exploring Bremen & its surrounding areas
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Water Activities (1/2)
Rowboats in Bürgerpark
In a city located on a large river with numerous lakes, it makes sense to extend sports activities - or what one individually considers as such - from land to water. The most family-friendly activity on the wet element is certainly taking a rowboat ride along the canals of Bürgerpark. For the round trip with rented wooden boats, you need at least an hour; if you include stops for a walk ashore, such as at the animal enclosure or the dairy, then naturally more time is required. The tour under numerous bridges through the green park is quite entertaining and also scenically attractive, including pleasant encounters with other rowers.
The "Marie" on Emmasee
More passive but still beautiful is the ride aboard the passenger ship “Marie” along the round course through Bürgerpark. A maximum of 30 people can fit in this open-top boat with electric propulsion. You can board and disembark at one of four docks. As early as 1908, a predecessor of the "Marie" with the same name sailed through the park, but it was lost like a second boat during World War II. The current boat, also made of wood, is not an exact copy, but the boatbuilders did closely follow the original plans.
Windsurfing: I’m into it – says someone at Uni-See
Those who enjoy grabbing a surfboard when there’s enough wind or want to learn how are well-suited for the Stadtwaldsee/Uni-See. The local surf school also rents out appropriate equipment. This is equally true for diving enthusiasts, who can find a base somewhat distant from the lake near the campsite.
The diving base at Uni-See is closed in winter
Stadtwaldsee is also a frequently visited lake by bathers with sandy beach areas and sunbathing lawns. Thanks to a separate non-swimmer area, a secluded FKK (nudist) section screened by bushes, and an elongated swimmer area, there’s something for everyone. The DLRG (German Lifesaving Association) station keeps a watchful eye on the activities in the water. Another centrally located lake with similar swimming opportunities is Werdersee, which can be reached via Stadtwerder. Those who find swimming or splashing around insufficient can also try stand-up paddleboarding on Werdersee; the necessary equipment can be rented on-site. With Achterdieksee, Mahndorfer See, Bultensee, and Waller Feldmarksee, there are additional bathing lakes scattered throughout the city, some of which lie near the city limits.
Depending on the tides, the beach at Café Sand is larger or smaller
Swimming in the Weser is possible at a relatively small shoreline area near Café Sand but is not without danger due to the current caused by tidal changes and ship traffic. Further north in the Hanseatic city, water enthusiasts in the Grambke district can find Sportparksee Grambke with an extensive range of watersports. The lake is incidentally Bremen’s largest inland lake.
Paddling across Werdersee with a double kayak
For paddlers, there is the opportunity to start from Torfkanal in the Findorff district - where peat was once shipped as fuel from the surrounding area into the city on characteristic peat barges - and paddle into Kleine Wümme and along it through Blockland to Dammsiel. If the goal isn’t the restaurant/café with a garden there for outdoor seating overlooking the larger Wümme, a lock (between April and October) connects the two bodies of water. In doubt, you can also simply carry the boat over the dike if it’s light enough.
On the Wümme side, the self-service lock opens
Upstream is a good destination Kuhsiel with a self-service lock through which one reaches Kuhgraben, leading back into Stadtwald. If you start the entire tour in Stadtwald, you will also return there on the round trip. Paddling downstream at the city boundary near Dammsiel along Wümme, you reach its end where it flows into Lesum at Hamme tributary. Incidentally, you can also reach Lesum if you take a branch from Kleine Wümme in Blockland into Maschinenfleet, which runs almost straight and flows into Lesum near Alten Lesumer Sperrwerk at Wasserhorst.
An important waterway in the Middle Ages: Kuhgraben received its first lock in 1865. The current one dates back to 1931; it serves sports boating with its 7.5m x 30m chamber.
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Further information
www.surfshop-charchulla.de/Charchulla_Bremen/Surfschule.html
www.pits-tauchbasis.de
www.sportparksee.de
www.torfkaehne-bremen.de
https://bootsverleih-bremen.de/bootsverleih/
www.bootshaus-ramke.de/bootsverleih/
www.hal-oever.de
Bürgerpark (Citizen's Park)
A green oasis near the city center and a widely used recreational area, the Bürgerpark is an expansive site adjacent to today's Bürgerweide behind the train station. This park was initiated by the citizens themselves. In the early 19th century, the old defensive structures of the city had already been dismantled, transforming the ramparts into a landscaped park. However, as the city rapidly grew throughout the century, demands for more green spaces became increasingly louder.
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Camping in Bremen
The campsite is located right next to one of the city's largest lakes. The 282,000-square-meter body of water was created in 1971/72 as a byproduct of construction work on the nearby A27 motorway and the university. Since the lake borders the expansive Stadtwald (city forest) on the opposite shore from the campsite, it is officially called Stadtwaldsee. However, due to its proximity to the university, which began operations in 1971, many residents of Bremen refer to it as the Uni-See (University Lake).
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Round Trip: From the City Center to the Weser weir & Back
Starting from Tiefer or Altenwall, a scenic section of the Weser riverbank in front of Schnoor and diagonally opposite the DGzRS (German Maritime Search and Rescue Service), there is a beautiful path for pedestrians and cyclists that runs directly along the water upstream toward the Weser weir. After crossing the weir, the return route takes you back via Stadtwerder.
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Weser cruise from Bremen to Bremerhaven
Of course, you can take a car for a visit to Bremerhaven from Bremen or board the regional train at the main station. However, with suitable weather and enough time, it is more interesting to cover the route on the Weser by ship. The shipping company "Hal över" operates the connection from May to September. The ship departs from the Martinianleger near the city center along the Schlachte. Those who wish can even take their bicycle with them; additionally, you can pre-book a breakfast onboard.
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DGzRS - The Maritime Rescuers
Anyone in distress at sea today has far better chances of receiving help, even out on the open water, thanks to modern technology and professionals who take care of it. Along Germany’s North and Baltic Sea coasts, these are primarily the approximately 1,000 full-time and volunteer men and women of the DGzRS (German Maritime Search and Rescue Service), also known as "The Maritime Rescuers." In 2020 alone, they conducted 1,720 operations and rescued 357 people. Since its founding, the organization has helped 86,000 individuals.
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Heligoland - a day trip
Germany's only supposed high-seas island is a destination for thousands of visitors each year, most of whom are day-trippers during the warmer months. And yes, admittedly, Heligoland isn't immediately in Bremen's surrounding area. However, it can be reached as a day trip from Bremerhaven and Cuxhaven - which is why we decided to visit.
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Cycling to Lilienthal
It's about 11 kilometers from Bremen's city center to Lilienthal in Lower Saxony, just beyond the city limits. While tram line 4 connects the two places, a bike tour is much more fun. Along the Jan-Reiners-Weg, you can cycle through a green landscape without car traffic, and even within Lilienthal itself, the route follows small paths along the Wörpe River with minimal traffic, leading you to the town's historic center.
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