As a recreational boating area, the Müritz is unique in Germany with its extensive, networked catchment area of the Großseenplatte and Kleinseenplatte
and the navigable tributaries is unique in Germany; the infrastructure for skippers in the "Blue Paradise" of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has developed correspondingly positively over the past two decades.
Less well known in boating circles, however, is how attractive the nearby Müritz National Park with its deep forests as a contrast to the wide expanses of water of the lakes - and how easy it is to reach from the boat for shorter - or longer - shore excursions thanks to the perfect transport infrastructure.
The main area of the two-part national park lies between the eastern bank of the Müritz and the last section of the Upper Havel Waterway. If you are travelling on your own keel, you will find ideal starting points for shore excursions in Waren in the north and in the harbour village of Müritz in the south: a shuttle bus runs between the two towns, connecting the national park information points in Boek, Schwarzenhof and Federow.
460 km of hiking trails and 145 km of cycle paths are linked to the stops. The national park encompasses the headwaters of the Havel, so its landscape is characterised not only by vast forests, but also by numerous wetlands with moors, countless smaller streams, rivers and lakes.
The area is correspondingly popular with migratory birds such as herons and cranes and other rare native species such as the kingfisher. Even the osprey breeds with 12 pairs in the national park (an information centre with an eagle
camera is located in Federow). You can get a good view as far as the Müritz from the 55 metre high viewing tower on the Käflingsberg (also with a bus stop).
In the "Müritz National Park Ticket" (seeFURTHER INFORMATION) includes not only the shuttle bus but also the use of a boat line that calls at Waren, Klink, the Bolter Canal and the harbour village of Müritz. The smaller eastern part of the national park around Serrahn (bus connection from Neustrelitz to Zinow and Carpin) is surrounded by beech forests, some of which have not been utilised for 150 years - you can hardly get closer to a "primeval forest" in Germany.
If you are short of time, you should visit the "Müritzeum" an extraordinary mixture of aquarium and nature
and nature experience centre. On the Müritz and the adjoining waterways, holiday boats can be hired without a licence (with a charter certificate) from a whole range of providers. You will find two examples below.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Müritz National Park:Müritz National Park Authority: Schlossplatz 3, 17237 Hohenzieritz, Tel. 039824-25 20, www.mueritz-nationalpark.de
National Park Ticket:Bus: from 1.5. - 1.10. daily every hour between Waren and Rechlin (harbour village). Boat: from 28 June - 29 August daily between Waren, Klink, Bolter Kanal and Rechlin (harbour village), day ticket (bus/boat) €17 (adult), €8 (reduced), (bus only) €8.50 (adult), €4 (reduced), www.nationalparkticket.de
Müritzeum" nature experience centre: Opening hours from April - October daily 10 am - 7 pm, November - March daily 10 am - 6 pm, admission € 7.50 (adults), € 3 (children 6-16 years), children up to 6 years free. Free admission, Zur Steinmole 1, 17192 Waren, tel. 03991-63 36 80, www.mueritzeum.com
Sports boat harbours:Waren: im jaich Stadthafen Waren, Am Müritzufer, 17192 Waren, Tel. 03991-66 67 54.www.im-jaich.de; Rechlin: Hafendorf Müritz, 17248 Rechlin, Tel. 039823-26 60, www.hafendorf-mueritz.de
Boat charter:
