Ummanz: Nature, Water Sports and Culture
Accommodation in Ummanz
Ummanz lies off the western coast of Rügen, in Schaproder Bodden, and is part of the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park. Nature watching, water sports and historic landmarks offer a stay with a variety of different focuses. If you are planning a family trip, you can consider which of these aspects you would like to shape your time together: getting out into nature, enjoying activities on the water, or discovering local places and crafts.
File:Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft - Ummanz.JPG
Photo: Fuxxtech via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Exploring the Bodden and the Island’s Villages
In autumn, cranes stop at Tankow during their southward migration. From the wooden birdwatching shelter in Tankow, you can look out over salt meadows and Bodden waters. This makes Tankow a specific destination for anyone who wants to include nature watching in their trip. The seasonal highlight is autumn and the cranes’ migration.
Ummanz can also be explored by bicycle: the island can be circled on paved roads, with opportunities to observe nature along the way. One hiking option is the circular “Around the Island of Ummanz” route. It covers 17.1 kilometres and takes 4 hours and 30 minutes. If you are planning a hike, its distance and duration provide a clear framework for your day; the bike ride and the named circular walk are different ways to discover the island.
Water Sports and Beach in Suhrendorf
The village of Suhrendorf is a popular spot for surfers and kiteboarders. It also has a fine-sand bathing beach. The UMMAII water sports centre offers windsurfing, wingfoiling and kitesurfing lessons, and rents out SUP boards and canoes. It also offers guided canoe trips for groups. There are several ways to enjoy the water: take lessons, join a group tour, or rent a board or canoe. When planning your holiday, it may help to decide in advance whether you would rather focus on a lesson, a guided canoe trip or time at the bathing beach.
History, Church and Craftsmanship
Freesenort is the oldest settlement on Ummanz and was first mentioned in official records in 1319. Four listed buildings still stand there. One of them is a Low German hall house with a sugarloaf-shaped roof, believed to date from the 17th century. In Waase, St. Mary’s Church houses a late Gothic Antwerp carved altar dating from 1520. The two places therefore offer different historical points of interest: settlement history and traditional house styles in Freesenort, and a significant church furnishing in Waase.
Another cultural stop is the “Insel Schatz Ummanz” National Park exhibition. It is free, bilingual in German and English, and wheelchair accessible. In Wusse, Ummanz-Keramik makes carefully hand-painted ceramics featuring motifs typical of the local landscape. During opening hours, you can watch the ceramic artists at work in the workshop. At the Ummanz Visitor Centre, you can pick up brochures, flyers and maps, as well as information and tips for stays or day trips. Regional products and souvenirs are also sold there, including local honey and handicrafts.
Plan Your Stay Around Your Interests
Ummanz also offers riding lessons, riding badges and excursions on horseback through the countryside. The experiences that interest you most during your trip may help determine your choice when looking for a holiday apartment on Ummanz.
If you would like to explore more destinations in this overview: Rambin, Gingst, Trent, Kluis, Hiddensee Island, Schaprode, Neuenkirchen, Dreschvitz.
For the main travel overview: Amt West-Rügen.
