Hetlinger Schanze is a sandy riverbank beach on the east bank of the Elbe near the village of Hetlingen. The beach is about 25 kilometers downstream from (i.e., northwest of) Hamburg. Hetlinger Schanze spans about two kilometers. Landmarks that help define the lay of the land are a small marina and two power-line towers. The marina lies roughly at the center of the beach, dividing it into two segments. Among the many massive red-and-white power-line towers in the vicinity, two of them are on the beach.

If you are standing at the marina facing the river, to your right is the northern segment of the beach. This segment spans about 1.2 kilometers, starting at the marina and ending at a power-line tower. This northern area is textile.

To the left from the marina is the the southern segment of the beach, which spans about 800 meters. Just south of the marina, directly on the southern segment of the beach, is the other of the two power-line towers. An unofficial but freely tolerated FKK area begins a little beyond the tower. Near the tower, there are two cement block that are supports for a river traffic sign. One of these blocks has "FKK" painted on it.

The area around Hetlinger Schanze is a curious blend of industrial, recreational and pastoral. The Elbe is a major shipping channel that connects the powerhouse city of Hamburg to the North Sea, so there are many huge cargo ships. The river is also full of small pleasure vessels like sailboats. Along the riverbank, there are green pastures, and you may encounter a herd of sheep as you go to and from the beach. Between Hamburg and the North Sea, the Elbe is also a state line. As you look across the river, the land on the other side is in the neighboring state of Niedersachsen (Lower Saxony).

more info (in German) from nacktbaden.de

VISUAL RESOURCES

GPS: 53.5991, 9.6083

municipality, district, state, country
  Hetlingen, Pinneberg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

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