Rhinluch Fen Loop

A circular tour of an impressive fen district. It is the largest crane retreat in Europe. Paddling in autumn offers a very special spectacle when the thousands of cranes and wild geese are roosting. The tour takes you through a unique landscape. You can see kingfishers and storks and observe rare animals like otters, terrapins and sea eagles.

Length/Duration: 34 kilometres (1-2 days)

Start/finish: Altfriesack
Entry into the tour is also possible in Fehrbellin, Tarmow, Wustrau, Hakenberg and Linum.

How to get there:

• Public transport: Take the RE4 (Rathenow) regional train from Berlin central station to Berlin Jungfernheide train station. From here, take the RE6 (Wittenberge) regional train to Wustrau-Radensleben. From there, it is 1.5 kilometres on foot the Altfriesack (about 1.5 hours).
• Car: Take the A111 and A24 motorways from Berlin to Altfriesack (about 1.5 hours).

Route: Ruppiner Kanal, Wustrauer Rhin, Fehrbelliner Kanal, Alter Rhin, Bützrhin, Bützsee

Shore leave:

• Wustrau: Brandenburg-Prussia Museum, Wustrau Castle, village church
• Detour Fehrbellin: local history museum
• Hakenberg: Victory Column
• Detour: Storchenort Linum
• Detour Kremmen: historic Scheunenviertel, Wiesencafé art and berries
• Bivouac sites: Altfriesack canoe camp, Fehrbellin boat rental, Teichland harbor in Linum
• Gastronomy: Altfriesack, Wustrau, Fehrbellin, Linum
• Bathing places: Ruppiner See, Fehrbellin in front of the Great Weir, Tarmower See, Bützsee

Tip: Canoes can be rented in Altfriesack, Fehrbellin and Neuruppin.

Nautical information: You can decide on the direction of the tour depending on the wind and waves. It is recommended that you begin the tour via Lake Bützsee if the wind is from the north-west and via Lake Ruppiner See if the wind is from the east.

Maps/Literature:

• “DKV-Gewässerführer für Ostdeutschland: Kanuführer für Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Sachsen-Anhalt, Thüringen und Sachsen (DKV-Regionalführer)”, Deutscher Kanu-Verband; Auflage: 6 (Juni 2021), ISBN-13: 978-3968060064, ISBN-10: 3968060064, Euro 24,80
• “TourenAtlas Wasserwandern / TA5 Berlin-Brandenburg mit Spreewald: Oder, Havel, Spree + Nebengewässer”, 1:75.000 & 1:25.000, Verlag: Jübermann, Auflage: 7 (September 2021), ISBN-13: 978-3929540734, ISBN-10: 3929540738, Euro 33,80