Around 12,000 years ago, a mighty glacier front pushed its way from Scandinavia into what is now Mecklenburg. When it melted, it left behind a breathtaking natural paradise consisting of thousands of lakes nestled between wooded hills and vast fields. The Kleinseenland region in the south of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the north of Brandenburg is criss-crossed by numerous canals that connect the lakes like a string of pearls. An Eldorado for pleasure boaters - especially in summer. As the season draws to a close, things slowly calm down. On our last trip of the season, we leave the Müritz and the Great Lakeland in the north-west to the left for a change and embark on an autumnal voyage of discovery through the seemingly endless labyrinth of water between Mirow, Rheinsberg and Fürstenberg.
This might also interest you:
You can also be lucky with the weather in autumn
Red-brown, yellow and ochre-coloured spots and all shades of green in between line the banks of the Steinhavel. The low sun makes the forest glow in rich, warm colours and the scenery appears as if painted. No other time of year bathes nature in such a golden light as autumn, when it is once again in full colour before it fades. It smells of damp leaves and wood as we head towards the next bend, behind which the deserted waiting area of the Steinhavel lock awaits us.
In summer, one boat follows the next. Long waiting times are part and parcel of Germany's most popular charter area. Today, however, we head straight to the request lever at the very front and wait for the gates to open just for us. The lock at kilometre 64.6 of the Upper Havel Waterway is located in a section of the Havel between Menowsee and Röblinsee that has hardly been built on. The Steinhavel was made navigable in 1840 and the first lock was built. After it was completely renovated last year and widened to eleven metres, it can now accommodate two to three times as many boats as the old chamber. A great relief for the busy waters between Berlin and Müritz.
Hardly any waiting times at the locks on the Kleinseenplatte
While we wait for the entry signal, we can hear the leaves falling in the forest, it is so quiet. The dilapidated state of the old mill building and the trickle reservoir on the left bank add to the lonely atmosphere. It feels as if we are still travelling alone this late in the year. Of course, it's not quite like that. Here and there we come across a charter boat or adventure raft. One of the advantages of an autumn cruise is the much shorter waiting times at the many locks. But as we soon realise, we don't necessarily cover more distance because of this. The days are simply too short. Yesterday we reached our destination harbour just in the last light, and last night the clock was set back another hour. So by 4.45 p.m. at the latest, at sunset, we must have moored at the Fürstenberg Yacht Club, our destination for today.
With the start of November, many locks also close at 15:45. This means less travelling time. In addition, many harbours have reduced their services to a minimum. In return, you can be sure of a berth on the almost empty pontoons.
Lots of forest cast in autumn colours - picturesque
But in the few hours when the sun shines, she gives it her all again. It's the end of October and we're sitting on deck with the top down and no jackets on in temperatures of over 20 degrees. A golden autumn straight out of a picture book. The leaves have covered the mirror-smooth surface of the water like a colourful carpet.
From Marina Eldenburg, the base of Yachtcharter Schulz, we set off a few days ago on a Gruno 41 Excellent heading south-east and crossed the Müritz to explore the unspoilt landscape and canals of the Kleinseenplatte on our last trip of the season. Our first destination of the trip is Rheinsberg. In the guest harbour of the harbour village of Rheinsberg, with its red and white striped lighthouse and the candy-coloured holiday homes on the waterfront, we have a free choice of berth with our ship-like steel displacer. From here, a half-hour walk takes us through a small wooded area and along the waterfront promenade to the town centre.
Fontane and Tucholsky have left their mark
The holiday resort on Grienericksee is best known for its castle on the lakeshore. The residence served Frederick the Great as a model for the later design of Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. Old Fritz later described his younger years at Rheinsberg Palace as the "happiest of his life". It belonged to the House of Hohenzollern until it was expropriated by the Soviet occupying power after the Second World War. It was open to the public and made Rheinsberg a popular tourist destination.
The writers Theodor Fontane and Kurt Tucholsky played a significant role in its popularity. In his "Wanderungen durch die Mark Brandenburg", Fontane created his first literary monument to the town. He enthused about the castles, places and landscapes of the region, which later inspired him to write his famous novels Effi Briest and Der Stechlin. Even back then, Rheinsberg stood for romance and pleasure. Just like Fontane almost 160 years ago, we savour a typical Brandenburg hearty meal in the Ratskeller in the evening.
