Swimming on your doorstep - Saxony's lakes beckon in summer

Lake Cospuden

Also known as "Cossi" to the locals, Lake Cospuden is located on the southern outskirts of Leipzig and attracts more than 600,000 visitors every year.

There is a sandy beach a good two kilometers long, green bays and a 10.4-kilometre-long, asphalted circular path around the lake for cyclists, inline skaters and walkers.

Lake Kulkwitz

With 150 hectares of water, it is one of the smaller lakes, but it is characterized by excellent water quality.

The underwater landscape is an absolute special feature that now attracts divers from all over Germany. There is also a water ski lift.

Lake Schladitz

Water sports in all their facets are very popular here. Anyone who has always wanted to go diving or kitesurfing will find the best infrastructure and ideal training opportunities here at the Schladitzer Bucht lido. Stand-up paddlers, surfers and sailors also get their money's worth.

The journey here is also special. From 4 June to 6 September, a self-driving shuttle bus will run between Rackwitz S-Bahn station and Schladitzer Bucht along the four-kilometre route.

Lausitz Lake District

The former lignite mining area has been transformed into an extensive lake landscape that is constantly evolving. Characteristic are the spacious, interconnected lakeside paths that lead directly along the water and invite cyclists and pedestrians to actively discover the landscape.

According to the Lusatian Lakeland Tourism Association, there is also a constantly growing network of navigable connections. An important milestone will be reached at the end of June, when five lakes are navigably connected for the first time. With around 5,300 hectares of connected water surface, completely new opportunities for water hiking will open up. The Lusatian Lakeland has recorded annual growth of around two to five percent since 2012

Lake Bärwalde

With an area of over 13 square kilometers, Lake Bärwalde is the largest inland lake in Saxony. It is located in the Bärwalder See Landscape Park, a post-mining landscape that is being recultivated by the Lausitzer und Mitteldeutsche Bergbau-Verwaltungsgesellschaft.

The Klitten harbour is the maritime center of the lake with water and land moorings, boat hire, a sailing school and its own lighthouse. The asphalted lake trail offers 21 kilometers of great views of the water for cyclists, skaters and runners. In addition, floating vacation homes offer a maritime vacation feeling.

Lake Bergheide

It was created by flooding the former Klettwitz-Nord open-cast lignite mine and boasts the impressive backdrop of the F60 visitor mine. The former overburden conveyor bridge is one of the largest moving machines in the world. From a height of 74 meters, you can look out over Lake Bergheide and the neighbouring nature reserve.

The beach on the shallow northern shore is wide and boasts the finest sand. The good westerly wind already provides good conditions for surfing and sailing.

Lake Geierswald

Lake Geierswald is connected to Lake Senftenberg and Lake Partwitz via canals. It is popular with sailors and surfers due to the good wind conditions. Water skiing and wakeboarding can be done behind the motorboat in designated areas.

At the bathing beach, vacationers can splash around in the water to their heart's content, rent pedal boats or glide across the lake while stand-up paddling. The floating vacation homes, which offer a very special vacation feeling, are a trademark.

What bathers should be aware of

The expansion of water tourism in Saxony also harbors dangers, however. According to the German Red Cross water rescue service, not even half of the 35 designated EU bathing waters in the state are regularly patrolled. Anyone bathing in open waters should be able to swim and always watch out for non-swimmers and children.

The water quality, on the other hand, is constantly checked and is good to very good in many places. However, swimmers should pay attention to designated areas, as not all shore zones are open - for reasons of nature or species protection, for example.

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