exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
You are here: worth seeing in Hemelingen district
From Weser weir through Hemelingen harbor to the sports harbor and to the beach (2/2)
View over the river from Habenhausen to Hemelingen Harbor. At Drettmann Yachts, leisure boats are built. The shipbuilding hall in the background hasn’t seen a new ship leave its dock for a long time. At the harbor entrance on the green meadow (right), “Die Komplette Palette / Das Kleine Paradies” has set up a temporary refuge
To this day, the blue-painted former large shipyard hall with the Hegemann inscription is still visible and stands symbolically for the near-decline of what was once a great and long-standing tradition in Bremen: the construction of larger ships.
But wait, something “small” is still floating. Founded in 1970, Drettmann Yachts builds leisure boats at Hemelingen Harbor on a scale - financial as well - that you rarely see in the marinas of this Hanseatic city. Otherwise, the harbor remains what it has always been: one for bulk goods like gravel, sand, etc., delivered via the large shipping lock at the Weser weir or downstream by inland vessels.
Industrial aesthetics lie in the eye of the beholder: building material silos in sunny yellow
Still on the Hemelingen Harbor dam, a narrow path branches off near a warehouse, leading to Fuldahafen and then circling it as a road. Shortly after, the sports harbor comes into view.
A closer look at the sports harbor: What’s the name of the flag at the bow, and what are those inflatable plastic objects called? Well? The Bremen Speckflagge and fenders - these cushion direct contact with other boats/ships and docking points when hung overboard.
The Hemelingen Water Sports Association settled here in 1970. Since 1999, even the Blue Flag has been flying, a yearly awarded symbol of environmentally responsible action at waterways for sustainable tourism.
The list of criteria to earn this quality seal is long and includes aspects related to swimming, such as water quality, but that’s where the association has the least influence. Swimming in the Weser is possible here.
Not quite long enough for a beach stroll, but perfect for a lovely time by the water
However, not all areas are accessible to visitors, as only the path along the sports harbor on the right up to the viewpoint and the adjacent Hemelingen Beach with its green area are officially public. The well-maintained area with boat moorings is club property.
This also includes a small campsite that isn’t listed in any travel guide because camping here is allowed only for members, since the city hasn’t issued a permit for an official campsite at this location. A shame, really; it’s a nice spot right on the Weser.
Idyll on a late summer day
“Nice place” also fits when you sit on the terrace of Bootshaus Hemelingen on the club grounds during good weather - if you can find a seat. The view stretches over the sports harbor and the Weser to the twin spires of St. Peter's Cathedral in the old town. The restaurant is open to everyone seeking refreshment.
At the end of the season in autumn, boats are lifted from the water and spend the cold months safely stored on dry land - time for repairs, removing hull growth, and new coats of paint for wooden boats
That there’s a natural beach like this at all is thanks to a large-scale renaturation project along the shoreline between Fuldahafen and Hemelingen Lake with Weser access, bordering the club grounds. These measures, designed to protect the environment and make life by the city’s lifeblood more attractive, had €686,000 allocated for the period from July 2010 to September 2012 - half of it from the European EFRE fund. Thus, in 2012, a small recreational area emerged where biodiversity could flourish again - on land, water, and in the air. And the water sports club contributes its part.
Okay, rabbits are almost always around, cute - even if they’re feared near flood protection structures like willow trees due to their natural burrowing instincts
Thanks to some fallow areas in the Hemelingen Harbor district, there are always alternative projects on the green meadow right by the water, such as “bay-WATCH” with experimental architecture or “Die Komplette Palette / Das Kleine Paradies.” Mostly time-limited due to being open-air - visitors are welcome for drinks, chilling, chatting, and fun. Sometimes there’s even live music.
View from the viewpoint: Sailing is possible above the weir
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Map
Further information
https://wvh-bremen.de
https://bootshaus-hemelingen.de
https://de-de.facebook.com/diekomplettepalette/
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