It's hot and deserted, just a few jumping fish in the choppy waters of the mouth of the Saale at kilometre 291 of the Elbe, about halfway along the routebetween Magdeburg and Dessau. The sun has reached its highest point and wide sandy beaches can be seen on the opposite bank of the Elbe. An old football slowly drifts by and the solitude is endless. The seemingly never-ending summer of 2018 brought a difficult season for pleasure boatersin the Saale-Unstrut region with it.
The approach via the Elbe was no longer possible due to the ongoing drought, the resulting low water levels and severely restricted navigability.
And the Saale itself - from its confluence to the first lock in Calbe twenty kilometres upstream - also ledToo little water. Although this problem did not exist further along the waterway to the Rischmühlenschleuse lock at Saale kilometre 115.2 despite the dry weather, continuous navigation in this area was only possible until mid-July: a nesting red kite hadthe urgently needed refurbishment of the Alsleben lock bridge (km 50.3) was delayed.
Species conservation took precedence - and traffic on the water was left behind: The Saale had to be completely closed.
The good news: at the start of the coming 2019 season, theAll work completed be. With a bit of luck (and higher water levels), the Saale and Unstrut can once again be navigated from the rest of Germany on their own keel. Which would be good, because aroundthe very attractive area has become quieter in recent years.
This not only averted the threat of the river being downgraded to a "secondary waterway".Ongoing investments in ship maintenance are also a positive sign. And the Saale and Unstrut rivers have a lot to offer touring skippers along their banks anyway. We took a look around.
Little Red Riding Hood: Pearls in a glass
Surrounded by vineyards Freyburg an der Unstrut (just above the confluence with the Saale) is an attractive excursion destination and, in addition to charming seasonal wine taverns run by the winegrowers, it is also home to the well-known Rotkäppchen sparkling wine cellar, whose richly decorated cuvée barrel is not only the largest in Germany, but also one of the largest in the world.real eye-catcher is. It was built in 1896 from the wood of 25 oak trees and decorated with ornate carvings. It holds 120,000 litres. OneGuided tour through the vaults driven deep into the rock with the wooden shaking desks and subsequent tasting is worthwhile. www.rotkaeppchen.de
Bernburg
The imposing lifting gates of the Bernburg lock made of riveted steel at kilometre 36.10 of the Saale are an attraction in themselves. Together with the historic walls of the neighbouring Saalemühle hydroelectric power station, they create an impressiveIndustrial monument.
Main attraction of the city However, on the left bank, resting on a high sandstone cliff, is the magnificentRenaissance castleTill Eulenspiegel is said to have played his pranks in the round tower named after him. The dubious tradition of keeping bears in the castle's own kennel has come to an end, at least for the time being, with the death of the last living heraldic animal.
There are several places to eat in the spruced-up town centre of Bernburg, but if you moor 500 metres above the castle at MBSV Wasserwandern, you can enjoy the Italian cuisine of "Bella Roma" right on the jetty. In addition to electricity, water and waste disposal, there is also a crane and aSlipwayBernburg is therefore a good and safe starting point for exploring the Saale upstream, even if the water levels downstream are low. Harbour master: Tel. 0170-470 80 55. www.wasserwandern-bernburg.de
Wettin
Wettin After almost 35 kilometres past fields and three more locks, the ancestral castle of the Wettin dynasty rises up on the left bank. It is hard to imagine that this noble house not only produced princes and dukes in German lands, but also current monarchs from theEuropean aristocracy - such as Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain - are of Wettin descent.
The path to the local Bismarck tower, which offers a beautiful view over the Saale valley, is a little arduous and the tower is only open at weekends from 1 to 5 pm. The cosy "hunting lodge" at the foot of the tower offershearty and delicious specialities from the region. Those who dare drink a "Vogelschiss" with it. www.jagdhuette-wettin.de
The landing stage of Bootsservice Wettin is located immediately on the left after passing the lock canal. Tel. 0174-133 63 30
Salzmünde
The next opportunity to moor is just eight kilometres further along the river in theSalzmünde marinawhere there is electricity, water, a slipway and service. The guest house is just around the corner while a shopping centre is 500 metres away and the nearest road petrol station is 700 metres away. Tel. 0177-247 92 86. www.yachthafen-saale.de
At kilometre 82 LU, directly in front of the crossing car ferry, is the Brachwitz sports boat landing stage, which is a good starting point for a short hike along the Brachwitz Alps.
