🛶 Trip details
Length: ~10 km
Type: Round trip
Time: ~2.5–3 hours moving time
Plan for: 3.5–4 hours if you stop for snacks, swan diplomacy, photos, or a Tegeler Wies’n break
Level: Easy to intermediate in calm weather
Location: Tegeler See, Berlin-Tegel
Start/End: Badestelle Reiswerder (south-east)
Alternative LZ: Anlegestelle Tegeler Hafen (north)
Tegeler See is basically Berlin’s unofficial swan lake.
Clear water, calm forest edges, islands everywhere, elegant old villas, cruise boats, and enough swans to make you question who really owns this lake.
This is a very pleasant half-day round trip in north-west Berlin. It has a bit of everything: open lake paddling, a city promenade, Tegeler Hafen, Humboldtinsel houses, low bridges, the quiet Tegeler Fließ corner, a snack stop at Große Malche, Villa Borsig, Strandbad Tegeler See, and the island maze around Scharfenberg, Baumwerder, Maienwerder and Valentinswerder.
On a calm day, this is one of the most relaxed 10 km loops in Berlin. Add wind, weekend boat traffic, and swans with territorial ambitions, and it becomes more of a proper intermediate paddle.
🧭 Route Directions
- Launch from Badestelle Reiswerder. This is the nicer start if you come by car and want a calm, beach-style entry instead of doing SUP logistics in full promenade mode.
- From the LZ, head north and work your way toward the eastern side of Tegeler See. Stay closer to the bank if there is wind or boat traffic. The lake is wide enough here to get a little choppy, even when the day looks friendly from shore.
- Follow the eastern bank north and take a small peek into Borsighafen. No need to fully explore every industrial corner unless you are into “Berlin infrastructure with paddle in hand” energy. Still, it is a nice contrast to the lake.
- Continue past the Tegeler promenade / Greenwichpromenade / Kanonenplatz area. This is the livelier section of the route, with people walking, boats docking, cafés nearby, and a proper “city lake” feeling. Keep your eyes open for the cruise boats. If you are lucky, you may spot the legendary whale-shaped MS Moby Dick. Yes, Berlin has a passenger ship that looks like a whale. Of course it does.
- Turn east under Tegeler Hafenbrücke into Tegeler Hafen. This part is a fun little detour: calmer water, interesting waterfront houses, and a very different mood from the open lake.
- Paddle around Humboldtinsel and enjoy the houses from the water. Quietly. This is not a zoo, even if the real estate does make you stare a bit.
- Continue under Mühlensteg Klappbrücke, then turn west under Gabrielensteg. Depending on water level and your board setup, you may need to duck for this one. Tall paddlers: welcome to your flexibility test.
- Follow the water back via the Tegeler Fließ canal. The contrast of the modern houses on the left and the Kleingarten huts on the right is striking. After exiting the canal, head west toward Große Malche. This is one of the calmer, greener sections of the route.
- If you are hungry or thirsty, stop at Tegeler Wies’n. It is a good casual pit stop for drinks, snacks, beer, fries, currywurst-type survival food, and sitting around pretending this was a much harder expedition than it actually was. Check opening hours before relying on it.
- From Große Malche, continue south along the western side of Tegeler See and pass Villa Borsig on Reiherwerder. It is one of the most impressive buildings on this route: grand, slightly mysterious, and exactly the kind of place that makes you paddle slower for a minute.
- Continue south past Strandbad Tegeler See. In summer, expect more swimmers, beach noise, and general lake chaos. Outside peak season, this stretch can feel surprisingly peaceful.
- Enter the southern Tegeler islands area. Pass Scharfenberg on your left. If you are lucky, you might catch canoe polo or canoe training nearby, which looks like someone mixed kayaking, water polo, and mild aquatic rugby-style combat. Strange sport, really. Perhaps, if you ask nicely, the team might let you score one.
- Continue south and choose your line between Baumwerder, Maienwerder, Valentinswerder, or the nearby island channels depending on wind, boat traffic, and mood. This is the most playful part of the route: small passages, changing views, and lots of chances to pretend you planned the exact island line all along.
- Finally, head back east toward the eastern bank, then north again to return to Badestelle Reiswerder.
⚠️ Safety & Conditions
- This is a ~10 km route with long open-water sections. In calm conditions, with forecast wind below ~5 km/h and low gusts, it is suitable for beginner-to-intermediate paddlers. In windier conditions, treat it as intermediate+.
- Wind is the main risk. Chop can build quickly on Tegeler See, especially across the wider sections and around the southern islands. Paddling back against wind can become difficult. Less experienced paddlers should shorten the route or choose a one-way variant with tailwind if the forecast is above ~5 km/h.
- Stay closer to shore when conditions are uncertain. Use a leash. Carry a PFD if paddling alone or moving away from shore.
- Expect boat traffic around Greenwichpromenade, Tegeler Hafen, the open lake, and the island area. Keep distance from tour boats, private boats, island shuttles, and docking areas. Hold a predictable line.
- Watch for low bridges, reflected waves, tight turns, and shallow water around the Tegeler Fließ canal. Gabrielensteg may require ducking.
- Give swans plenty of space, especially near reeds and shorelines. Do not feed them. Swans can become aggressive if they feel threatened.
- In summer, check the current Berlin.de bathing water status and avoid water-plant or algae accumulations near the shore.
🚗 Logistics: Launch & Access
Default LZ: Badestelle Reiswerder
Best option if you come by car. It has a calmer beach-style entry, a short carry, and avoids the busy promenade area. Street parking is usually available nearby. Do not park inside the beach area, it is strictly forbidden.
Reiswerder is also reachable by bus via Weg nach Reiswerder, served by line 133, though it is less convenient with a large SUP bag. The official name of the bathing spot is Gegenüber Reiswerder, and Berlin.de lists parking, mobile WC, and seasonal water rescue as available.
LZ fallback: Tegeler Hafen / An der Mühle
Better if you arrive by public transport and want to start close to the harbor section. Do not rely on U Alt-Tegel as a normal U6 connection (under construction for years). Check BVG/VBB on the day and route via S Tegel, replacement buses, or the nearby bus stops around An der Mühle / U Alt-Tegel.
The setup area is more urban and busier than Reiswerder. Launch away from cruise piers, boat docks, and mooring areas. Berlin.de lists Karolinenstraße 19 as the navigation address for Anlegestelle Hafen Tegel, with nearby bus access and parking in smaller streets; the Hallen Am Borsigturm car park is about 800 m away.
Route adjustment from Tegeler Hafen
If you start at Tegeler Hafen, do the harbor, Humboldtinsel, and low-bridge section first. Then continue toward Große Malche and complete the lake loop from there.
📍 Notable post-paddle food spots:
Tegeler Wies’n – casual snack / beer stop near Große Malche. Check seasonal opening hours.
Greenwichpromenade / Kanonenplatz – lively waterfront, cruise boats, people-watching, and possible Moby Dick sighting.
Villa Borsig – impressive historic villa on Reiherwerder, best admired from the water.
Strandbad Tegeler See – useful landmark, busy in summer, calmer outside peak swimming season.
Scharfenberg / southern islands area – the most playful part of the route, with island channels and occasional canoe action.
