Hikes in Schlepzig

Water, forest, and open spaces in the Spreewald with a typical Spreewald village.

Follow the last stage of the Paul-Gerhardt-Weg and explore the final place of work of the famous church hymn writer, the Spreewald town of Lübben.

The last Ice Age left behind lakes, ponds, and wetlands in southern Brandenburg. Due to the slow flow rate, the course of the Spree formed a finely structured network of waterways. Centuries of cultivation have created a mosaic of small meadows, fields, and forests. Primeval-like forests, old coppice forests, birch-oak forests, floodplain forests, heathlands, sandy grasslands, and wet meadows alternate in a picturesque manner. The 22 ponds on Petkamsberg are also part of the cultural landscape. These are completely drainable bodies of water with a shallow depth of approximately 1.30 m. They are used for water retention and water replenishment. After so much nature, a bit of culture follows. The Lübben Castle and Museum was first mentioned in 1561. It acquired its current appearance between 1769 and 1782. Particularly impressive are the Renaissance gables, the massive residential and defensive tower—with walls up to 2.5 m thick—and the coat-of-arms hall. After a brief urban adventure through Lübben’s pedestrian zone, we head “back to the starting point” from the train station.▶ From “Alte Lübbener Straße” in 01Schlepzig (44 m), we turn left onto “Dorfstraße,” passing the Schlepzig bus stop, the church, and numerous beautiful half-timbered houses. At the historic village mill on the right side of the street and the whiskey distillery on the left, we turn left onto “Dammstraße,” pass the barge harbor, and walk along the street until it ends. On the right, we reach the fish-rich Inselteich pond. At the covered picnic bench that follows, the path forks. The gravel path slightly to the right goes around the northwest shore and runs parallel to the Spree. The slightly longer path runs along the east shore. Both paths around the 02Inselteich (54 m) lead to the destination and rejoin at the southwest shore of the lake. After the next left curve on the main trail—behind a canal—a path branches off to the right and leads along the Spree to the Spreewaldgasthaus Petkamsberg. On the access road to the inn, we continue to the next intersection. There, we turn right, now following an elevated gravel path along the western shore of 03Sommerteich (55 m) to its southern end. At the dam between the Spreeteich and Moorteich, we do not turn right toward Lübben/Spreewald—which would take us over the Hartmannsdorfer weir—but instead, just before the next fence, we inevitably follow the path through the right-hand curve along the Biebersdorfer meadows. At the next fork in the trail, we turn right, now walking along the western shores of the Kranichteich, Birkenteich, Schäferteich, and Lachsluchs I and II. After the latter, the trail takes a long left curve and then leads slightly to the right over a railroad embankment. At the next fork, we turn right—also signposted toward Lübben—and follow the paved path through the Wiesenau Nature Reserve. Another signpost pointing toward “Lübben 4 km” appears at the next fork. We’ll be walking along the Spree again. The course of the 04Spree (54 m) splits into two branches; we’ll walk along the bypass canal and then across the Spreewaldbahn railway right-of-way—which has been converted into a bike path. We follow the course of the bypass canal until the dam curves to the left; however, we head slightly to the right across the red-painted pedestrian bridge and through a small bird sanctuary to the main street. Walking along the right side of this street, we reach the Lübben Museum and Castle. We continue through Lübben’s pedestrian zone: Across from the castle, “Gerichtsstraße” begins; at its end, we turn left onto “Reutergasse,” then right again at the next opportunity onto “Gerichtsstraße,” and at its end, left onto “Hauptstraße,” past the market square, across “Brückenplatz,” over the Spree, at the large intersection turn right along “Berliner Straße,” and after a few meters—opposite the parking lot, turn left—into “Gartengasse” until it ends. Behind the bridge, we walk to the left through the park-like nature reserve Der Hain.At the next fork in the path before the red bridge, take the path slightly to the right, cross the intersecting street, go through the main cemetery, continue straight ahead at first, turn left before the funeral hall, take the wide path to the right, turn onto “Waisenstraße,” and continue straight ahead to Lübben Station 05(52 m). From there, we’ll take the bus back to the starting point.

The Spreewald has been shaped by humans over the centuries, yet it remains a near-natural floodplain landscape with a rich variety of flora and fauna. Species still live here that are endangered or already extinct elsewhere. The tour takes place in a former marshland area. As early as early spring, water irises and marsh marigolds grow along the banks, followed later by the swan flower. Depending on the season, you can spot cranes, white-tailed eagles, black storks, and white storks. To protect and preserve this landscape, the Spreewald was designated a biosphere reserve in 1990.▶ From the 01Buchenhain Nature Trail parking lot (48 m), the route follows the road briefly—toward the Spreewald village of Schlepzig—until the Buchenhain Nature Trail branches off to the right before the Zerniasfließ onto a path lined with old poplars. The Zerniasfließ, constructed in 1910, serves as a main route for boat traffic through the Lower Spreewald. About 100 m past the weir, we initially ignore the right-hand turnoff and continue straight ahead to the wooden 02 WussegkObservation Tower (44 m). It offers a beautiful panoramic view of the intersecting Zerniasfließ and Quaasspree. Further to the west, you can see where the Wussegkstrom branches off from the Quaasspree. We hike back to the last turnoff and now turn left along the Archendamm. Built as early as the 14th century, it is densely overgrown with old deciduous trees and is the oldest dike in the Unterspreewald. The nature trail continues westward through a forest of alders, oaks, and English oaks and crosses the Schiwastrom at a second weir. We ignore the path that branches off to the right—the return route—and walk along the Puhlstrom to the road. After crossing the road, a beautiful forest trail leads through beech forests.At 03Mollenhauer’s Cabin (42 m), benches by the Puhlstrom invite you to take a break. The newly rebuilt shelter in the Schlepzig beech grove is a symbol of the Spreewald’s tradition of craftsmanship. In the past, hollows were hollowed out here from felled alder and poplar trunks; these were then used to transport bread and cakes or to make sausage. This hut served as their workshop. We ignore the path continuing to the right—toward the east—and walk straight ahead until the path ends.After a few meters to the left, you’ll reach the spot where the hollow-carvers and wheelwrights of that era stored their wood for further transport by barge—the so-called “04Stellmachers Ablage” (50 m). We pass the path branching off to the right—the way we came—and continue straight ahead (eastward). After about 700 m, we ignore the forest road branching off to the right—the final return route—and continue straight ahead to 05Schiwastrom (59 m). We walk back a short distance along the outward route and then turn left at the next opportunity. We pass the access road to the Buchenhain forest lodge on our left and reach the road with the Buchenhain bus stop. After crossing the road, we come to the familiar outbound trail, which we follow to the left back to the starting point.

Spreewald check: Wild paths, zero boats, 100% nature. The perfect round for everyone who wants more than just cucumbers.

On the nature trail in the Lower Spreewald

Runde bei Schlepzig

Dreitaegige Wanderung nach Lübbenau um von dort 3 - 4 Tage im Kanu durch den Spreewald zu fahren, in Kombination perfekt fuer eine Woche Urlaub.

Über stille Pfade und kühne Stege zu den Fließen des Unterspreewalds. Startpunkt ist der Parkplatz an der Straße westlich von Schlepzig.

Sehr schöne Wanderung an der Spree.