Map › Germany › Steinhuder Meer / Mardorfer Strand
Laghi interni · Lower Saxony, Steinhuder Meer · Region Hannover · Mardorf / Neustadt am Rübenberge
Steinhuder Meer / Mardorfer Strand
also known as Kite- und Surfstrand Mardorf, Weisser Berg, Mardorf / Weißer Berg, Surfeinsatzstelle Kiefernweg
Steinhuder Meer / Mardorfer Strand has no other spot on this map within 40 km of it. straight-line distance
When it fills in
Frontal wind, so there is no daily onset to plan around; the forecast decides, not the clock. The southerly directions, SW and SE, are the ones that most often hold into the evening, which is also when the school traffic has cleared off the beach.
The wind
Direction
Kite sizes
metres · typical quiver highlighted
Character
synoptic
fills in: Frontal wind, so there is no daily onset to plan around; the forecast decides, not the clock. The southerly directions, SW and SE, are the ones that most often hold into the evening, which is also when the school traffic has cleared off the beach.
Typical strength
Usually 3-4 Bft, roughly 10-16 kt, with westerlies often reaching 5 Bft, about 17-21 kt. The open lake surface keeps it comparatively even at Mardorf. Spring and autumn fronts are the strong days; midsummer is lighter and more likely to fade out mid-session. No wind statistic is published for the Mardorfer Strand station itself.
Thermal or synoptic
frontal/synoptic
The quiver, in words
Indicative, derived from the recorded wind strengths rather than counted at the beach. For 75-85 kg on a twintip, a 12 m is the everyday size for 3-4 Bft, 14-15 m for the light summer days, and 9-10 m when a spring or autumn front holds 5 Bft.Depth constrains gear more than wind does: the sports area is 0.5-2.5 m and a foil mast of about 85 cm is reported as the practical maximum, with shorter better after a dry spell when the level drops.
Direction to shore
Mostly onshore/cross-on for southerly to easterly directions at the north-shore launch; northerly winds blow offshore from Mardorf.
Dominant direction
Frontal spring and autumn wind. Published directions vary: OSO, SO, WSW, O, S, SW, SSO and SSW in one version; NO, O, SO, S and SW ideal with W to N in wind shadow in another; SW and SE best with northerlies the main exception in a third.
Forecast
Month by month
- Jan61
- Feb42
- Mar, riders' month39
- Apr, riders' month42
- May, riders' month26
- Jun22
- Jul44
- Aug26
- Sep, riders' month30
- Oct, riders' month29
- Nov, riders' month55
- Dec50
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+)
Ringed months are the ones riders and schools name: Mar, Apr, May, Sep, Oct, Nov.
- 61%Jan
- 42%Feb
- 39%Mar
- 42%Apr
- 26%May
- 22%Jun
- 44%Jul
- 26%Aug
- 30%Sep
- 29%Oct
- 55%Nov
- 50%Dec
windy days per month (3 h+ at 12 kn+) · season highlighted
| Month | Windy days | Force 4+ | 12 kn or more | Knots | From | Peaks at | Air | Readings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 61% | 71% | 65% | 15 kt | WSW | 12:00 | 4°C | 62 |
| Feb | 42% | 61% | 54% | 12.9 kt | WSW | 13:00 | 5.6°C | 57 |
| Mar | 39% | 61% | 50% | 12.4 kt | SW | 13:00 | 6.4°C | 62 |
| Apr | 42% | 65% | 60% | 13 kt | WSW | 14:00 | 9°C | 60 |
| May | 26% | 55% | 40% | 11.2 kt | ESE | 16:00 | 14.7°C | 62 |
| Jun | 22% | 57% | 43% | 11.9 kt | WSW | 15:00 | 18.1°C | 60 |
| Jul | 44% | 68% | 61% | 13.5 kt | WSW | 13:00 | 19°C | 62 |
| Aug | 26% | 52% | 39% | 11.8 kt | W | 14:00 | 19.8°C | 62 |
| Sep | 30% | 50% | 40% | 11.2 kt | SW | 13:00 | 16.3°C | 60 |
| Oct | 29% | 50% | 40% | 12.4 kt | SW | 12:00 | 12.6°C | 62 |
| Nov | 55% | 73% | 65% | 14.6 kt | SW | 12:00 | 6.7°C | 60 |
| Dec | 50% | 71% | 65% | 14.2 kt | SW | 13:00 | 4.1°C | 62 |
modelled
A weather model's cell over this place, not a station on it. Good for comparing places, weaker for one beach.
