Cape Arkona and the lighthouse – hiking on Rügen

From the large car park in Putgarten (parking fee Euro 9.00), I first walked along the fields - past the Putgarten radar installation - to Varnkevitz. Here I followed the beautiful shore path to Gellort, the northernmost point of Rügen. The next destination was Cape Arkona with its two lighthouses and a direction-finding tower. I continued to the small fishing village of Vitt. It looks like an open-air museum with its many thatched-roof houses. Past the octagonal chapel of Vitt and a walk through Putgarten, I soon reached the car park again. On this tour, there were many great views and the small village of Vitt is absolutely worth seeing.

Cape Arkona is the most popular tourist destination on Rügen (according to KI). So I looked for a hike there, and komoot suggested this tour. Unfortunately, the first 4 kilometers of the hike are on a paved dirt road, or "mini-road." While there's hardly any traffic, it's not a pleasant walk. Then you finally reach the shore path, which becomes more scenic, and you repeatedly have beautiful views of the sea. Occasionally, you can take the stairs down to the beach, which we did 😊. This stretch of beach (North Beach) is also pretty! Cape Arkona, with its two lighthouses and the navigation tower, is very interesting, but here—and at the northernmost point of the island—there are, of course, quite a few people on foot or by bike. The most beautiful section then led along the beach to the fishing village of Vitt, where we were caught in a light rain shower. After a hot sea buckthorn juice, we returned to the car (unfortunately, back on asphalt). Conclusion: not my favorite tour.... You could perhaps do the tour the other way around and walk part of the shore path after the northernmost point and then back along the beach 🤔

The hike to Cape Arkona went from Putgarten to Varnkewitz on a green side strip directly on a small, little-used road. This access leads to the beautiful Hochuferweg, which is really worth it. Once arrived at Cape Arkona, it gets crowded. I can't even imagine what it's like in the summer. It's not far to Vitt. The cutest fishing village on Rügen with a great view back to the cape. Pressed the wrong button again in Vitt, so that the way back to the parking lot is missing here. We were on Rügen a few years ago. At that time we could not go to Cape Arkona because of a roadblock. I'm glad we came back and were able to catch up.

And again a beautiful and varied hike on the island of Rügen, just like yesterday, we started in a large parking lot, the last official one before Kap Arkona. First, we walked west along the road, fields to the left and right, but also hardly any cars, past the Bundeswehr radar station. But soon we turn off towards Varnkevitz, thus approaching the Baltic Sea. Now we have a beautiful high-level path above the steep bank, which is pleasantly open and offers a view of the sea again and again. Nevertheless, we are not satisfied with sporadic glances and descend to the beach via the stairs at the Nordstrand parking lot. Wonderful sandy beach can be found here and today it is almost deserted. So we enjoy the continuous rolling of the waves, take a break on the large stones and find a hag stone. Unfortunately, there is also a dead seal on the beach. The Maritime Museum is already aware of it, but the dead animal is too large and heavy to be transported away. Before the beach becomes very stony again, we return to the high-level path and soon find ourselves at Gellort, the northernmost point of Rügen. We descend to the shore again, knowing that we have to climb back up the same way. As expected, there are more people here in the catchment area of Kap Arkona than on the way. And then, after a short walk, we are there - at Kap Arkona. There are several lighthouses, small and large, the largest is completely scaffolded. A small ship and old buoys are exhibited, as well as a border post and a sand sculpture. Completely unexpectedly for us, we find a paved area of all the wedding couples who have married up here. Afterwards, a visit to Vitt is planned. Here too, we leave the high-level path via a staircase to the beach, which is sometimes more and sometimes less stony, but always offers a great view back to the steep bank of Kap Arkona. When we arrive in the small fishing village of Vitt, a line from the Udo Jürgens song "Urlaub im Süden" inevitably comes to mind: "Big city hustle and bustle in tiny nests". Perhaps we just caught an unfavorable moment. In any case, the harbor area reminded us of a wholesale bicycle dealer. Via the asphalted path, we reach Putgarten. At Woody's Little Britain, there seems to be some kind of happening, again with many cyclists. At the end of the hike, we return for a cozy meal at "Utspann". Very nice service, delicious food and a rustic interior. We deliberately decided against the many snack offers along the way.

Around the cape and at the towers a bit crowded with day trippers and e-bike desperados 🙈 on the beaches lovely! The way back through the fields a bit boring.

You can visit Kap Arkona - the piece of cake was better 😁

The vacation days are getting shorter, but there is still so much to see. You just have to hike in the rain. It was still a dream walk and the last hour was almost dry.