Auf den Spuren der Eiszeit (on track of the ice age - cycling tour)

The last ice age shaped the Oder-Spree Lake District in exciting ways: mighty boulders, fjord-like channel lakes and wide glacial valleys still bear witness to the power of the glaciers today. This day trip around Erkner and Fürstenwalde invites you to explore the landscape and immerse yourself in a fascinating world of rivers and lakes – a cycling break with geographical vistas just outside Berlin.

Start/finish: Erkner railway station

Length/duration: 62 km/approx. 4–4.5 hours

Character: Moderate tour, rich in lakes and forests, with slight differences in altitude; a few sections of paved gravel, otherwise asphalt cycle paths.

Route: Erkner, Grünheide (Mark), Kagel, Kienbaum, Trebus, Fürstenwalde/Spree, Hangelsberg, Erkner

Extra tip: Binoculars for the distant views, swimming gear in summer

Arrival/departure:

• 
  Public transport: S-Bahn 3 or RE1 Erkner
  
  Car: from Berlin via the B1 and A10 to Erkner (approx. 1 hour), e.g. public car park near the station or flood barrier on the Löcknitz

Route description

When glaciers shaped the lake district

Enormous ice masses up to 200 metres high gave the region its distinctive character. When the ice sheet melted around 11,000 years ago, the runoff water formed the wide Warsaw-Berlin glacial valley. The Spree and Löcknitz rivers follow former meltwater channels, and many lakes were created. From Erkner, the Europaradweg R1 cycle route takes you to the Grünheider Seenreich lake district. You pass Werlsee, Peetzsee and Möllensee, which attract visitors with their small bathing areas and beautiful views. The route leads through shady forest passages, past the Olympic training centre at Liebenberger See.

To the ‘fjord’ in the Mark

After the lakes, the scenery changes noticeably. On a quiet, car-free cycle path, a gentle climb leads from the lowlands up to the wide plateaus of the Lebuser Platte. Here you are on a ground moraine. In the small village of Trebus, you look out over a body of water that you would hardly expect to find here: deeply indented and with steep banks, Lake Trebus lies like a fjord in the landscape.

Departure into the floodplain: where stones tell stories

From the plateau, the route descends to Fürstenwalde. Those who want to delve deeper into the history of the Ice Age should visit the museum on Domplatz with its rock collection. A striking lighthouse on the grounds is a reminder of the famous Pintsch Works, whose lighting equipment was used for navigation marks worldwide. From the city centre, the route leads directly to the River Spree. The ride along the riverside promenade and through the Spreeuferpark park offers stunning views of the water, while information pillars tell the story of the city's connection to the river. At the Old Town Bridge, a small display of boulders illustrates the geology of the area as you pass by.

From the Spree back to the Löcknitz Valley

On the Spree Cycle Route, you roll out of the city into the floodplain meadows of the meandering Müggelspree. The wide loops are typical of the glacial valley, where the river has only a slight gradient.

After crossing the railway in Hangelsberg, the path turns into the forest. The Löcknitz Valley is a glacial meltwater channel and is now a nature reserve. This is where the tour comes full circle: the Ice Age shaped the landscape and the river water tells its story. From here, it is not far back to Grünheide and Erkner.

In Hangelsberg, there are places to rest along the Spree. In the Löcknitz Valley, the river water tells the story of the Ice Age. From here, it is not far to Erkner.

Highlight:

Visit to the brewery museum in Fürstenwalde and a refreshing Fürstenwalder beer!

Sights:

• Erkner: Gerhart Hauptmann Museum, Genezareth Church, Local History Museum
• Grünheide: Permanent exhibition at the Robert Havemann Clubhouse, Peetzsee, Werlsee, climbing forest, ‘Zum guten Hirten’ church
• Kagel: ‘Alte Schule’ museum
• Fürstenwalde/Spree: Cathedral, local animal garden and municipal museum, rock garden, brewery museum, old town hall, art gallery
• Mönchwinkel: Local history museum

Refreshment tips:

• Erkner: Eiscafé Bürgerle, DEKAFFEE coffee roastery, Badebar Erkner
• Grünheide: Eiscafé Eiszauber, Wirtshaus Heidereuter am Peetzsee
• Trebus: Restaurant Seeblick
• Fürstenwalde: Zunfthaus 383, Grand Italia, Ristorante Castello, Bischoffsschloss
• Hangelsberg: Snack bar at the trout farm

Information on site:

• Tourist Information Office of the Municipality of Grünheide (Mark)

Possible combinations:

• Euroroute R1
• Oder-Spree-Tour
• Oderbruchbahn cycle path
• Around Berlin
• Spree Cycle Path
• Tour Brandenburg

Maps / literature can be ordered from the Lakeland Shop

• Cycling brochure ‘Dein Rad. Deine Auszeit. Dein Flow.’, Online shop Seenland Oder-Spree
• One-day and multi-day tours: Cycling in the Oder-Spree Lakeland | Get to know the ADFC-certified Oder-Spree Lakeland CycleTravelRegion with its most beautiful places on 19 cycle tours