Rhinluch Circuit

Hardly any other area in Brandenburg is as pristine as the Rhinluch. The Rhin, meandering gently through the Rhinluch, is an ideal paddling area and still a hidden gem with little boat traffic. Quiet channels traverse the moor landscape, beavers rustle in the reeds, white-tailed eagles circle above, cranes call out in the largest crane sanctuary in Europe. The circular tour is perfect for two days of paddling and is especially suitable for less experienced leisure paddlers and families with children. Camping and bivouac sites ensure a safe overnight stay on land.Length / Duration: 34 km (1-2 days)Start / Finish: AltfriesackEntry to the tour also possible in Fehrbellin, Tarmow, Wustrau, Hakenberg, and Linum.Arrival / Departure: Public Transport: From Berlin Hauptbahnhof take the RE4 (Rathenow) to Berlin Jungfernheide station. From here, continue with the RE6 (Wittenberge) to Wustrau-Radensleben. Finally, walk about 1.5 km to Altfriesack (approx. 1.5 hours).Car: From Berlin via the A111 and A24 to Altfriesack (approx. 1.5 hours).Route: Ruppiner Canal, Wustrau Rhin, Fehrbellin Canal, Old Rhin, Bützrhin, BützseeTour Description / Detours: Through the Altfriesack lock, alternatively around the weir with a rail trolley, the tour leads over the southern Ruppiner See, the Ruppiner Canal to the Wustrau exit point. There, the mill needs to be carried for about 200 meters or can be passed with the available canoe trolley. Paddle about 8 km on the motorboat-free Wustrau Rhin until you reach the Fehrbellin Canal junction.A 5 km detour through Fehrbellin is possible. Canoe trolleys are available at the weirs in Fehrbellin during the season. Continue on the Fehrbellin Canal.After the Wustrau Rhin junction, after 6 km, you will reach the Hakenberg lock (hourly lockings), which can alternatively be bypassed on a few meters on the parallel weir arm. After about 3 km, you will reach the Amtmann Canal, where a detour to the stork village of Linum is possible. The small marina is suitable for a break, with gastronomy and accommodation options available, as well as a nature trail around the Linum ponds.From the Old Rhin / Amtmann Canal junction, it is about 6 km to the Bützrhin (part of the Ruppiner waterway). A detour via the Kremmener Rhin allows a visit to the village. After another 8 km over the Bützrhin and further over the Bützsee, the circular tour ends in Altfriesack.Onshore Activities: Wustrau: Brandenburg-Prussia Museum, Wustrau Castle, Village ChurchFehrbellin Detour: Local MuseumHakenberg: Victory ColumnDetours: Stork Village LinumKremmen Detour: Historic barn district, Meadow Café Art and BerriesBivouac Sites: Kanucamp Altfriesack, Fehrbellin Boat Rental, Teichland Harbor in LinumGastronomy: Altfriesack, Wustrau, Fehrbellin, LinumSwimming Areas: Ruppiner See, Fehrbellin before the Great Weir, Tarmower See, BützseeTip: Canoes can be rented in Altfriesack, Fehrbellin, and Neuruppin.Nautical Information / Waterway Information: 2 locks, weirs on the route, tour direction depending on wind and wave conditions. With east wind, it is recommended to start on the Ruppiner See, with north-west wind over the Bützsee, and in heavier rain, there is some current on the Wustrauer Rhin.Maps / Literature: DKV Water Guide for Eastern Germany: Canoe Guide for Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg, Berlin, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Saxony (DKV Regional Guide), German Canoe Association: June 2021 edition, ISBN-13: 978-3968060064, ISBN-10: 3968060064, 24.80 eurosTourenAtlas Water Hiking / TA5 Berlin-Brandenburg with Spreewald: Oder, Havel, Spree + Tributaries, 1:75,000 & 1:25,000, Publisher: Jübermann, 7th edition (September 2021), ISBN-13: 978-3929540734, ISBN-10: 3929540738, 33.80 euros