Großer Woog, Darmstadt
To the east of Darmstadt lies the Großer Woog– a natural outdoor swimming pool. Woog translates to ‘Standing water’ in German. It is a 5.7-hectare lake with an average depth of 2 meters. The Darmbach, a stream that originates from multiple springs in ‘Darmstater Ostwald,’ traverses through the Woog.
Although close to the city’s centre, this lake is calm and secluded. The entire area consists of the “family Pool”(Familienbad) in the northwest and the “island” (Inselbad) to the southeast.
The family pool (das Familienbad) consists of a non-swimmer area, concrete walkways, a 50-meter pool, and a 10-meter diving tower.
The island (das Inselbad) has large sunbathing lawns, a children’s playground, a volleyball court, a slide, and a shallow beach. Rowing boats and sun loungers are available for hire here.
The Woog houses many species of birds and is also a popular fishing location. The association/club ( Verein in German), Anglergemeinschaft Großer Woog, promotes fair game fishing on the Woog and preserves and cares for the fish population there.
The association ‘Woogsfreunde,’ a non-profit organization, preserves and maintains the Großer Woog in Darmstadt. More information about them and the Woog can be found here.
Like many other places of interest in Darmstadt, the Großer Woog also has a history:
The History of Großer Woog:
In 1567, the Landgraves created the Großer Woog and the Kleiner Woog as a fire-fighting pond and amusement park. Around 1820, it is said to have been opened as a public bathing lake. Later, in 1888, the Kleiner Woog was filled up and is now the Woogsplatz.
Adjoining areas of Interest:
There is a restaurant to the southwest and a youth hostel (Jugendherberge) northeast of Großer Woog. The restaurant with an open-air terrace area gives excellent views of the lake and can be accessed from the dam (Woogsdamm). It can be visited for breakfast or lunch. Alternatively, the restaurant can be booked entirely for events and parties. More information can be found on their website.
The Darmstadt Youth Hostel (Judendherberge) is quite popular with youth groups because of its location on the lake. More information can be found here.
Adjoining the restaurant is a play area for small kids and a path for walking/cycling along with benches where one can relax and enjoy the serenity of the place.
Best time to visit Großer Woog:
The Woog is open for swimming and other recreational activities from May to September. During these months, it becomes a popular destination amongst the residents of Darmstadt and nearby areas for swimming/sunbathing and relaxing under the sun. From October to mid-May, it is not accessible. Still, a walk on the dam to enjoy the scenic beauty or a cycle along the lake’s periphery can be an enjoyable experience.
To know more about places and experiences in Darmstadt, click here.
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