Lakes in Berlin

Trips in and around Berlin

Trips

A Road Trip to Bernsteinsee – A Blue Gem North of Berlin

Today, we’re taking you along with us for a little road trip to Bernsteinsee.

Car 60 min

Berlin City Centre 80 km

Scroll

Deutsch
English

At the Sandy Beach

We park at the large parking lot and enter the path along the eastern shore of the lake and the forest. As if to welcome us, a strong gust of wind sweeps through the canopy. Though the air is dry from the lack of precipitation in recent weeks, the unmistakable scent of pine greets our noses. A thick layer of soft moss blankets the entire forest floor, the freshly awakened woodland is brimming with new undergrowth—tiny trees, shrubs, and flower buds spring from the earth. As we come to the clearing where the path branches off to the left, we stop to take in the scenery. It’s been a year since we’ve walked in these woods, but it feels like yesterday. And then we spot it: a shimmering splash of blue two hundred metres further beckons…

We hurry over the hill, halting briefly at the ledge that leads down the shoreline to tear off our shoes. Stepping onto the sand, we feel the warmth of the sun caress the bottoms of our feet as a cool breeze grazes our faces. We set our belongings down on the beach behind a line of little pines that provide shelter from the breeze, roll up our pants, and wade into the icy, clear water.

dscf1908

Directions Parking at Bernsteinsee

2 SPOT

The Hidden Beach

After delving into our books for several hours and enjoying a long nap in the sun, we decide to go for a walk along the lake’s southwestern shoreline. Little gaps in the reeds make it hard to resist the temptation of going for a swim…but we’ll save that for summer. Dipping in and out of the forest, we follow the shoreline until we reach the cluster of bays further north. Stopping here and there to admire the trees’ exposed root systems, we encounter the odd sunbather soaking up the rays along the way. Arriving on the other side of the lake, we take a seat in the sand and watch the sun glittering on the lake’s surface. What feels like twenty minutes quickly becomes an hour…it’s time to head back.

dscf1916

dscf1904

Bernsteinsee

Our second trip in this series starts in Neukölln, Berlin. Blankets, refreshments, and books in tow, we can barely contain our excitement as we pack our picnic basket and backpacks for our first full-on beach day of the season.

Heading north through the city, we drive through Friedrichshain and Weissensee. We pass the cute stretch of old houses that line the B2 in Malchow and make a quick at one of the roadside farmer stalls to stock up on fresh foods from the fields before continuing on our way. The kilometres fly by as we branch off onto the A11. Just 15 minutes later we’re already off the highway and on the significantly more scenic L31 toward Ruhlsdorf.

dscf1906

Bernsteinsee is a gravel pit lake with a surface area of 0.25 km and a maximum depth of around 25 m. In our Berlin Edition, we highlight the lake’s three designated bathing spots. The beach we picked out for our day trip is located on the lake’s southern shore. In summer, flocks of people gather here from Berlin and Brandenburg to bask in the sun and take in the scenery. Today, however, there’s no one in sight. We spread out our blankets and picnic to the sound of birds chirping and waves lapping against the shore. Somewhere over the dunes, we catch the echo of children’s chatter. A little while later, a couple with two dogs walks by. Their four-legged friends eagerly sprint up and down the beach and splash in the waves.

dscf1934

Sundown at Liepnitzsee

With three hours till nightfall, we unanimously decide to stop by Liepnitzsee (Berlin Edition | P. 39 | 13 km south of Bernsteinsee) on our way home for a short sunset stroll. We hop into our WeShare and head for the public parking lot on the lake’s northern shore. A five-minute walk through the woods, and we’re standing at Liepnitzsee’s ferry station which looks out over Island Werder. We follow the path east for 30 minutes. The light begins to change rapidly as the sun closes in on the horizon. Soft shades of pastel purple and orange merge with the water’s dark blue surface and the forest’s bright-green foliage.

We circle back to the car along Liepnitzsee’s little sisterly lake, Seechen, a magnificent sight greets us: a family of otters has made an impressive dent in the trees that line the edge of the shoreline. Back uphill, our phones refuse to reconnect to the www. Perhaps they too do not want this day to end. We wait patiently for the internet to restabilise before logging back into the WeShare app, hopping back in our car, and making our way home.

dscf1960