City, Country, River

At our Bunthäuser Spitze (Elbe river kilometer 609), the Elbe splits into the Northern and Southern Elbe for about 15 kilometers, forming an inland delta. The two branches of the Elbe enclose the Elbe islands, which now comprise the Hamburg districts of Wilhelmsburg, Veddel, Kleiner Grasbrook, and Steinwerder.
The northern Elbe flows past the St. Pauli Landungsbrücken (St. Pauli Piers), and the southern Elbe flows past Harburg. At the Köhlbrand in the former Neuhof district, the two branches of the Elbe rejoin. From 1914 to 1977, our Bunthaus lighthouse served as a navigational aid, using a roundabout to indicate the division of the fairway. The wooden lighthouse is approximately 7 meters high; this historic lighthouse, the last of its kind, has been a listed monument since 2005.
The short, approximately 1km walk to the charming lighthouse at our Bunthäuser Spitze is well worth it. The footpath and cycle path starts to the left of the open-air school when you come from our grounds and is signposted.

Heuckenlock Moorwerder Nature Reserve

The "freshwater mudflats"

The special feature of the Heuckenlock nature reserve is its unique habitat of freshwater tidal floodplain, the only one of its kind in Europe.
Freshwater: Due to its great distance from the sea, this section of the Elbe still carries freshwater. Tides: From its mouth to the Geesthacht weir, the Elbe's water level is influenced by the tides of the North Sea. Floodplain: Floodplains are regularly flooded riverbanks – a highly variable habitat.
The designation as a protected area in 1948 and the extension in 1977 ensured the preservation of the freshwater tidal floodplains, which are only found in the greater Hamburg area in Europe.

The Heuckenlock nature reserve is located here on the Hamburg Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg, in our district of Moorwerder. It stretches for a good three kilometers along the northern bank of the Süderelbe.
Please note: For your own safety, do not enter Heuckenlock during storms or when floodwaters are rising!

2.5km - on foot: 30 minutes - by bike: 7 minutes

Elbe beach Finkenriek Wilhelmsburg

The river beach on the Elbe island

Discover the Hamburg Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg, including our district of Moorwerder. Wilhelmsburg is Hamburg's largest district by area. With a surface area of ​​35 square kilometers, the Hamburg Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg is currently the largest inland island in Europe. Some even claim that Wilhelmsburg is the second largest inhabited river island in the world, after Manhattan.

At the Finkenrieker main dike

In the south of the Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg, the charming 300-meter-long river beach stretches along the Süderelbe. Between the old Süderelbe railway bridge and the Schweensand nature reserve, you might even spot sheep grazing.
5km - on foot: 50 minutes - by bike: 16 minutes

Wilhelmsburg Island Park

Sport and exercise, alongside nature and gardens, are the main themes of Inselpark. In addition to the major attractions near the main entrance (swimming pool, high ropes course, climbing hall), the park offers numerous free sports and play areas. Many of the facilities are illuminated. The skate park is undoubtedly the highlight.
Five playgrounds invite all young visitors to Inselpark to let loose and have fun. A large slide can be found at the Mysterious Island playground. The Huts and Palaces playground is perfect for climbing and balancing, and there's tons of sand for digging at the Desert Waves playground. And on hot days, nothing beats a refreshing water fight at the Atlantis water playground.

The Wilhelmsburg Waterworks is one of Hamburg's oldest waterworks landmarks and a true gem of industrial architecture. Built in 1911, the building recently underwent extensive renovations. Ten-meter-high ceilings and windows flood the listed rooms with light, creating a welcoming atmosphere.
Visitors to the Mist and Fog garden feel a bit like they're in a rainforest. There, for example, swamp cypress trees and pink-flowering bergenias thrive. High humidity is ensured by nozzles embedded in the ground, which spray fine water and create wisps of mist that drift through the undergrowth.

For years, the residents of Wilhelmsburg have used the meadows and waterways around the Kuckucksteich pond as a barbecue and play area. With the participation of around 30 Wilhelmsburg residents, the wooden kiosk "Willi Villa" overlooking the pond was built. It invites visitors to chat, play, and eat. Thanks to the adjacent canoe rental, the island park can also be explored from the water.

