Wismar - Kuhlungsborn: We see the sea - From Bavaria to the Baltic Sea and Back

June 16, 2011

Wismar - Kuhlungsborn: We see the sea

We took our time roaming around Wismar with our cameras before we got going. Our route now headed north and followed the coast. For a start we got a distant view of the Wismar Bay which is enclosed on two sides by the mainland and on the third side by the island Poel - so it wasn't the open sea yet. But the vegetation and light were coastal and we knew we had reached the Baltic coast, or almost. We are now on the Baltic Sea Cycle Route or Ostsee-Radweg and for a while our course remained a slight distance from the water on a pleasant, undulating bike path between fields of grain.

From a slight rise in the land we sight the sea.

The church in Dreveskirchen, a nice example of Backsteingotik or Brick Gothic, houses a restored historical baroque organ. I would have loved to hear it.

Here the Ostsee-Radweg or Baltic Sea Cycle Route is often a nicely paved path away from the road.

The terrain is mainly flat with just a few rises

In Rerik we finally were up close to the water - boats, seagulls, beach. The day was overcast and humid, no one was in the water, just a few intrepid souls were on the beach in their bathing suits. The Baltic never gets very warm. In August it might be a degree or two warmer than in June but even then I probably wouldn't go in.

Typical beach scene: You can rent Strandkörbe or "beach baskets" which provide protection from the cold wind. The Baltic coast might be beautiful but the weather isn't dependable.

Kühlungsborn where we stopped for the night was a typical East German seaside town with many vacationers, hotels and rooms to rent. The prices were higher than we had anticipated and most of the private rooms were rented out by the week and weren't available for just one night. We found a private room for 50 € without breakfast. It wasn't anything special but our host, who also ran the pub next door, was a bicycle junkie and we had an entertaining conversation about the amazing number of kilometers he managed to ride before and after work.

Today's ride: 50 km (31 miles)
Total: 1,320 km (820 miles)

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