Recently, I took a trip with my dog to Ahrenshoop, a village in the Fischland-Darß region at the Baltic Sea.
In this post, I will share one of the walks that I took with my pup during the trip. This walk allows you and your dog to experience multiple different natural beauties of the region – from Beach to Bodden.
If you fancy staying longer in the Ahrenshoop region, be sure to check out my post on where to stay in Ahrenshoop with a dog.
THE ROUTE
We start this walk at the parking lot next to the beach (A). Conveniently, there is also a public restroom there that is free of charge. If you are not arriving by car, you can feel free to start from any place with beach access.
Please note that dogs are allowed on the beach between October and April! If you come during this time, go ahead and ignore the “no dogs” signs and take your pup onto the beautiful sandy beach.
Paw prints in the sand? Yes please!
As you walk onto the beach, turn to your left. Continue to walk along the beach until you reach the “Hohes Ufer” (high shore).
It’s a cliff-looking formation, you can’t miss it. For your convenience, it is also marked with (B) in the map above.
One you reach “Hohes Ufer”, walk up the stairs near “Wellenbrecher” (wave breaker).
Alternative route: If you come during May to September when your dog is not allowed on the beach, walk along Dorfstraße, turn right onto Grenzweg, then left onto Paul-Müller-Kaempff-Weg to reach “Hohes Ufer” instead. This route is shown on the map above for your convenience!
Once you’re at the top of “Hohes Ufer”, continue to stroll along the coastal walkway. From there you have a nice view of the coast below.
Follow the path until you see a sign for “Bakelberg” (C), a small hill where you can have a nice rest at the top and enjoy the panorama. If you took along some snacks, this is a good place to enjoy them. Be sure to offer some water to your dog as well!
After taking a rest at Bakelberg, walk towards the town of Althagen until you reach Althäger Straße. Follow the street until you spot the signs to “Althagen Hafen” (harbour).
Althagen Harbour (D) is definitey worth a pit stop to take in the view. The harbour leads into the Saaler Bodden, one of the lagoon-like lakes of the region. If you fancy it, you can take a boat trip through the Bodden too. Just ask in the Räucherhaus Restaurant.
From the harbour, continue along the fields towards the windmill (“Mühle”).
Feel free to take the scenic route instead of heading straight for the windmill in order to really take in the nature along the different paths near the Bodden.
It sure is a sight to behold and it is home to many different birds.
Once you reach the windmill (E), why not stop for some coffee and cake to recharge? The reconstruction of a former mill and today hosts a coffee shop as well as an art gallery.
Dogs are welcome here!
After visiting the windmill, there is still one more optional stop on the way back to the parking lot: The Kunstkaten (F). This art gallery has been around for more than 100 years, and while your pup can’t enter, you might as well take a look at the cute blue house from the outside since it’s on the way.
Shortly after the Kunstkaten, we get back to the parking lot where our walk ends.
HOW LONG IT TAKES AND WHO IT’S FOR
For the whole route, I would budget around 2 hours, depending on your pace. If you plan to take extended breaks or wish to take a boat, be sure to allow more time!
This route is suitable for almost any pup and human. The route is relatively flat, and if you skip the beach portion, there are no steps involved.
In total the route as mapped is roughly 7km long. If you prefer a shorter route, you can make your way directly from “Hohes Ufer” (B) to the windmill (“E”). That way, the whole walk would be just 3km in length.
THE BOTTOM LINE
My dog and me enjoyed this trip a lot. It offers different terrain and lots of opportunities to sniff around, as you are surrounded by nature almost the whole time. As we came in March, my pup was also able to get her paws wet in the Baltic Sea. What an adventure!
A trip with my dog 