"Weiße Düne" Beach, Mardorf

Families with children prefer the beach at the Weiße Düne because it has a huge shallow-water area perfect for splashing around. Plenty of sandy beach and a great view of Steinhude create a real vacation vibe. Those who don’t want to swim can head about 500 meters further to the Weiße Berg. This is the home of the surf school, where you can watch people of all ages maneuvering their boards and sails.

The EU has rated the quality of this bathing water as "good." During the swimming season, from May 15 to September 15, the Region Hannover monitors water quality. You can view the results by clicking the link below.

Read the results of the bathing water analysis

Profile:
Water surface area: 2,910 ha
; maximum depth: 2.9 m
; length of the swimming area: 120 m

What are some things to do?

Water area:
31 square kilometers of water, a vast designated shallow-water zone; rubber boats and inflatable mattresses are permitted

Amenities:
restroom, shower, changing room,
large sandy beach, trees and shrubs

Activities:
Beach volleyball, pedal boat rentals, surfing permitted only at the designated surfing beach at Weißen Berg (swimming prohibited there), boat trips to Steinhude and Wilhelmstein available upon request; regular ferry service operates from the pier at the youth hostel; children’s playground, slackline

Dining:
Kiosk and snack bar with bar tables, "Surfers Paradise" café-bistro on the White Mountain, "Weiße Düne" café and restaurant

What should you know about lifeguard supervision, watercraft, etc.?

• Limited parking spaces available, sometimes subject to a charge
• Boat trips to Steinhude and Wilhelmstein Island are available upon request
• Regular scheduled services from the jetty at the youth hostel

Info profile "Weisse Düne" bathing beach

Information from the Health Department of the Hannover Region in accordance with the Lower Saxony Bathing Water Ordinance.

Location
The Weiße Düne Mardorf swimming area is located on the northern shore of Germany’s largest shallow lake, the Lake Steinhuder Meer. The sandy beach, with its large shallow-water zone, offers plenty of space for sunbathing and swimming. Inflatable boats and air mattresses are permitted here. Activities include beach volleyball, pedal boating, trampoline jumping, and boat trips to Steinhude and Wilhelmstein Island. There is a playground on site for children, and several campgrounds are located nearby. Surfers can surf on Lake Steinhuder Meer, 500 meters to the east. A limited number of paid parking spaces are available. Swim at your own risk!

Lake Steinhuder Meer is designated as a landscape conservation area and is surrounded by several nature reserves. The lake is largely fed by groundwater. Additional water flows into the lake via four tributaries. The towns of Steinhude and Mardorf, located on the lake, discharge rainwater into Lake Steinhuder Meer via a separate sewer system. Through these channels, many nutrients enter the lake, promoting the growth of cyanobacteria (blue-green algae). Some species of “blue-green algae” excrete metabolic byproducts that can cause allergic or toxic health problems in humans and animals. Mass accumulations of blue-green algae—known as algal blooms—are recognizable by a bluish-greenish cloudiness in the water, ranging from streaks to foam mountains or cream-like layers on the water’s surface.

Assessment
: Lake Steinhuder Meer is designated as a landscape conservation area and is surrounded by several nature reserves. The lake is largely fed by groundwater. Additional water flows into the lake via four tributaries. The towns of Steinhude and Mardorf, located on the lake, discharge their rainwater into Lake Steinhuder Meer via a separate sewer system.
Due to the aforementioned discharges, the pollution potential is assessed as slightly elevated.
The high nutrient content in the lake frequently leads to mass blooms of blue-green algae. The potential for a mass bloom is considered to be elevated to high.
No mass proliferation of macroalgae or phytoplankton has been observed in the water body in recent years. The potential for mass proliferation is classified as low.