A Road Trip to Havel River – Forest Walks & Sandy Bays

For our first trip, we set out from Mitte, Berlin. We exit the city via the A115 motorway and drive along Havelchaussee toward Unterhavel until we reach Lieper Bucht’s parking lot. 

With our dog, Sonny, in tow, we park our car and embark from a small beach on the southern side of the bay. To our right, a towering cluster of trees perched on a ridge makes for an impressive sight. To our left, the little island Lindwerder rests quietly in the water. If you’re interested in going for a short stroll on the island, keep a lookout for a bell. A small ferry will respond to its ring and can transport you ashore in just a few minutes.

Back on land, we continue north along the path through the forest that follows the reeded shoreline. Arriving at a little lawn, gaps in the reeds beckon us to dip our feet into the water. Continuing further, we arrive at a long, sandy beach where we stop to rest under the shade of a giant tree. We keep heading north where a beach with a pier close to Grunewald Tower awaits our arrival. If it’s open when you come, we recommend taking a tour of the tower. You can also make your way further into the forest from here. After another hour on our feet, we are ready to turn around and head back toward our car along the shoreline.

If, on the other hand, you head south from Lieper Bucht, you’ll come across a string of sunny spots where you’ll find plenty of space to lie down. It’s also well-worth exploring some of the other bodies of water in the area—Krumme Lanke, Schlachtensee, Teufelsee, and Wannsee, which is also connected to Havel River, are all nearby.