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UCKERMARK FOR BEGINNERS: A SHORT TOUR FROM BRANDENBURG SWIMMING SPOT TO VILLAGE BEER GARDEN

UCKERMARK FOR BEGINNERS: A SHORT TOUR FROM BRANDENBURG SWIMMING SPOT TO VILLAGE BEER GARDEN

All is not well in Brandenburg… But while blue-green algae dominate Berlin’s waters, the situation at Lago is still good as the summer draws to a close. Ready for one last swim in 2024? Sure, you know the big bodies of water and your favorite lakes, but if you want to take a dip somewhere different, I liked Kölpinsee. The bathing area behind the snack bar Grillstulle offers plenty of shady spots, but the best thing is the snack bar itself. Emily and Moritz are the owners and, as the name suggests, grilled sandwiches are on the menu (or Grillstulle, as they say in Brandenburg). The food is served on discarded tractor tires and there are waffles for kids. Whether you go before or after the lake is up to you, but if you want to round off the evening, this Friday the mobile cinema is stopping by to show “Poor Things.” Back to swimming: I recommend the other bathing spot in the forest, a little beyond the village boundary — the view of the lake with the long wooden jetty is particularly beautiful here. The small sandy area is perfect for families. Plus, there’s a dog beach a little further into the forest. If you’re out and about on a Friday, it’s worth making a detour to the Stegelitz weekly market, which is open from 16 to 18h and is incredibly charming.

Right next to the church, you’ll find more good things. Fantastic fresh cheese from Irmi at the Ma Petite Chevre goat farm, the best vegetables directly from Umbio, and maybe a bouquet of local flowers (or seeds to sow yourself) from Vern, an association for the preservation and recultivation of useful plants. And grab a popsicle from Olaf, the maker of the Paradieschen Bar — the cucumber and yogurt-quince are my favorites. Afterward, linger in Stegelitz for an after-work beer (if you’re not driving) at Die Braut, a small village brewery owned by Johannes Petraschek and Sarah Raimann. Of course, the beer is tapped fresh from the barrel on-site, with varieties ranging from “Mandy Ale” (an old German Helles cold-hopped) to the dark “Oatmeal Stout.” Or take the “tasting board” and find your favorite variety — which you can take bottled back to Berlin (each bottled and labeled by hand) and plan your next trip from your balcony while enjoying your collection of Uckermark delicacies. Or, simply stay for dinner and enjoy local food at Marie and Bert’s Herberge in Groß-Fredenwalde. Seasonal, regional and creative dishes are on the menu here (be sure to book). Either way, a little late summer country getaway will prolong your summer feeling.

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Robyn Steffen

Grillstulle, Götschendorf 35A, 17268 Milmersdorf; map

Kölpinsee, Badesteg, 17268 Milmersdorf; map

Wochenmarkt Stegelitz, Dorfstraße 39B, 17268 Flieth-Stegelitz; map

Dorfbrauerei Die Braut, Dorfstr.12, 17268 Stegelitz; map

Herberge, Ort Groß Fredenwalde 13, 17268 Gerswalde; map

@bar_paradieschen
@dorfbrauerei_die_braut
@grillstulle

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A ROAD LESS TRAVELLED: BERLIN TO COPENHAGEN BY BIKE —RECOMMENDED BY TOBY SHEPPARD
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A ROAD LESS TRAVELLED: BERLIN TO COPENHAGEN BY BIKE —RECOMMENDED BY TOBY SHEPPARD

Opting for bikes over festivities this year, we set off early on May 1st through the streets of Berlin, and out into Brandenburg, with nine days and 700 km ahead of us. What began as a mere idea in a dingy bar on a chilly October evening had finally realized itself – and as we passed by small idyllic towns and through the forests of Brandenburg, stopping for Fischbrötchen and a cold lake swim, it was hard to feel any regret for the party we had left behind. Our route took us to Mecklenburg, passing through blooming meadows and the dense woods of Müritz National Park. Early one morning, we spotted deer before skirting over the top of the awe-inspiring expanse of Lake Müritz, Germany’s largest inland lake. In the lakeside town of Waren, we clinked glasses as we reached the end of the German leg of our journey. From Rostock, a two-hour ferry carried us to Gedser, the southern tip of Denmark, where a street lined with Danish flags greeted us (only adding to the emotive feeling of having crossed an entire country by bike). In Denmark, we cycled through the rural countryside, past fields of aptly named meadow plums, barely touching civilization.

Rolling through green pastures, greeting cows at the corners of farms, and enjoying lunch on sandy beaches by the Baltic Sea, I quickly felt detached from my day to day life. A sense of calm and contentment washed over me, knowing that my only responsibility was to get on the bike each morning. I had become a bike person. For our final days of the trip, we cycled around the island of Møn, riding above the chalky cliffs of the UNESCO site Møns Klint before descending into Copenhagen. The trip was not without its challenges, but they only deepened the sense of achievement. At the end of each day, the beer tasted a little better, the ice cream a little sweeter, and after crossing over the threshold into Copenhagen, I was left feeling lost that it had ended. So much so that at 8 am that next morning, I got back on my bike and cycled through the streets of Copenhagen, in search of coffee and cardamom buns.