Hall
The Halle city harbour - at km 92.8 LU junction into the Elisabeth-Saale - offers an enclosed facility with four guest berths including shower, electricity and water. The central market square, watched over by the four towers of the Gothic market church "Unser Lieben Frauen", can be reached quickly on foot by tram.
After assessing theoriginal death mask of Martin Luther the 220 steps of the Hausmann Towers can be climbed here, from whose connecting bridge a marvellous view of the city awaits. The city's most famous son is certainly the composerGeorge Frideric Handelwhose birthplace is now a museum worth seeing ( www.haendlehaus.de ).
For friends of more recent music history, on the other hand, theBeatles Museum a must, which is lovingly stocked with an infinite number of collector's items, photos and recordings for sale ( www.beatlesmuseum.net ). The State Museum of Prehistory, whose rich archaeological collections are presented in a unique way, is also well worth a visit. The highlight of the museum is the world-famousNebra Sky Discwhose 3600-year-old depiction of astronomical phenomena is not only considered to be the oldest known to mankind, but is also beautiful to look at ( www.lda-lsa.de ).
Saturated by the city's rich cultural programme, visitors and residents of Halle findRecreation on the Peißnitzinsel. In addition to GDR soft ice cream and an active narrow-gauge railway, there are also beer gardens and leisure facilities here, surrounded by the Saale river and green nature. The gastronomic tip for the evening: the Bergschenke on the Saale terrace in the north of the city, from where there is a fantastic view of Giebichenstein Castle and the bridge of the same name.
Merseburg
At 113.8 km LU, at the foot of St John's and St Laurentius Cathedral and the castle, you will find the passenger jetty of Merseburg, once a palatine and episcopal town. Sport boats can moor upstream at 116.6 kilometres LU at the MC "Saale" motor sports club.Slipway and crane are available. Parking with trailer possible by arrangement. Tel.: 0163-373 80 45. The three kilometres to the cathedral, which is really worth seeing in idyllic surroundings, are best covered by on-board bike.
Unfortunately, the condition of the Saale remains poor from kilometre 124.16, where responsibility passes from federal to state level. Unmarked danger spots such as sandbanks, ground swells or rocks make travelling on without precise local knowledge a real challenge.Risk for the ship's propeller - and the nerves.
Naumburg
The recentlyUNESCO World Heritage Site Naumburg Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul should not be missing from any excursion list, even if the city cannot be reached by boat. The twelve stone statues of donors from the 13th century, including Uta von Naumburg, are considered some of the most important sculptures of the German Gothic period. If you have made it to the cathedral city by boat, perhaps coming from the Unstrut, there is a public landing stage at kilometre 158.01 RU. Although there is no service, there is aSlip option and a nice beer garden. The distance to the cathedral from here is 2.2 kilometres, on foot or by bike.
Unstrut
It has also become quiet on the Unstrut. The passenger ships "Reblaus" and "Unstrutnixe" no longer have a licence and lie abandoned at the Blütengrund.From the mouth to the first lock in Freyburg at kilometre 5.2, the Unstrut is also barely navigable for pleasure craft at low water levels.
Thanks to the following barrages, the Saale tributary can be safely used again by smaller, shallow-draft motorboats as far as Tröbsdorf at kilometre 20.6, although it has to be said that the undoubtedly beautiful Unstrut with its vineyards and natural river course is unfortunately now more of a paradise for paddlers than an area for motorboaters due to its very limited navigability.
You can read the district portrait of the Saale and Unstrut rivers in the January issue 2019 from BOOTE. Or you can download the PDF for the test below.
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