Barrierefreies "Alligator" Kanu, Picture: Fotograf / Lizenz - Media Import/Yorck Maecke

The “Alligator” on Lake Gudelack

In the Ruppiner Seenland, the unusual canoe is a great way for wheelchair users to discover the region on the water. There are also barrier-free options for shore leave.

In the Ruppiner Seenland, the unusual canoe is a great way for wheelchair users to discover the region on the water. There are also barrier-free options for shore leave.

The “Alligator” on Lake Gudelack Ruppiner Seenland without Barriers

12. Oktober 2017 of Jörg Tümmel

The “Alligator” lies quietly on Lake Gundelack in Lindow (Mark), waiting for people to come by. No kidding! The “Alligator” is the name of an unusual canoe, specially developed and built in Switzerland for people with restricted mobility. Jörg Tümmel, himself a wheelchair user and active sportsman brought it to the Ruppin Lakeland. In this water-abundant region of Brandenburg, he and his wife Simone offer their guests an “Adventure Holiday in Schönbirken”.

About the author: The active wheelchair-user from Herford found himself a new home surrounded by water and woodlands in the Ruppin Lakeland. Himself a sports enthusiast and nature-lover, he offers his guests lots of exciting experiences in the region, thanks to technical aids and a good portion of creativity.

Barrierefreies "Alligator" Kanu, Picture: Fotograf / Lizenz - Media Import/Yorck Maecke

The beauty of the "Alligator"

That is the beauty of the “Alligator”: I can make my way down to the boat at the marina in my wheelchair, climb on board and use the arm crank to set the wheels in motion. The boat rolls into the water and off we go our adventure tour. I am very fond of the Ruppin Lakeland with its waterways and forests.

When I came on holiday to Rheinsberg some years ago with my wheelchair sports club from Bielefeld, I immediately fell in love with the landscape here. As a result, together with my wife Simone, I later bought and invested in a run-down farm in Schönbirken. Today our guests with or without limited mobility can rest and relax here. We have accessible holiday homes, rooms for guests who do not use a wheelchair, a large barrier-free communal kitchen and lots of space for winding down in the courtyard and garden.

Barrierefreies "Alligator" Kanu, Picture: Fotograf / Lizenz - Media Import/Yorck Maecke

Adventure Holidays

Of course, there is a good reason why we call ourselves „Adventure Holidays“. I am an enthusiastic athlete myself. I go water skiing, played roller hockey for a long time and prefer using my hand bike to get around. All our guests can try out our sports and leisure equipment and hire what suits them best. After all, being on holiday means having fun and enjoying the outdoors – either alone or with family and friends.

As well as the “Alligator”, we have canoes with one to six seats. Canoe tours in a group along the unspoilt River Rhin in Alt Ruppin are especially attractive. With my trailer, I can transport the boats and get them ready anywhere.

Barrierefreies "Alligator" Kanu, Picture: Fotograf / Lizenz - Media Import/Yorck Maecke

Over hills and dales in an off-road wheelchair

We also have hand bikes and recumbent bikes, buggies and quad bikes. Over hills and dales in a “Quadrix”.

Our “Quadrix” is something special. An off-road wheelchair, it allows our disabled guests access to places they would otherwise never get to – areas of rough terrain, forests and the remote banks of the lakes. The vehicle has an electric engine and is quiet, environmentally friendly and easy to operate. You can get around 100 km out of the battery. The “Quadrix” can reach a speed of 35 kilometres per hour. It is a great feeling when you can be fully independent, out in the countryside, roaming through the forest with the dog. This kind of tour is also available for groups.