Bodeperle

The Bodeperle is the outdoor swimming bath of Rübeland, a village in the Oberharz better known for its show caves, and it sits in a sheltered valley basin ringed by rock formations that the operator puts at up to 100 metres high and by the forests of the Harz. The site is run by a registered supporters' association, the Förderverein Freibad Rübeland e.V., and much of the seasonal preparation and day-to-day operation is done by volunteers. Bathing is in a modern stainless-steel basin: the swimmer section has three 25-metre lanes with starting blocks, while the non-swimmer sections in front of the slide and the water mushroom are shallower and fitted with jet showers for cooling off rather than for lengths.

Attractions are modest in number but clearly aimed at families. A 15-metre stainless-steel slide feeds the main basin, a mushroom fountain provides the second water feature, and a separate paddling pool has its own small slide and a stream channel for toddlers, with an adjoining sand play area shaded by a sun sail and a climbing-castle playground next to it. Dry-land facilities include a beach volleyball court, table tennis, a kiosk and free community wi-fi across the grounds. A grill kota and a barrel sauna are the only heated element on the site.

The season runs from late May to early September, with the bath open from 12:00 on weekdays, from 10:00 at weekends, and from 10:00 every day during the Saxony-Anhalt summer holidays; opening depends on the weather. The operator describes the water only as usually above 20 °C. Ahead of the 2026 season the circulation pumps were replaced with energy-efficient units and the switchgear was renewed under an EU and state LEADER grant, work that began in March 2025 and was finished in time for opening.