From Teupitz to Märkisch Buchholz

Length/duration: 33 kilometres (1 day)

Start: Teupitz water touring base

Finish: Märkisch Buchholz

How to get there:

• Public transport: From Berlin central station, take the RE2 (Cottbus) to Königs Wusterhausen. From here take bus no. 726 to Teupitz (about 1.5 hours).
• Car: From Berlin via the A113 and A13 to Teupitz (about 1 hour).

Route: Teupitz, Lake Teupitz, Lake Zemminsee, Köriser Graben, Lake Schulzensee, Lake Großer Moddersee, Lake Kleiner Moddersee, Moddergraben, Lake Klein Köris, Lake Hölzerner See, Lake Schmöldesee, Lake Huschtesee, Dahme, Prieros Lock, Dahme, Lake Streganz, Dahme, Märkisch Buchholz

Tour description: The journey begins at the water touring base in Teupitz, a large floating jetty with a solar roof. This jetty is also the arrival and departure point for the popular boat trips of the Dahme-Schifffahrt Teupitz company. The lake contains several small islands, some of which have weekend houses built on them. The southern shore of Lake Teupitz is a nature reserve. Schweriner Horst is an island that is connected to the town of Schwerin by a bridge. The route continues across Lake Schwerin, along the canal to Lake Zemminsee and onwards into the adjoining Lake Schulzensee, which is located next to the village of Gross Köris. Exiting Lake Schulzensee requires boats to pass beneath a portal drawbridge. The journey then continues across Lake Großer Moddersee and Lake Klein Moddersee to Lake Klein Köris. One past a short, approximately 10-metre-wide bridge underpass, followed by Lake Hölzerner See, Lake Schmöldesee and Lake Huschtesee, the Prieros water crossing is reached. In Prieros there is a landing stage in the boat harbour that is ideal for an on-shore outing. From the Prieros water crossing Lake Streganz is reached by passing through the Prieros lock. The Dahme waterway and Hermsdorfer Mühle lock lead to the Märkisch Buchholz rest area for boaters.

Nautical information: Smaller boats without an engine can pass under the bridge in Lake Teupitz if they can handle the shallow water, while larger boats have to sail through Lake Teupitz west of Schweriner Horst. Portal drawbridge at Lake Schulzensee: The drawbridge opens on the hour for boats from 1.7 metres above the waterline.

Driving licence: As far Prieros only a charter licence is needed, Dahme only navigable with driving licence.

Maps/Literature: "TourenAtlas Wasserwandern / TA5 Berlin-Brandenburg mit Spreewald: Oder, Havel, Spree + Nebengewässer, 1:75.000 & 1:25.000, Verlag: Jübermann, Auflage: 5 (5. Juli 2013), ISBN-13: 978-3929540666, Euro 25