Panorama

Four beautiful rivers invite visitors to northern Germany for adventures on the wild and romantic waterways of Western Pomerania: the Peene, Trebel, Tollense and the Recknitz. Beavers and otters live on the banks of these rivers, where campgrounds and charming converted farmhouse hotels provide much needed refuge from the hustle of everyday life.

The river system of the Peene meanders its way for 104 km (60 mi) across Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, making its way through pristine meadows, dense forests and lowland moors before flowing into the Peenestrom near the port city of Anklam. Often called the “Amazon of the north”, this region was voted the “Best tourism area for water-oriented travel” from among 24 other regions in Germany and was given the European Destination of ExcelleNce prize (EDEN) in June 2010. At the awards ceremony, Reinhard Meyer, president of the German Tourism Board, waxed eloquent about the region, saying, “It offers an unparalleled experience amidst a breathtaking landscape…and is a superb example of nature conservation. Overall, it is an outstanding European travel destination.”

At play with beavers and sea eagles

The best way to leave civilization behind here is in a kayak or a canoe, traveling from rest stop to rest stop through one of the last pristine river valleys in Europe. As you become part of the beauty and diversity of the landscape, the clear waters reflect vibrant yellow globeflowers, cow lilies and wedge-shaped tree stumps gnawed away by a population of attention-shy beavers who call this area home. Suddenly your eye will catch shiny bluish dragonflies swerving through the diffused sunlight, or sea eagles and red kites engaging in an exciting aerial battle. Roughly 150 types of birds still find ideal brooding grounds in the alluvial forests and reed belts of the Peene Valley Landscape and Nature Reserve. Due to its very mild grade and a conspicuous lack of weirs, the Peene also offers perfect conditions for canoes, but anyone looking for an even more relaxed mode of transport can also glide across the calm waters in a rented solar-powered boat.

On the river of history

This watery region also has an interesting history, as can be seen in the “Alten Lager” (“old camp”) near Menzlin, a Viking settlement and sea trading station on the northern bank of the Peene that dates from the 8th to the 10th century. From here, Nordic settlers were able to travel quickly to the Baltic for their commerce and explorations. Today this protected area and its burial sites provide insight into the everyday life and spiritual world of the Vikings. A unique highlight of the burial grounds are boat-shaped stone formations where the urns of the deceased were placed before they were sent on their final voyage. The last section of most boat journeys on the Peene then takes you through miles of meandering river near the city of Anklam, where the river once formed a natural border between the Swedish and Prussian kingdoms.

The Trebel is not only an ideal waterway for a paddle, but it was also once an historic border between Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania. The wooden drawbridge near Nehringen is evidence that this used to be an important connection along this natural dividing line, which was difficult to cross at the time. Having belonged to Sweden for a spell, Nehringen is now home to one of the only remaining baroque building complexes in Western Pomerania, built by Swedish Governor Meyerfeld. The estate there is also worth a visit. Originally built in the mid-14th century, it was later expanded to include the baroque Church of St. Andrew and features the ruins of a 700-year-old castle tower. The Trebel runs for roughly 70 km (43 mi) through an idyllic ice-age glacial valley and the Demmin area is commonly referred to as the “three valleys region” due to its location at the confluence of Tollensee lake, the Peene and the Trebel.

Back to nature

There is no waterway that provides a direct connection between the Peene, Trebel and Tollense rivers and the Recknitz, which flows through nature reserves and regeneration areas between Teterow and the Saal lagoon near Ribnitz-Damgarten. The journey is worth it, however, as the Recknitz is rich in fish life and lined with fragrant meadows, remote moorland and carr terrain. Thanks to the opening of a number of backwater streams, the Recknitz, stretches of which were once artificially straightened, now flows along its original riverbed. Guided raft trips take visitors silently along the lower valley, and the area between the Marlow and the Recknitz estuary is particularly beautiful for enjoying the natural meander of the river. Those who make the trip may see gray herons taking flight, observe ring snakes slithering along the surface, or hear the piercing cries of a sea eagle circling majestically above while looking for its next prey in the silver, glittering waters below.