Free journey to Templin
Just a few weeks ago, the new Kannenburg lock opened its gates again. The waters of Templin had not been navigable for seven long years.
A charter area stretches between Berlin and the Müritz with winding, unspoilt canals, dense forests and pure nature. If you didn't know any better, you would hardly realise that you were travelling on a developed waterway. Water lilies and reeds dominate the banks for hours on end, with hardly a sign of civilisation to be seen in places.
The dimensions of the waterway and the locks, designed for the "Finow dimension" (43 × 5 metres), are far too small for modern inland waterway vessels, so that the waterway is now only used by passenger ships and pleasure craft. We pass through various locks, all of which are self-service locks. A lot has happened in the harbours in recent years: In Templin town harbour, a brand new jetty awaits guest moorers and in Lychen, the new town harbour with a bistro and bar will open in 2023.
Water wherever the eye looks
With over 500 lakes and numerous rivers, the Uckermark is one of the most water-rich regions in Germany. The Uckermark Lakes Nature Park offers countless idyllic anchor bays and is a paradise for bird lovers: in addition to the heron, which we feel we see around every bend in the river, we also encounter a kingfisher. With a bit of luck, you can also spot ospreys, otters and beavers here. And the villages with their eventful histories and historic buildings offer a no less varied programme for shore excursions. In Zehdenick, we learn where the bricks were made that were used to build large parts of Berlin and in Himmelpfort, where Father Christmas lives.
Read the travelogue in two parts here:
Jill Grigoleit
Editor Travel
