White Dune" beach in 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 that true vacation feeling. If you don’t want to swim, head about 500 meters further to the Weisser Berg. This is where the surf school is located, and 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 Hannover Region monitors the water quality. You can view the results by clicking the link below.

Read the results of the bathing water analysis

The quality of bathing water:

© RH

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

What does the "Weiße Düne" beach in Mardorf have to offer?

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 Weisser Berg (swimming prohibited there), boat trips to Steinhude and Wilhelmstein available upon request; regular ferry service operates from the dock at the youth hostel; children’s playground, slackline

Dining:
Kiosk and snack bar with bar tables, Café Bistro "Surfers Paradise" on the Weisser Berg, Café and Restaurant "Weisse Düne"

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

The "Weisse Düne" Beach Information Profile—What Else You Should Know

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 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, as well as boat trips to Steinhude and to Wilhelmstein Island. There is a playground on site for children, and several campgrounds are located nearby. Surfers can ride the waves 500 meters to the east on the Steinhuder Meer. A limited number of paid parking spaces are available. Swim at your own risk!

The 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 the Steinhuder Meer via a separate sewer system. Through these channels, many nutrients enter the lake, which promote 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 mounds or cream-like layers on the water’s surface.

Assessment
: The 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 the 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.