Text & photos: Toby Sheppard

Toby is a Berlin-based photographer, regularly taking photos whilst travelling, be it Lanzarote, his home in Northern England, or a bike trip to Copenhagen, his work often explores the beauty in unoccupied spaces as well as the studios and spaces of artists that inspire him.

@tobyshepp

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GREENKAYAK — RENT A KAYAK FOR FREE AND HELP TIDY UP BERLIN’S WATERWAYS

GREENKAYAK — RENT A KAYAK FOR FREE AND HELP TIDY UP BERLIN’S WATERWAYS

Reduce, reuse, recycle…row? Of all the ways to help the environment, paddling along in a kayak might not be the first that springs to mind. But it turns out that watersports and planetary health go hand in hand – with the help of an organization called GreenKayak. The idea is that you get to rent a two-seater canoe free of charge in return for doing a good deed: picking litter out of the water as you row. This win-win idea originated in Denmark in 2017 as a way to clean up Copenhagen’s canals and has since fished out around 100 tons of refuse from rivers, lakes and harbors. Now the initiative has expanded into Berlin, teaming up with local boat hire operators Fisch-Borke (Müggelsee), Mellowpark (Spree) and Backstagetourism (Spree) to tidy up the city’s waterways. You can reserve a two-hour kayak trip for up to four people directly on the website, picking from one of the three hire locations. Everything you need is included: just turn up, jump in, roll up your sleeves and get ready to help heal the Earth.

Text: Benji Haughton / Photos: Emma Bahnee, GreenKayak, Jere Viinikainen

GreenKayak

@greenkayak.ngo

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OPEN-AIR CINEMA BY THE WATER: STRANDBAD WENDENSCHLOSS

OPEN-AIR CINEMA BY THE WATER: STRANDBAD WENDENSCHLOSS

I dared to claim that I knew Berlin like the back of my hand and was quickly proven wrong! I’m talking about the open-air cinema at Strandbad Wendenschloss, a hidden gem in the southeast of Berlin. During the day, Strandbad Wendenschloss invites you to swim and sunbathe. In the evening, the beach is transformed into an open-air movie theater. As soon as the sun sets, the screen is set up ready to enjoy movies under the stars. The cinema shows a varied selection, from current blockbusters to classics and art house films. Upcoming screenings include “A Great Place to Call Home” (07.08.), a comedy that provides good entertainment with humorous dialogue and lively scenes, and “Perfect Days” (14.08.2024), a slow-paced, ambient Japanese film. The films are shown in different languages, often with subtitles, so everyone can follow along. You can sit comfortably on the provided chairs or bring a blanket to make yourself cozy on the sand. The nearby kiosk offers everything from popcorn and nachos to refreshing drinks – everything you need for a relaxed evening at the movies. So, pack your blanket and enjoy an evening by the water.

Text: Lotte von Schönfels / Photos: Erik Lolies, Tima Miroshnichenko / Credit: Berliner Bäder / Film Still: Perfect Days by Wim Wenders

Strandbad Wendenschloss, Möllhausenufer 30, 12557 Berlin–Treptow-Köpenick; map

@strandbad_wendenschloss

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PLAYING ON THE ROOF TERRACE: TIO TIO SOCIAL CLUB INVITES YOU TO PADEL

PLAYING ON THE ROOF TERRACE: TIO TIO SOCIAL CLUB INVITES YOU TO PADEL

It’s big in the USA, South America, and also popular in Sweden. And that’s where the two founders of Tio Tio, Niko and Felix, got their passion for padel. During their studies in Stockholm, they couldn’t get enough of the backstroke sport — a mixture of squash and tennis — now they’ve opened Berlin’s coolest padel facility in Lichtenberg. Five courts on the roof of a shopping center — there are also two Czech kiosks serving kombucha and other refreshments, and you can rent rackets or buy Tio Tio merchandise in the repurposed shipping container. They immediately won me over as a volunteer testimonial. After my first match, it became clear padel would be the new tennis for me. I know, I know, true tennis fanatics tend to be skeptical about padel, but playing tennis outdoors in Berlin is notoriously difficult if you haven’t been in a club for many years. In other words, the will is there but the tennis court is not.

At Tio Tio, you can simply book a court and take a few friends with you (who don’t need previous experience playing the game). Thanks to the smaller court and smaller rackets, it’s easier to hit the ball (sounds paradoxical, but it’s true) and, as with squash, you can use the walls. So if you come along with your playing friends — whether experienced in backstroke sports or not — you are guaranteed to have a lot of fun here. After the game, enjoy the magnificent view — in the evening, you’ll be rewarded with a sunset scenario. 

Text: Nina Trippel / Photos: Ben Fuchs, Dino Schneider

Tio Tio, Marktstr.6, 10317 Berlin–Lichtenberg; map

@tiotio.social

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