Hikes in Sternberg

The breakthrough valley of the Warnow impresses with its wild river valley, hilly paths, historical traces, and quiet moments – an insight into the diversity of the Sternberger Seenland.

For decades, the breakthrough valley of the Warnow and Mildenitz has been one of the most popular excursion destinations in the Sternberger Seenland Nature Park due to its impressive landscape.

Rare Animals and Plants by the Wild River On natural, narrow paths this route leads through the Sternberger Seenland Nature Park and the largest breakthrough valley in the north. The Warnow has carved a bed up to 30 meters deep here. Hikers as well as beavers and kingfishers enjoy the original, wild landscape.

Nossentiner/Schwinzer Heide Nature Park - Warnow - Warnow and Mildenitz breakthrough valley - Burgwall Groß Görnow - Mildenitz - Sternberger Castle - Groß Raden - Classic Car Museum - World War - Reconstruction of the rampart - Groß Raden Archaeological Open-Air Museum - Visitor Center - Burgwall - Groß Raden Archaeological Open-Air Museum - Groß Raden Archaeological Open-Air Museum

In the north of the Sternberger Seenland Nature Park Around 1219, monks founded the St. Maria im Sonnenkamp monastery on the northern shore of Neuklostersee, which played a significant role in developing the region. Today, a charming circular hike around the lake invites visitors. The route mostly follows natural trails.

A round trip around the Warnow breakthrough valley on a mostly quiet route. Even though it partly goes on lightly traveled country roads, the tour is worth seeing. Especially the great landscape in the breakthrough valley.  As you can clearly see in the photos, even the slightly frosty or foggy landscape has its charms. The round trip is easy to manage, unfortunately without dining options. So, sandwiches and drinks should be stocked in the backpack. :-)

Guests staying at Hotel Schloss Kaarz or dining at the restaurant (reservations required!) can park their cars in the hotel’s parking lot. Otherwise, park in unpaved space 01, about 100 meters south of the castle. > From here, we follow the sign for “Kaarz-Alt Necheln / Großer Naturwanderweg”—which leads us into the dead-end at the white paddock fence. At the end of the fence, we keep to the right and follow the “green diagonal bar” marker. We walk past the old stud farm, built in 1907, and shortly thereafter see the old oak-lined avenue on the right, which we’ll explore at the end of the hike. (A gate here blocks access to the castle park.) On a wide sandy path, accompanied by a ditch, we head straight away from Kaarz. After crossing the ditch, we keep to the left at an intersection with barely legible trail signs. After a gentle ascent, we reach Krevtmoor 02, a waterhole. A few meters further on, we reach another glacial lake that blends picturesquely into the rolling terminal moraine landscape: the Rauhe Kitz. The trail, marked with a “green diagonal bar,” now runs between a fenced-in meadow and the edge of the forest. We pass a shelter and soon reach two benches 03 next to an information sign about the Weselin manor, which was once located nearby. Between pasture fences, our trail heads toward Alt Necheln. We cross the Warnow River on the “Zwei-Männer-Brücke” (Two-Men’s Bridge), where there are docking spots for canoes, and arrive at the Alt Necheln manor house 04. Over 100 years ago, the house was designed by Emilie Winkelmann, Germany’s first female architect. Today it houses vacation apartments (www.meingutshaus.de). Local honey and apple juice are for sale in a wooden box in front of the manor house. We follow the little road “An der Warnow” and the whimsical sign pointing toward “Entchen.” The walk-through replica of a beaver lodge 05 is apparently no longer maintained—we don’t need to linger here and can continue right away along the row of trees. On the uphill stretch, we keep slightly to the left so we can go around a secluded house. Just past the house, we walk down a narrow path toward the Warnow. The path first follows the river, soon veers away from it in a left-hand curve, and then runs along the foot of the slope, which is covered with beech forest, while riparian forest spreads out to the right of the path. At a stone marked with the number 6, we pass a dry side valley of the Warnow. After that, we follow the river for quite some time, though we can only catch a glimpse of it in a few places—lush greenery grows thickly between the water and the trail. Finally, we reach a signposted junction marked 06. At this junction, the “Große Naturwanderweg” heads to the right, but we turn left, thereby incorporating the “Kleiner Naturwanderweg” into our tour. It is marked with a “yellow dot.” At the edge of the forest, we climb over a few fallen trees and follow the “yellow dot” along the pasture fence. At the end of the large meadow, we head straight into the forest. Here there are still a few older pine trees that show traces of resin harvesting (see Tour 19/box). The trail leads onto a forest path: at this point, we follow the signs toward Kaarz. At the next intersection, we also follow the “Small Nature Trail” marked with a “yellow dot,” so we turn right and leave the forest. Information signs mark the former village of Hütthof 07, where a glassworks and a school once stood. From the old school, we walk a few more meters uphill, after which our path descends toward the Warnow River. Before the bridge, the “Große Naturwanderweg” joins the trail from the right. After crossing the river, we head straight south. After about 800 m, we reach the entrance to Kaarz Castle Park 08. To the left is the new park, which features some exercise equipment; to the right is the older section, where we’ll first take a look at the Bülow Chapel. A damaged gravestone commemorates Lieutenant Colonel Wilhelm von Bülow, a less prominent military figure from the distinguished noble family. If we follow the park path westward from the Bülow Chapel, we come to a small bridge. Beyond it begins the magnificent oak-lined avenue 09, which you shouldn’t miss! From the end of the oak-lined avenue near the gate blocking the passage to the Hinweg, we walk back to the Bülow Chapel and then turn right through the palace park, leading us to the large sequoia 10 next to the manor house. Then we turn right in front of the castle and finally left to reach the unpaved area 01.

Circular trail in the Warnow-Mildenitz breakthrough valley past boulders, sheep pastures, and large beeches

Very nice hike through mixed forest, past lakes and fields.

Short but fine walk through a primeval river landscape