Am Müggelsee

Müggelsee is not only Berlin's largest lake, but it is also a playground for water sports enthusiasts. Beautifully situated in the district of Treptow-Köpenick, it also attracts bathers and leisure cyclists who, in nice weather, ensure lively traffic on the shore paths.

We start our tour at the bronze sculpture 'Father, Mother and Child' by Hans-Detlev Henning, located directly in front of the Spindlersfeld S-Bahn station. From Ernst-Grube-Straße, we turn left into Oberspreestraße, cross the long bridge over the Dahme, and can already plan a first stop at Köpenick Castle.

Since 2004, the Museum of Decorative Arts of the State Museums of Berlin has been housed here next to its main office at the Kulturforum.

We now follow Müggelheimer Straße until we reach Wendenschloßstraße, where we turn left and continue to Salvador-Allende-Straße. Here, again to the left and a few meters further, just before the bridge, we turn right down the street toward the Spree. This section is called 'Müggelspree' because the river finds its way through Müggelsee. Before the lake, however, there is still the Spree-Arche, a restaurant ship in the middle of the water and the Spree tunnel, through which you can reach Friedrichshagen (with the beautiful Bölschestraße).

However, we stay on the right bank and now cycle along the shore of Müggelsee. Anyone needing refreshment or a snack stops at the Inn 'Rübezahl' or cycles further to the 'Little Müggelsee'. On the marked cycling path R1, we now take the route through Müggelheimer Forest to the Old Spree Arm. There, a small wooden bridge (Russenbrücke) leads into Hessewinkel and continues over Triglawstraße, Im Hasenwinkel, Biberpelzstraße and Rialtoring to 'New Venice'.

The residential and weekend house settlement in the Berlin district of Rahnsdorf (Wilhelmshagen) is idyllically located in a river delta, with many canals and arms of the Spree. Most plots in this area are water properties, many of which have a dock or boathouse.

At Fürstenwalder Allee, we turn right and then left onto Schönblicker Straße until we reach the Wilhelmshagen S-Bahn station. There ends the approximately 20-kilometer 'Lake Tour'. Text and photos: Klaus Tolkmitt.