical Starlight Express, a story of Rusty the steam train who competes with various engines to become the "Fastest Engine in the World", it was difficult not to assign personality to this hissing and clanking wonder of an iron horse.

Rasender Roland took us through the extensive dark-leafy Granitz forest which is part of the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve - and it even made a stop (Jagdschloss) within Granitz itself. We would have loved to jump off the train to explore the hilly terrain of push end moraines making up Granitz, and to enjoy an astonishing view across the island from the old hunting castle Jagdschloss Granitz located on the highest hill in the middle of the forest. Next time we are definitely going castle hunting and escaping into our own Grimm fairy tale within Granitz.

Seaside promenade strolls in Sellin and Binz

The Baltic coast of Rügen is renowned for its numerous seaside resorts and uniformly white-coated villages build in an extravagant Bäderarchitectural style. Binz and Sellin are classical examples of such white pearl coastal villages offering fashionable spa retreats. While walking around these notable seaside resorts we felt a strong admiration for the noble manor houses and villas presenting themselves along the streets. The posh wooden buildings had a delicate appearance and were styled with ornamented porches and balconies on their facades. It was clear to see that Binz and Sellin were once catering mainly the German high society. We did not spend too much time among the white structures and instead headed towards the open sea.

The Sellin Seebrücke, a historical antique wooden and particular picturesque pier, immediately caught our attention as we were standing at top of the steep staircase leading down to Sellin beach. The Seebrücke has seen its fare share of face lifts - and although it once stood 500 metres longs, its current 394 metres lenghts still attains its title as the longest pier on Rügen. In Binz we went strolling along the wunderschönen beach promenade, overlooking a 5 km long white beach all scattered with typical German wicker sunchairs and one peculiar life-guard tower (Müther Rettungsturm, 1981) mostly reminiscent of a UFO. Sellin and Binz are crowded tourist hubs during high season, and although they are not our typical destinations it was still worthwhile to experience the symbolic history carried within these beautiful white villages and fun to scout for the perfect fish brötchen (fish sandwich).

Staying at Im-Jaich Wasserferienwelt

For the evening we returned back to Im-Jaich Wasserferienwelt in Lauterback, our home for the next two nights. Im-Jaich Wasserferienwelt is situated on the Bay of Greifswald, part of the Southeast Rügen Biosphere Reserve, and is one of Im-Jaich Wasserwelten’s many fine marinas offering relaxing seaside holidays in Northern Germany. We were pleasantly surprised by the peacefullness offered here, which made it the perfect place for us to retreat after a along day of island discoveries. Im-Jaich Wasserferienwelt offers a long list of water activities and although we were keen on kayaking or going fishing in the bay, we settled with the sound of relaxing waters pulsing around us in our Maldivian bungalow-inspired pile apartment. We had a great panoramic view of Greifswald bay and from our wood deck we could watch Im-Jaich's floating houses which had a similar enchanting character to that of our own dwelling. The following morning we woke up to bright red colors shimmering through our windows and watched how our home turned into bright gold.

Jasmund National Park

On our second day we started off in Jasmund National Park (Unesco World Heritage Site) where we were swallowed up by the shadowland of the ancient beech forest and stood towering on top of the majestic white chalk cliffs Stubenkammer that runs along the coastline and overlooks the Baltic Sea. We hiked on the main path (8 km) from Sassnitz to Rügens highest point, Königsstuhl, a famous chalk cliff standing 118 m above sea level. The combination of fresh woodsy fragrance and sea breeze was a heavenly intoxicating wake up call, and with the unforseen summer heat jumping on us, we were similarly grateful to be shaded by the dense tree crowns.

Along the elevated walking trail, there are three staircases that lead down to the pebble beach. We had heard that the staircase near Königstuhl was temporarily closed, so instead we went down at Kieler Ufer (Kieler shore) halfway through our walk to refresh ourselves in the ocean breeze and to admire the glorious parade of white chalk walls standing in vividly contrast to the dark blue water and the green, shadowy forest. Some of the worlds highest chalk cliffs actually occur in Jasmund National Park -as well as Møns Klint in Denmark, which together previously formed one single island - so it was no wonder, that this impressive sight had us pausing. Before reaching National Park Centre Königsstuhl where you can learn more about Rügen's chalk coastline and its flora and fauna, and were we would finish our walk on top of Königstuhl itself, we made a stop at the Victoria-Sicht viewing point to observe the mighty chalk cliff from a distance.

Cape Arkona

The remaining of the day was spent in the area around Cape Arkona, a 45 metre-high cape on the northern tip of Rügen. We parked the car in front of the little village of Putgarten and walked for 2 km to reach Cape Arkona, where numerous historic sights were waiting - including an old marine navigation tower, two lighthouses, two military bunkers and the remains of a Slavic fortress. Two structurally different lighthouses were standing right next two each other and in some way reminded us of an old married couple. The smaller lighthouse Schinkelturm (1826) is the second oldest on the German Baltic Sea and was taken out of service to the advantage of its larger partner (1901). Together with the navigation tower, these buildings offer spectacular 360-degree panoramic views of Rügen upon a small fee. Following the trail behind the navigation tower we were met by a four-faced wooden statue representing Svantevit, the mightiest God worshipped by the Slavic tribe Rani. Continuing over the small hill we stepped directly onto the remains of the old temple fortress, Jaromarsburg, which served as a religious site for the Rani from the 9th to the 12th century until the Danish King Valdermar conquered and converted Rügen to Christianity. Since we had forgotten to bring cash and missed out on the perfect birdsview of Rügen and the Baltic Sea from the towers viewing platforms, we instead enjoyed an outmost beautiful overview of the entire area from within the ramparts of the medieval fortification.

West of Cape Arkona is the Königstreppe (King’s Staircase), a beautiful 230-step wooden staircase leading down the steep cliff. Königstreppe was unfortunately closed so instead we went down a zig-zagging staircase on the cliffs of Gellort a little further away. From the top of Gellort we immediately spotted Siebenschneiderstein, a 165-ton glacial erratic boulder nicely tugged in to the ground of the grassland beach and marking the northernmost point of Rügen. Hurrying down the staircase we imagined ourselves dazing in the sun on top of the impressive boulder, however, as we reached the bottom a pair of love-birds had already conquered the erratics. Although the largest, Siebenschneiderstein was not alone as multiple big rocks were scattered all along the beach, making up the perfect jump route for us to enjoy the coastal line by other means. South of the remnants of the ramparts at Jaromarsburg is the Veilchentreppe ("Violet Staircase"), a descent to a different beach made entirely up by big rocks and peble stones. From here we initially planned to walk south along the coast to visit the tiny fishing village Vitt, but as the sky started to get dense and the air cooler, we decided to leave this experience for another visit.

Collaboration information

The trip is made in collaboration with the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) and is part of the Danish promo campaign EinSmuttur lanched by the GNTB and partners in Northern Germany. The campaign runs from June 2017 until March 2018 and you can find inspiration as well as special offers on the website Einsmuttur.germany.travel