In addition to Fontane, Kurt Tucholsky also left behind a declaration of love for the small town with his story "Rheinsberg: A Picture Book for Lovers", whose charm still has an effect today. The Tucholsky Museum in the castle allows literature fans to immerse themselves in the life of the author, who made his literary debut with this work in 1912. Today, the palace also houses the palace theatre and the music academy. Cultural events take place here on a regular basis.
Time passes quickly on the Kleinseenplatte
On a walk through the autumnal, colourful palace garden with its statues, grottos and paths framed by hedges, it is easy to imagine what inspired the poets here: "One morning you smell autumn. It's not cold yet; it's not windy; nothing has really changed - and yet everything has", wrote Tucholsky. No wonder it's easy to forget the time when strolling through the pleasure garden. But the long shadows at midday remind us how little daylight and therefore travelling time we have left. So we set off: 34 kilometres and four locks lie ahead of us today. We cross the pearls of the Rheinsberg chain of lakes: Lake Rheinsberg, Lake Schlabornsee and Lake Tietzowsee. The unspoilt landscape is sometimes reminiscent of Canada or Scandinavia. Here and there a lonely jetty or a boathouse, otherwise just reeds and dense forests as far as the eye can see.
After passing the Wolfsbruch lock, we continue along the state border across the Ellbogensee lake. The northern basin from the west to Priepert is part of the Müritz-Havel waterway, which joins the Upper Havel waterway at kilometre 0. In the late afternoon, we reach the Fürstenberg yacht club just in time before nightfall and decide not to explore the small town with the proud nickname "Germany's only water town" until the next day.
The Havel flows through Fürstenberg in four courses
In the morning, we are woken by the cry of passing wild geese and the quiet chugging of a small fishing boat. There is no sign of the forecast early morning fog. Instead, a magnificent sunrise over Lake Schwedt heralds another sunny day. The medieval town centre of Fürstenberg lies on three islands between Röblinsee, Baalensee and Schwedtsee. The Havel also flows through the town centre in four courses. The small town is surrounded on all sides by crystal-clear bathing lakes and unspoilt forests. So it's no wonder that the area is particularly popular with water tourists.
The small town in the north of Brandenburg benefits from its unique location. Situated just 80 kilometres north of Berlin, it offers many city dwellers the ideal base for nature and adventure holidays. However, apart from the market square ensemble with the neo-Gothic town church, there is not much to see in the town itself. So after a short walk, we head back out onto the water.
A ghost tour next to the Kleinseenplatte is included
Our next stage takes us back across the Röblinsee lake in a north-westerly direction. Today we have 37 kilometres to Mirow ahead of us. As we set off early, we're in good spirits that we'll easily cover the distance with the empty locks by sunset. But as we head out onto the Ziernsee around midday, the forecast fog suddenly appears. From one minute to the next, visibility is so limited that the banks are only vaguely recognisable. We have to adjust our speed and give a sound signal every few minutes. No answer. There is an eerie silence. Everything seems to be packed in cotton wool. At this speed, it could be close after all. We carefully feel our way along.
We arrive at the small marina Bootsservice Rick on Mirower Schlossinsel shortly after 4 p.m. all the more relieved. It's Halloween, and the setting on the eve of All Saints' Day could hardly be more fitting: At dusk, the island's ensemble of buildings looks like something out of a Hitchcock film. Crows fly around the bell tower of the 13th century St John's Church, which also houses the family crypt of the Strelitz ducal family. Unfortunately, we are too late to visit the baroque palace and the Kavaliershaus opposite, now known as the Three Queens' Palace. But even from the outside, it is worth taking a look at the lavishly restored palace, where three famous princesses, who became important European queens, spent their childhood.
