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Auesee
This quarry lake is mainly a refuge for threatened plant and animal species, and so wide areas are not accessible to visitors.
In the publicly accessible areas, water rats can have a great time.
Life guard station.
›› Wesel, Auedamm, Tel. 0 281/20 323 20
Baldeneysee
Lake Baldeney, the largest of the six Ruhr reservoirs, is both a metropolitan recreation area and a water sports paradise.
Bathers from the entire Ruhr Region migrate to the shores of these lakes in the summer, to row, surf and sail, to paddle a canoe or drive a paddle boat, to fish or just to swim.
The Seaside Beach Baldeney is the central meeting spot, but cyclists, strollers and inline skaters also liven up its shores.
From the end of April to early October, the less active explore the lake with a tour on a White Fleet cruise ship.
›› Essen-Bredeney, Freiherr-vom-Stein-Str.,
›› www.baldeneysee.de
›› Kontakt Weisse Flotte Baldeney
›› Essen-Fischlaken, Hardenbergufer 379, Tel. 0 201/840 43 60
›› www.flotte-essen.de
Bettenkamper Meer
You can have a great time swimming just like people did in grandmother’s time in the natural outdoor pool, the Bettenkamper Sea.
Opened in 1924 on an old arm of the Rhine, it still radiates the charm of the 1920s.
Its 13-m water slide doesn’t go back quite that far, thank goodness.
›› Moers-Bettenkamp, Krefelder Str. 190, Tel. 0 28 41/299 73
›› www.bettenkamper-meer.de
Freizeitsee Menzelen
The name of the lake, Menzelen recreational lake, lives up to its multi-faceted offerings.
Whether fishing, diving, swimming or surfing, chilling out under straw umbrellas on the beach, or playing in a beach volleyball match, there is something for everyone here.
›› Alpen-Menzelen-Ost, Gester Straße
›› www.alpen.de
Glörtalsperre
Hikers especially appreciate the beautiful countryside around Glörtal dam, but it draws swimmers as well.
A groomed natural beach beckons on the north shore of the reservoir.
Rest rooms, dressing rooms, eateries and a life guard station are all available there.
Dog owners, take note: the four-legged friends have their own beach.
›› Breckerfeld, Glörstraße
›› www.gloer.de
Halterner Stausee
At 300 hectares, one of the Ruhr’s largest reservoirs.
It’s wonderfully situated between two forest areas, Haard and Hohe Mark.
It’s considered a paradise for water sports. Kayaking and paddle boating are just as trendy as surfing, sailing or floating along on a tour of the lake on board the Möwe excursion ship. Water rats at the Haltern beach are in just the right place: there is plenty of opportunity for sports, good food and playing around on its eight hectares and 800 m of natural sand beach.
›› Seebad Haltern, Haltern am See, Hullerner Str. 52, Tel. 0 23 64/25 39,
›› www.seebad-haltern.de
Harkortsee
Built in 1931 as part of a river filtration system, Harkort Lake has become a paradise for water sports and a popular metropolitan recreation area over the years.
There’s an array of things to do: aside from the various ways to discover the lake with canoe, surfboard or sailboat, the MS Harkort cruise boat plies the reservoir from the end of March to the end of October.
During the summer, it draws outdoor pool fans to Wetter’s newly upgraded natural swimming pool next to the lake.
›› Alt-Wetter, Naturbad Wetter, Gustav-Vorsteher-Str. 36, Tel. 0 23 35/97 07 80
›› www.stadt-wetter.de
Horstmarer See
A small pearl among the Ruhr’s swimming lakes.
The always superbly groomed beach and the tidy sunbathing lawn on the north shore make all the sunning and splashing around a real pleasure.
Since Horstmarer lake is in the middle of the Lünen Lake Park with its many recreational opportunities, a detour toward Lünen is especially worth the trip for families.
›› Lünen, Schwansbeller Weg, Tel. 0 23 06/1 04 16 71
›› www.luenen.de/seepark
Kemnader See
This is the newest of the Ruhr’s reservoirs and it draws those looking for rest and recreation like moths to a flame.
It’s on the borders of Bochum, Witten and Hattingen and sailing, surfing, paddling and rowing boats, and fishing, are all allowed, but swimming isn’t.
However, not far from the north bank there’s the Heveney leisure baths where you can take the plunge all year.
›› Freizeitbad Heveney: Witten-Heven, Querenburger Str. 35, Tel. 0 23 02/5 62 63
›› www.kemnadersee.de
Kruppsee
Quarry lake and open-air pool in one. While experienced swimmers prefer the lake with its extremely steep banks, others can use the heated pool next door.
A kiosk, a large terrace and various sport options make the Krupp lake an attractive day out for almost anyone.
›› Freibad Kruppsee, Duisburg-Friemersheim, Bachstr. 2, Tel. 0 20 65/4 14 33
Nord- und Südsee Xanten
Sun-worshippers regularly abandon themselves to their vacation dreams on the 900-m long sandy beach.
Sportier types can try water skiing, sailing and surfing.
›› Xanten-Ward, Info-Center: Strohweg 2, Tel. 0 28 01/71 56 56
Sechs-Seen-Platte
This lovely and diverse recreational area for stressed-out urbanites is just a stone’s throw from Duisburg’s inner city.
Six quarry lakes (Wambachsee, Masurensee, Böllertsee, Wolfssee, Wildförstersee and Haubachsee) invite visitors to sail, take a boat trip, surf, fish or swim.
There is a nearly 18-km trail around the banks of the lakes for walking, jogging or cycling.
›› Duisburg-Wedau, -Buchholz & -Großenbaum
Silbersee II Haltern
This former excavation site is now one of the most popular swimming lakes in the region, luring visitors with nearly a kilometer of the finest sand beach and eight hectares of sunbathing lawn.
Two modern sanitary facilities, ample parking (for a fee), and the new Treibsand entertainment restaurant make a trip to Silbersee II a short holiday.
A life guard station assures safe swimming.
›› Haltern am See
