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***image1***According to meteorologists, it is going to be a warm summer this year. Although meteorologists concede that warm doesn’t necessarily mean dry, it might be good to know some area wet spots for a cool-down on a hot day.
Rheinland-Palatinate is filled with lakes and rivers that offer opportunities for swimming, boating, hiking, fishing, or simply lazy sunbathing.
Kronenburger See
Kronenburger See is located about 50 minutes north of Spangdahlem Air Base, along the river Kyll. It offers swimming, boating, a sailing and surfing school, an activity trail and a trampoline in the water.
Stadtweiher Baumholder
Baumholder also offers a small lake for swimming, sunbathing and water play. The Stadtweiher Baumholder is close to the center of town and has a giant trampoline with a catapult and slide, as well as other toys in the water.
Schalkenmehrener Maar
Lake Schalkenmehrener Maar is one of the three maars near Daun. As the largest, it is perfect for a variety of recreational activities such as swimming in the crystal clear water, sunbathing on the surrounding lawns, boating, sailing, surfing, cycling and hiking.
Gelterswoog
Members of the KMC don’t have to travel far to dive in the water. At the outskirts of Kaiserslautern, in Hohenecken, is the Gelterswoog. It features a 300-yard sand beach, canoe and row boat rentals, a large sunbathing lawn, a miniature golf course and a playground.
Stausee Bitburg
Just west of Bitburg lies Stausee Bitburg, a dammed water reservoir surrounded by rolling hills. Although swimming is officially prohibited, the lake offers other attractions. Rent a paddleboat and paddle to the fountain in the middle of the lake, row alongside the windsurfers, fish, walk on the three-mile path that borders the lake or sunbathe on the green lawns. An annual festival with fireworks takes place every year on the first weekend of August.
Ohmbachsee
About 20 minutes west of Landstuhl, near the town of Gries, lies the Ohmbachsee, a dammed lake surrounded by forests. A water playground makes this a great place to take children, but adults will find plenty of things to do (paddling, boating, surfing, fishing). There’s also a special Kneipp wading pool. The third weekend in July draws thousands of visitorsto this area every year for the annual “romantic lake fest,” an open-air music festival with fireworks.
Silbersee
The Silbersee, near Bobenheim-Roxheim, about 40minutes east of Kaiserslautern, is the second-largest lake in the area. This is a man-made lake bordered by some smaller artificial lakes. A recreation area with a large beach lies at its southern edge, where swimming, snorkeling, sailing and surfing are possible. People with a German angling license may enjoy some quiet fishing fun. For fitness freaks, the lake is surrounded by an activity trail.
Rursee
In the Eifel region, Lake Rursee is the top spot for water-based recreation. An hour and a half north of Spangdahlem, it is popular for swimming, diving, rowing, surfing, sailing, biking, walking and fishing. If you’ve never navigated a boat before, you can take a beginners’ course in sailing or motor boating and even get your sports boating
license in an 11-day course. For those less ambitious, paddle boats are available for rent.
Laacher See
The biggest lake in Rheinland-Palatinate is the Laacher See, a water-filled volcanic crater near Koblenz that is very popular for swimming and boating. A ring of hills surrounds the deep blue water, making this a beautiful countryside for hiking. The water is usually very cold and tastes bitter if swallowed. Visitors may rent boats for an excursion on the lake, and those who prefer to stay on land can play
miniature golf at the nearby course.
