Nunatak, Switzerland - somehow sounds like storm-tossed 4000 metre peaks surrounded by mighty glaciers. And that's actually true! A canoe trip on the Schwentine inevitably takes you through Holstein Switzerland. For landlocked travellers, the North German admission that the mountains here are at most half as high as Frankfurt's television tower is at best a hearty slap on the back. And the nunatak? Well, nunataks are mountains that rise up like islands in the middle of mighty glaciers - and that's exactly what the 167 metre high Bungsberg once was. During the last ice age almost 10,000 years ago, it rose like an island out of the ice of the Scandinavian glaciers. Today's river valley was formed where the meltwater from the ice giants flowed away. Where large chunks of ice remained, depressions were created which filled with water over time and formed a large lake landscape.
If you paddle along one of the 68 kilometres of river between Ostholstein and Kiel today, it is hard to imagine that mighty glacier tongues once lay where rare plants bloom today, kingfishers breed in the dense floodplain forest and otters roam the clear water on the hunt for prey. Turtles can also be seen lying in the sun on old tree trunks - released by private individuals, the reptiles seem to have settled in perfectly here.
On its way from east to west to its mouth in the Kiel Fjord, the Schwentine flows through no fewer than 18 lakes, including small ones such as Höftsee, which is less than 20 hectares in size, and large ones such as Plöner See, which at 28 square kilometres is one of the top 10 largest lakes in Germany. Apart from a few small excursion boats around Plön Castle, the entire course of the river is free of motorboats and reserved exclusively for paddlers.
Around 50 kilometres between Eutin and the estuary in Kiel are almost unrestrictedly navigable, with the most beautiful and varied sections between Plön and Kiel. Sometimes you paddle through dense riparian forests and narrow valleys, past old estates and thick reed belts, before the landscape suddenly widens around the next bend and you cross one of the numerous lakes. At crossings such as the Lanker See to the south of Preetz, you may need to take a look at the Google map to make sure you don't miss the exit between the numerous bays. All the tips for the tour in the north can be found below:
SUP information Schwentine
Route
The section from Hof Wahlstorf to the Rosensee is perfect for a day trip. Even less experienced paddlers can manage the almost 15 kilometres downstream in three to five hours, depending on how hard you paddle. The entry point directly at the "Cafe am Fuhlensee" is wonderfully idyllic and offers the opportunity to top up your calorie stores.
A suitable destination is, for example, the car park on the B202 at the Rosensee, or the Jahnstraße car park near the Schwentinental outdoor pool at the end of the Rosensee. Theoretically, the Schwentine can also be travelled upstream, as the current is almost non-existent in most places. There are only a few sections near Preetz where you can paddle against a noticeable current. On days with a noticeable westerly to northerly wind, however, the upstream route is actually the easier alternative, as you then have a noticeable tailwind on the lakes.
Alternative routes
Of course, our route can easily be extended or shortened. For example, if you start at Strandbad Lanker See, you can shorten the route by a good third. Conversely, you can extend the route to almost 25 kilometres if you start in Plön and begin your day's paddling with a view of the beautiful Plön Castle. There is a starting point with a toilet and snack bar in Hamburger Straße in Plön, for example. It is also possible to finish at the mouth of the river in Kiel, but this means that you have to shoulder your board at the end of the Rosensee in front of the hydroelectric power station and nature reserve and carry it approx. 1.5 kilometres to the next launching point at the Oppendorfer Mühle.
Wind & Weather
The majority of the route runs protected through riparian forests and reed zones. In places, the Schwentine narrows to just a few metres - so you can paddle sheltered even on windy days. The situation is different on the large lakes, e.g. Lanker See, Großer Plöner See or further upstream on Behlersee and Dieksee. Even with winds of five to ten knots from the west, north-west or north, the route becomes tiring due to the headwind and the noticeable choppy waves.
Stopovers/Gastronomy
There are several places to stop for refreshments along the route. The café at Fuhlensee has already been mentioned, but you will also find plenty of places to stop for refreshments around Preetz, e.g. at Strandbad Lanker See, Bootshaus Kanu & Café or around Kirchsee in Preetz. The section between Preetz and the Rosensee lake, on the other hand, is very secluded - although there are nice places to take a break here, there is no longer any infrastructure.
Camping & bivouac sites
As there are various places to stay overnight along the route and the Schwentine is easy to cycle from Eutin, the tour can be extended to almost 50 kilometres and several days. Wild camping/bivouacking is strictly forbidden, there will be checks and non-compliance will be systematically penalised. Official places to spend the night can be found here (sorted downstream):
- Bad Malente: www.camping-bad-malente.de
- Timmdorf: www.landgasthof-kasch.de
- Plön: www.camp-ruhleben.de | www.augstfelde.de | www.spitzenort.de
- WahlstorfFischer Bock (Tel. 04342-81273)
- Preetz/Lanker See: www.camp-lankersee.de
- Preetz
Nature conservation
For nature conservation reasons, none of the islands in the Schleswig-Holstein Switzerland Nature Park may be entered. Even the banks, which are often lined with reed beds, should only be entered at the marked rest areas.
Security
In some sections around Preetz, the current is noticeable and the water is shallow in places. The use of a leash can be useful here. Traffic from shipping is not an issue; apart from a few excursion boats, the lakes are also closed to private motorboats. Some of the lakes are large and the river exits are not always immediately recognisable, so carrying a waterproof smartphone with a Google map can be helpful in this case.
This article first appeared in SUP 1/2019
