Ummanz – Island Nature on Schaproder Bodden
Accommodation in Ummanz
Ummanz lies in the west of Rügen, off the coast in Schaproder Bodden, and is part of the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park. If you would like to combine nature on the Bodden with outdoor activities, water sports and small cultural discoveries during your stay, the island offers a variety of options. The landscape shapes the character of this destination: In autumn, cranes stop in Tankow on their migration south. From the wooden bird-watching hide there, you can look out over salt marshes and Bodden waters.
File:Nationalpark Vorpommersche Boddenlandschaft - Ummanz.JPG
Photo: Fuxxtech via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Explore the Bodden landscape by bike and on foot
You can cycle around Ummanz on paved roads, with opportunities for nature watching along the way. The circular hike “Around the Island of Ummanz” covers 17.1 kilometres and takes 4 hours and 30 minutes. These details can help you plan the hike into your day.
You can also explore the landscape on horseback: Ummanz offers riding lessons, riding proficiency badges and rides through the countryside. Horse riding adds another way to make the most of active days on the island.
Water sports and the beach in Suhrendorf
Suhrendorf is popular with surfers and kiteboarders. The UMMAII water sports centre offers windsurfing, wingfoiling and kitesurfing lessons, and rents out SUP boards and canoes. Guided canoe tours are also available for groups. The water sports offer therefore includes lessons, rentals and guided tours. Suhrendorf also has a fine-sand bathing beach. If you would like to combine your trip with water sports or a visit to the beach, these can be reasons in their own right to visit Ummanz.
Church, settlement history and crafts
In Waase, St Mary’s Church houses a late Gothic Antwerp carved altarpiece dating from 1520. Another stop for those interested in history is Freesenort: It is considered the oldest settlement on Ummanz and was first documented in 1319. Four listed buildings still stand there. One of them is a Low German hall house with a sugarloaf roof, probably dating from the 17th century.
You can discover local crafts at Ummanz-Keramik in Wusse. The workshop makes carefully hand-painted ceramics featuring motifs typical of the landscape. During opening hours, you can watch the ceramic artists make the pieces by hand. Those interested in regional design will find a different perspective on the island here than on a nature or water sports outing.
Planning your stay
The Ummanz visitor centre offers brochures, flyers, maps, information and tips for stays or day trips. Regional products and souvenirs are also sold there, including local honey and handicrafts. For an initial introduction to the island, you can combine your visit with a look at the information materials and regional products.
A bridge connects Ummanz to the Muttland of Rügen and leads to the main village of the municipality. To compare it with other destinations at this level of navigation, you can also visit Sassnitz and Baabe. Ummanz itself brings together Bodden landscapes, cycling and hiking, water sports, beaches and cultural attractions—a good choice if you want to make nature and active days the focus of your trip.
