Damm on the Elde: Landscape and Canoe Tour

Damm developed as a street green village directly along the course of the Elde. In the municipality of Damm, the “Middle Elde Valley between Parchim and Matzlow-Garwitz” landscape area comprises the Elde Valley, which runs from east to west, with the villages of Malchow and Damm, as well as the Bleichertannen. The largely natural Alte Elde, wet grassland and the alder forests along the river create a rich variety of landscape features. The character of the village can therefore be understood both through its settlement pattern and through the surrounding river landscape.

Elde Valley and Nature Watching

Wiesenlewitz lies south and west of Damm and is part of the important Lewitz bird resting area. Particularly in autumn and spring, there are excellent opportunities for nature watching. Birdwatching therefore has a clear seasonal focus alongside the experience of the Elde landscape. If you want to watch birds in particular, you can plan your trip for autumn or spring. For a stay focused more on the river landscape, the Elde, wet grassland and alder forests provide a different natural highlight.

Canoeing to Damm

The first section of the “Garwitz Canoe Circuit” runs from Lewitzcamp along the Elde to Damm. About 150 m before the Damm–Malchow canal bridge, you need to carry the canoe around the obstacle; after about 30 m over land, you continue into the Alte Elde, the river’s original course. Tour planning therefore needs to account for a short stretch over land as well as the waterway. The return route follows a side arm of the Elde, along a section closed to motorboats with frequent wide bends and a gentle gradient; it is easy to navigate throughout. The first section and the return journey thus offer different points of orientation: carrying the canoe around the obstacle is part of the first section, while the river’s course and ease of navigation shape the character of the return route.

Village Church and Rectory

Damm village church dates from the 15th century. The “Pfarrhaus Damm” youth education centre is located next to the small late-medieval village church. If you would like to visit the church interior, contact the staff at the education centre. The rectory hosts conferences, seminars, leisure activities and retreats for all age groups, as well as church gatherings, continuing education courses and school trips. The church and rectory thus combine a historic place to visit with an education centre that hosts events for a range of groups. Contacting the youth education centre is important if you wish to visit the church interior; the rectory’s event programme offers a separate highlight.

Parchim as a Wider Travel Destination

The wider travel destination of Parchim offers a different blend of natural and urban landscapes. Wockersee lies on the northern outskirts of Parchim and covers 62 hectares; the Wockertal nature conservation area adjoins it directly. Activities at Wockersee include hiking, swimming and boating. You can also enjoy Parchim’s ramparts as an urban park today; they cover about 4.4 hectares. Parchim therefore offers different options side by side: a lake with an adjoining protected area and an urban park. In Damm, by contrast, nature-related attractions centre on the Elde Valley, Wiesenlewitz and the Elde.

Discover More Destinations

Lewitzrand, Zölkow, Karrenzin, Domsühl, Rom, Spornitz, Ziegendorf and Severin.

Back to the wider travel overview: Amt Parchimer Umland.