Lush green forests, numerous lakes and waterways and gently rolling hills characterise the Finowkanal region to the north-east of Berlin. The generously developed cycle paths, hiking trails and waterways offer ideal conditions for active recreation seekers.

The water-rich area also offers excellent recreational and leisure opportunities, especially for families.

Along the banks of the Finow Canal, a charming landscape of extensive marshes, grasslands and forests has developed. White stork, marsh harrier, grey heron, coot and moorhen and, with a bit of luck, even kingfisher, crane, black stork or the shy beaver and otter can be observed. The Finow Canal also connects the Schorfheide-Corin Biosphere Reserve with the Lower Oder Valley National Park.

To get in the mood for the impressive landscape of the Finow Canal region, we recommend the rbb documentary "Bilderbuch - Der Barnim" (esp. minute 10.30 - 25.30).

The Finow Canal is the oldest artificial waterway in Germany. It branches off the Oder-Havel Canal at Zerpenschleuse and joins the Oder-Havel Waterway at Liepe.

The Finow Canal is fishing country! It runs in wide bends through predominantly wooded areas. The width of the river varies greatly along the way. This gives the watercourse interesting bed structures. Areas with calmer currents form with sandbanks, reeds and herbaceous vegetation. Some trees hang down into the water, creating habitats for a variety of fish species. Deadwood can also be found in the channel.

Fishing permits

The Finow Canal is managed by the Barnim District Anglers' Association. Guest fishing permits are available there.

More information can be found at:

https://www.angeln-barnim.de

You can find an overview of the water numbers here.

The Oder-Havel cycle path leads along the 400-year-old Finow Canal to the ship lift in Niederfinow. At times, the path is also referred to as the Treidelweg. This is connected with the reference to the old tradition of towing. In earlier times, barges were "towed" along the Finow Canal by muscle or horse power. Today, the Finow Canal is the oldest navigable artificial waterway in Germany and tells the story of industry. In addition to the 12 historic locks, which are still operated by hand, you will find evidence of the industrial past, especially in the area around Eberswalde. Some of these have already been restored and are open to visitors, such as the Eberswalde Family Garden or the Finow Water Tower in the Messingwerksiedlung.

There are numerous tips and maps available for download for cycling in the Finow Canal region, which we would like to refer to here:

https://www.reiseland-brandenburg.de/poi/ruppiner-seenland/radtouren/oder-havel-radweg/

https://www.barnimerland.de/de/radfahren/radtouren/artikel-oder-havel-radweg.html

https://www.tourismus-eberswalde.de/radfahren/rad/anbieter/oder-havel-radweg-zwischen-havel-und-oder-entlang-des-finowkanals/

https://bad-freienwalde.de/radtour-finowkanal-eberswalde-nach-bad-freienwalde/

https://www.machmalgruen.de/sehen-und-erleben/der-finowkanal-2/

New cycle tours in the Barnim are available in the new booklet "Erlebnis Barnim Radtouren" for the current 2021 season. This brochure invites you to discover new tours and excursions by bike. The maps are available for download at:

http://m.barnimerland.de/de/service-und-information/infomaterial-download/artikel-erlebnis-barnim-radtouren-2021.html

The Barnimer Land, an ice-age ridge between Berlin and Eberswalde with rolling hills, large mixed forests, lakes and waterways, is one of the most beautiful regions in Brandenburg.

The Finow Canal, Germany's oldest man-made waterway and a listed monument, runs parallel to the Oder-Havel Canal between Zerpenschleuse and Lieper Schleuse. On the Finow Canal, recreational captains keep to themselves as they pass through the hand-operated locks. Facilities from 250 years of industrial history alternate with idyllic, natural stretches of riverbank. No other area in Brandenburg offers such a symbiosis of scenic beauty and impressive industrial culture. With the reopening of the 10 km long Finow Canal section "Langer Trödel" in 2016, the closing of the gap from the Upper Havel to the historic Finow Canal as well as to Lake Werbellin became a reality. This means that the Finow Canal is once again navigable without interruption for 42 km and can be navigated without a licence with a charter certificate.

This creates a connection for charterers from the Mecklenburg and Rheinsberg waters and the Upper Havel Waterway to the Havel-Oder Waterway and the Finow Canal. To reach the Werbellin waters, you cross the Havel-Oder Waterway at km 50 and branch off into the Werbellin Canal at km 59 in the Finow Canal. The Finow Canal itself runs via Eberswalde to its confluence with the Havel-Oder Waterway at Liepe.

The Finow Canal is attractive for water hiking by canoe as well as by motorboat. There is a well-developed tourist infrastructure with several rest areas and smaller marinas in the neighbouring communities, such as Liebenwalde.

Valuable travel tips for trips on the Finow Canal can be found, for example, at:

https://www.unser-finowkanal.eu/vor-ihrer-fahrt/

https://www.reiseland-brandenburg.de/orte-regionen/wasserreviere/finowkanal/

https://www.faltboot.org/wiki/index.php/Finowkanal