Duck's-Eye Views between the Havel and the Müritz

The young Havel is among the most beautiful stretches of the Mecklenburg Lake District, which is rich in beautiful stretches, and the Müritz is the largest inland lake lying entirely within Germany – reason enough to paddle from Kratzeburg in the Havel's headwaters via Wesenberg, the idyllic Rätzsee and Mirow to the Müritz: roughly 75 kilometres in four days, plus a (reasonably) lazy Friday with a transfer back and a short paddle on the Käbelicksee.

We squeezed through narrow channels between reeds and bushes and fell quiet when the trees mirrored in the water in the afternoon light, so that you had to look twice to tell which way was up. We passed through picturesque water-lily ponds and wide lakes under wide skies, seeing the world from a duck's-eye view. And at sunset we rode the waves of the Müritz – a true micro-adventure.

We watched kingfishers, cranes, buzzards, ospreys, kites and even a white-tailed eagle fly off, marvelled at the ever-hungry swarms of cormorants that made the Müritz foam at seven o'clock in the morning, and apologised to the indignant-looking great egrets.

We felt what headwind means – spitefully, it changed direction whenever we did – and then discovered the mud hole at the end of the towing stretch on the Schwaanhavel, where you sink up to your navel. In the evenings we debated the “who with whom?” question (snorers into the tent, or into a shared snoring hut?) and, over dinner, put the world to rights. Or discussed the quality of the dinner itself: is Ali's snack bar in crisis today – or in top form? And at the very end, when it was all over, there was even a little capsize: could you stand up in the (very sturdy) rental kayak from Kanu-Hecht? You can. But not for very long.

No more will be revealed. For other details, ask: Elisabeth, Christine, Barbara, Michaela, Sabine, Christoph and Matthias.