5.5km - on foot: 1 hour - by bike: 22 minutes

Hamburg - Events & Excursion Tips

Hamburg is the 6th largest city in the EU in terms of population. The Port of Hamburg is one of the world's largest transshipment ports. Whether it's the Reeperbahn, the Landungsbrücken (St. Pauli Piers), the Speicherstadt (Warehouse District), Planten un Blomen (Planten un Blomen Park), the Schanzenviertel (Schanzenviertel district), or Blankenese, there's something to experience and "go wild" in our Free and Hanseatic City around the clock. Here you'll find tips and events. PS: In Hamburg, we say "Moin"!!! "Moin, Moin" is just a lot of chatter!

Hamburg has many top events, excursion highlights and sights!
The city of Hamburg has a great online events calendar. You can always find the most up-to-date version online.

If you enjoy discovering "new corners and highlights," feel free to grab the great information brochures from Hamburg Tourism. You'll find them in our registration room to the right of the reception desk.

We Hamburgers are well-connected! Here, you can travel by public transport using the S-Bahn, U-Bahn, buses, express buses, and harbor ferries. The U-Bahn, S-Bahn, and many buses run around the clock on the nights before Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Find out everything you need to know about public transport here: the route network, how to get from our location to the city center, timetables, and helpful tips.

Here's how to get to Hamburg city center and the port!

The bus stop in front of our grounds is called " Freiluftschule Moorwerder ". The bus line runs from there. 351 directly to Wilhelmsburg S-Bahn station. S-Bahn trains depart from Wilhelmsburg. S3 and S5 to Hamburg city center. Both lines run via Hamburg Central Station.

The S3 runs directly to the harbor and HafenCity, stopping at Baumwall and Landungsbrücken. For the city center and Alster lake, get off at Jungfernstieg. The Reeperbahn and football stadiums are also accessible via the S3. The S5 runs via Dammtor station to the exhibition halls and Planten un Blomen park.

Bus line 351 takes longer depending on the direction. 15-20 minutes to Wilhelmsburg . The S-Bahn trains take... 10 minutes to Hamburg Central Station. All current timetables can be found on our following pages.

DANGER!
The Hamburg Transport Association (HVV) has stopped selling tickets on buses since the beginning of the year. Bus tickets are available online and in the HVV app. You can pay by credit card or PayPal without having to register.

Are you arriving by bike? Perfect! From the campervan site, there are exciting and relaxing tours into Hamburg city center and the harbor. Take a look at a map and the tours in more detail here.

The varied path

approx. 15 km and 50 minutes | Dike, Elbe island of Wilhelmsburg, harbor, Old Elbe Tunnel

› Start at the parking area - turn left and follow the dike for about 3km (one-way street, open to cyclists!)
› at the end on the left in “Kornweide”
› at the intersection turn right into “Otto-Brenner-Str.“ (high-rise housing estate Kirchdorf-Süd on the left)
› past the Aral petrol station, follow the main road “Neuenfelder Str.” to the left
› passing “S-Bahn Wilhelmsburg” (with Luna Center on the right) and “Wilhelmsburger Inselpark” on the left
› continue straight ahead via “Mengestraße”
› straight ahead across the intersection of “Georg-Wilhelm-Str.” to “Alte Wollkämmerei”
› After the right-hand bend, turn left into the harbor onto “Klütjenfelder Straße”
› straight ahead onto “Reiherdamm” and “Hermann-Blohm-Straße”
› continue to “Old Elbe Tunnel”
› At the end of the “Old Elbe Tunnel” – Landungsbrücken/Hamburg Port

From the Landungsbrücken to the city center "Jungfernstieg and Alster" it is still 1.8 km.

The shortest route

Approx. 12 km and 40 minutes | Dike, Peute, Veddel, Elbe bridges, HafenCity

› Start at parking area - follow the dike to the right for approximately 5 km
› under the motorway, then turn right onto Peutestraße
› End of Peutestraße, turn right at the traffic lights, go under the Elbe bridges (past the "Veddeler Fischgaststätte")
› under the railway bridge, turn right over the free port bridge
› turn right onto Versemannstraße until you reach HafenCity
› at the end of HafenCity - Elbphilharmonie, then Landungsbrücken