Modelled from the operational forecast archive at 1.5–7 km (2023-2024), daylight hours only, not a ground station: it resolves thermal, lake and valley winds far better than coarse reanalysis but still tends to understate a strong local thermal. A windy day has at least three consecutive daylight hours at 12 knots or more. The typical daily max and the direction are columns of the table above, month by month. Highlighted months are the riding season from the spot record.
High-resolution weather model (modelled) · Open-Meteo historical forecast archive — best-match operational model (ICON-D2 / AROME / ICON-EU / GFS by region), not a ground station · 2023-2024
The water
Type
lake
Standing depth
The lake averages about 1.35 m deep, with 0.5-2.5 m in the watersports area. In front of the Mardorf beach the standing-depth zone runs up to 800 m out before the bottom drops toward about 2 m past the buoy line.
Tides
No tides; inland lake.
Temperature
19°C summer · 2°C winter
Wetsuit
Use a full wetsuit for most of the season; average water is about 18-19 C in July/August and about 2 C in January-February, so winter riding needs full cold-water gear.
Your level
The scene
What riders come here for
Launch and rules
three ways on to the water, and what each one asks of you
With a school or a boat
1 school names this spot
On your own
Room to launch: small
Somewhere else
No neighbour on record
No other spot in the atlas sits within reach of this one.
Rescue
Launch
Official kite and surf access at Mardorf/Weiße Düne on the north shore, into the buoyed surf/kite area. Underfoot it is sand, pebbles, rock and grass; the Kite- und Surfstrand sits directly on the north-shore circular path.
Space
small
Rules & access
Access rules drift faster than anything else we hold — check locally, and propose an edit if this has changed.
Rider tips
- Stay inside the buoy line of the Mardorf surf/kite area; kiting anywhere else on the lake is forbidden and the nature park enforces it.
- Skip north wind at Mardorf. It blows offshore from the north shore; the Badeinsel is the alternative outside bathing season.
- Wear booties. The bottom is shells, stones, pebbles and rock, and the shallows hide buoy lines.
- Come in spring or autumn, March-May or September-November, for the frontal wind and a launch not full of learners.
- Late-autumn sessions are legal only until 15 November in the Mardorf area; the rest of the lake closes on 31 October.
- The centre at the beach runs 20 March to 14 November, with courses starting at 10:00 on Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays; outside those dates there is nobody on the spot.
- Park free if your vehicle is under 2 m high. The taller lot by the beach hotel charges, and the fee reportedly comes back as a bistro voucher.
Getting there
Airport
Hannover Airport (HAJ)
Route
Drive to Mardorf on the north shore of Steinhuder Meer and follow signs/access to Weiße Düne/Kite- und Surfstrand near Kiefernweg/Strandweg. Public transport to the exact launch is unconfirmed.
Cost level
medium
Staying
The watersports center at Mardorf has guest rooms, camping and stay options plus a bistro and shop; the wider Steinhuder Meer area has holiday apartments, hotels and camping.
No-wind days
SUP, canoe and kayak rental · sailing and catamaran activities · cycling around Steinhuder Meer · boat trips to Wilhelmstein · Moor walks and nature-park birdwatching · Hannover day trip
FAQ
Is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. The shallow buoyed area and on-site VDWS school support lessons and progression, though beginners should avoid the offshore northerly direction.
What is the wind like?
Southerly to easterly directions work best from the north shore; northerly wind is offshore and considered a safety issue.
Are there rules or restricted zones?
Kitesurfing is allowed only inside the buoy-marked Mardorf surf area, which stays open until 15 November even though the general lake season ends 31 October.
What hazards should I know about?
Offshore northerly wind, shells and stones near shore, and protected reed beds and waterbird refuge areas that must not be entered.
Are there kite schools nearby?
Surfers Paradise / Wassersport Center Steinhuder Meer operates a VDWS school about 50 m from the shore.
Last updated: August 2026