From its source near Bartmannshagen, part of the Süderholz community northeast of Grimmen, the Ryck flows for about 28 kilometres (17 mi) to the east, reaching Greifswald shortly before its mouth.

In Greifswald, the Ryck provided both the medieval Hanseatic port and natural salt evaporation ponds, as due to the low elevation, hypersaline water of the Baltic Sea is driven into the river by the wind, flooding the lower meadows on the Ryck's northern bank.

West of Greifswald, the Ryck fed the Boltenhägener Teich, a medieval lake.

The old Hanseatic port in Greifswald is now an open-air ship museum.

This article related to a river in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is a stub.