Scary stories on the "island of love"
Somewhat hidden behind the castle, a wrought-iron footbridge leads to the mist-shrouded "Island of Love", which is the resting place of the last reigning Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. Adolf Friedrich VI took his own life here in 1918, having previously designed his tomb himself. A broken stone column symbolises his early demise. However, the exact circumstances of his death remain unclear to this day and are the subject of speculation and conspiracy theories. This gruesome story also somehow fits in with Halloween.
Having shivered enough, we decide to make our way back to our invitingly illuminated "Juliet", which is waiting for us with its spacious and cosy saloon. A not insignificant detail when travelling by boat at this time of year. Of course, this also applies to the powerful heating on board. When we get back on board, it is only 5 p.m. and already pitch dark. Time for a good book - or a film night. Amazon Prime has "The Birds"...
When we wake up, the thick fog has fortunately cleared. Instead, it's as if a grey veil has covered all the colours overnight. It has become noticeably colder. November has taken over, and not just on the calendar page. On our way back north through the Mirower Canal, autumn shows its dreary side. The perfect camouflage for the grey heron stalking along the bank, hoping for breakfast. Woolly cattle emit clouds of breath, cawing crows sit in the bare meadows along the banks. We have only been travelling for a few days. And yet it feels as if we set off in summer and returned in winter. It is the charm of solitude, of silence, that makes an autumn cruise so special. The last stirrings of nature before a well-deserved hibernation. There is a hint of farewell in the air everywhere.
Information about the Mecklenburg Lake District
Cruise stages
S (Start) Marina Eldenburg (charter base) - Waren: 2 km
- Waren - Rechlin: 24 km
- Rechlin - Rheinsberg: 37 km
- Rheinsberg - Fürstenberg: 34 km
- Fürstenberg - Mirow: 37 km
- Mirow - Marina Eldenburg (charter base): 34 km
Z (Destination) Marina Eldenburg
Total distance: 168 km
Literature
Cruising guide "From Berlin to Müritz. With Mecklenburger Kleinseenplatte" by Bodo Müller. 6th edition 2016; 96 pages, 25 plans, hardcover; €34.90. ISBN 978-3-667-10440-3. www.delius-klasing.de
Waterway maps "Binnenkartenatlas 2: Mecklenburgische Seenplatte", A3 format; 31 maps (1:40000), 24 detailed maps, ring-bound; € 39.90. ISBN 978-3-944082-14-1. www.kartenwerft.de
Nautical information
- Müritz-Elde waterway: Buchholz (western end of Müritzsee) to confluence with Elbe, length: 180 km, locks: 17, height: 4.19 m, depth: 1.20 m (1.40 m above Plau am See)
- Müritz-Havel Waterway: branch from the Müritz-Elde Waterway to the confluence with the Upper Havel Waterway, length: 31.5 km, locks: 4, height: 3.89 m, depth: 1.40 m
- Upper Havel waterway: Neustrelitz to Havel-Oder-W. confluence, length: 94 km, locks: 11, height: 3.41 m, depth: 1.40 m
- Rheinsberg waters: southern end of Grienericksee to the confluence of the Müritz-Havel waterway, length: 180 km, locks: 17, height: 4.19 m, depth: 1.20 m (1.40 m above Plau am See)
OUR BOAT: Gruno 41 Excellent (steel displacement) - length: 12.50 m - width: 3.95 m - draught: 1.00 m - engine: diesel (90 hp) - berths: 6 (3 double cabins) - WC/shower: 2/2 - equipment: bow and stern thruster, TV (DVB-T), 110-litre refrigerator, microwave, heating, etc. - Weekly rates: from € 2500.40 to € 3051.40 depending on the season.
CHARTER: We completed our week-long charter trip on a Gruno 41 Excellent from Yachtcharter Schulz (see above). The company is one of the largest providers in the north-east and currently has a network of five bases in the inland area and on the Bodden coast, between which one-way trips are also possible. There is also a base in Poland (Masuria). In our case, the starting point and destination was the Eldenburg marina near Waren. The area of the Mecklenburg Upper Lakes or Kleinseenplatte can also be explored during this time; there are also destinations for longer trips. Information: Yachtcharter Schulz. An der Reeck 17, 17192 Waren/Müritz, Tel. 03991/12 14 15. www.bootsurlaub.de
