Heider Bergsee
Brühl · Surrounding area of Cologne
A reclaimed open-cast coal mining pit turned swimming lake near Brühl — 35 hectares of still water in the Rhineland Nature Park, with a beach resort.
The Heider Bergsee is a swimming lake in the southern Ville lake district, on the territory of the city of Brühl near Cologne. It was created in 1965 from a reclaimed pit left by brown coal mining and, with its winding shoreline, ranks among the larger still-water bodies in the Ville.
Source: Wikipedia
At a Glance
- Type
- Artificial swimming lake in the Rhineland Nature Park
- Location
- Central Ville ridge, southwest of the Brühl district of Heide
- Area
- Approximately 35 hectares
- Origin
- 1965, from a former open-cast mine
- Circuit walk
- Around 5.5 kilometres
- Uses
- Beach resort, campsite, water sports, fishing
- Notable
- Parts designated as nature conservation areas
Things to do here
Water area comparison
Water area compared with other lakes in Cologne.
From Mine to Lake
Brown coal had been extracted from the pit since the early 19th century, supplying the Gruhlwerk and the Roddergrube; the coal also gave rise to the first Union briquettes. The Hürth mining director Adolf Dasbach oversaw the dismantling of the exhausted pit long before this was required by law. Mining ended in 1964, and the lake formed a year later.
Nature Along the Shore
The lake is entirely surrounded by managed mixed woodland, with poplars, pines, red oaks, larches, alders, beeches, black locusts and birches growing in turn. Nesting birds include great crested grebes, kingfishers and moorhens. Thanks to recultivation, the nutrient-poor, calcium-rich water — with its many shallow zones — now supports a rich variety of plant and animal life. In 1985, heterophyllous water-milfoil was first scientifically documented in North Rhine-Westphalia here. The small adjacent ravine lake reaches depths of up to 7.5 metres.
Recreation
An open-air pool has stood on the southern shore since 1967, with a campsite added alongside in 1968 that welcomes guests year-round. The beach resort features a sandy beach and sunbathing lawns directly next to the campsite. The lakeside circuit path is popular with runners, walkers and cyclists. Members of the Coelner Angling and Water Conservation Club are also permitted to fish on the lake.
Water Sports
Several clubs are active on the shore. The Faltbootfreunde Brühl have practised canoeing on the north-eastern shore since 1938, while the Wassersportfreunde Brühl-Heide on the northern shore have offered canoeing and swimming since 1967. At the northernmost end of the lake, the Segelsportvereinigung Heider Bergsee runs sailing activities, with Korsar-class dinghies as the boat of choice.
Map
Blue dots: other places nearby — tap to explore.
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Sources & links
Auto-generated, last verified: 2026-06-30
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