Dierhagen / Mecklenburg-Vorpommern / Germany

Dierhagen is a small seaside town situated on the Baltic Sea coast of North East Germany. It is a great spot for kite surfers and surfers of intermediate and expert abilities. This is not a good spot for novices and beginners because of the strategically placed wooden groynes spread out over the length of the beach. Wind surfers might prefer to use the Saaler Bodden lake which is directly behind Dierhagen. There is no real season here, although spring and autumn might be preferred to avoid holiday makers and sun bathers during the height of the summer. There is parking close by although parking fees may well apply.

The beach at Dierhagen is extremely long and very large. It has glorious soft white sand with hardly any stones. How you can find it is to head out of Rostock on the B105 towards Ribintz-Damgarten where you will see the signs for Altheide. When you get here turn left towards the signposted ‘Fischland/Darss” Here you will see signs for Dierhagen and the beach.

The winds here are frontal in nature and are consistent at around 9 knots. They mainly come from the west, especially from March through to September. The best directions for surfing here are west, southwest and west southwest, so they are ideal conditions for a large period of the year. The water here is nearly always choppy, with small waves up to around 1 meter in height, when the wind is in the right direction. The water temperature hovers at around 15-18 degrees during the summer but can drop to 4-5 degrees in the winter months, so you may need to suit up accordingly.

The beach offers parking and there are guest houses or bed and breakfast establishments right near the beach. If you need supplies then the town of Dierhagen has shops, bars, etc. If you prefer a little more nightlife, then your nearest city is Rostock (about a 1 hour drive away).

Watch out for the wooden wave breakers dotted along the shoreline, and beware of crowds and swimmers during the height of the summer.