Spreeradweg through Seenland Oder-Spree - cycling route

Start / finish: Lübben railway station / Erkner railway station

Length / duration: 144 kilometres / approx. 5 hours per stage

Logo / route sign: blue river flowing between Brandenburg Gate and green hill in the background

Character: predominantly flat tour on a well-maintained, mostly asphalted cycle path 

Route: Lübben, Schlepzig, Leibsch, Alt Schadow, Werder (Spree), Kossenblatt, Briescht, Trebatsch, Ranzig, Beeskow, Raßmansdorf, Neubrück, Berkenbrück, Fürstenwalde/Spree, Hangelsberg, Mönchwinkel, Hartmannsdorf, Erkner

Arrival / departure:

Public transport: 

• 
  Arrival: RE2 or RB24 to Lübben
• 
  Departure: RB 36 from Beeskow, RE1 or S3 from Erkner

Route description

Stage 1: From the Lower Spreewald via the Krumme Spree to Beeskow (approx. 73 km)

The stage starts in Lübben. The Spreewald town can be reached by train from Berlin in around an hour and invites you to make your first stop with its historic old town and castle island. Via Schlepzig and Leibsch, the route leads into the densely wooded Unterspreewald. At Neuendorfer See, the landscape and character of the river change noticeably: the many small watercourses converge again to form a wide stream.

At Alt Schadow on the north-eastern shore, there are sweeping views over the water and Spreewiesen meadows. In the village square, a large catfish in the coat of arms commemorates the region's fishing tradition. Where the lake gives way to the river, the ‘Krumme Spree’ begins. It winds its way eastwards through an idyllic landscape conservation area. Despite partial straightening, old arms of the river bear witness to its original wildness. It is hard to imagine that barges up to 40 metres long once travelled here.

The Spree villages of Werder, Kossenblatt and Briescht were closely linked to water transport. Locks, weirs and historic bridges – including the reconstructed wooden drawbridge in Briescht – tell the story. In Trebatsch, the Ludwig Leichhardt Museum, dedicated to the famous Australian explorer, is a cultural gem.

After the river touches the northern tip of Lake Schwieloch, the route continues north. At Ranzig, Brandenburg's only hand-operated rope ferry tempts you to take a detour to Leißnitz. The destination is Beeskow, the ‘little pearl on the Spree’, with its almost completely preserved city wall, St. Mary's Church and the imposing castle on the Spree Island.

Tip: Take a closer look at Beeskow market square. The ‘Spreefrau’ (Spree woman) sits enthroned at the fountain, an artistic homage to the river.

Stage 2: From quiet meadows on the outskirts of Berlin to Erkner (approx. 72 km)

The stage begins tranquilly in Beeskow. The route leads along the Spree through meadows and forests, past villages such as Raßmannsdorf and Neubrück. Motorboats are not allowed here, so peace and quiet characterise this section. In the Drahendorf Spree lowlands, a protected area with oxbow lakes and wet meadows, with a little luck you can spot otters, beavers, nutria or kingfishers.

The Oder-Spree Canal approaches at Kersdorf. The natural Spree flows on the left, the canal runs three metres higher on the right – and the cycle path leads through the landscape in between. The imposing Kersdorf lock marks the beginning of the ‘Fürstenwalder Spree’, which, together with the canal, can be used by larger ships here.

After passing through a forest, the Spreestrandbad Berkenbrück lures you in for a swim. In Fürstenwalde, medieval buildings blend with post-war architecture and a lovely riverside promenade. At St. Mary's Cathedral, the red lighthouse catches your eye, once used on the Baltic Sea and a testament to the industrial history of the Pintsch Works.

Behind the cathedral city, the particularly natural Müggelspree begins at the Große Tränke. In Hangelsberg, information boards provide details about the renaturation of the river, while in Mönchwinkel, the wooden bridge offers idyllic views of the clear water. The tour finally reaches Erkner through the wide Spree floodplain. At the S-Bahn station, near the mouth of the Spree into Lake Dämeritz, the tour ends with a comfortable return trip to Berlin – or an optional extension on the Spree Cycle Route to the capital.

Sights:

• Lübben: Castle Island
• Schlepzig: Half-timbered church
• Kossenblatt: Lock and weir
• Briescht: Drawbridge
• Trebatsch: Ludwig Leichhardt Museum
• Leisßnitz: Leißnitz ferry
• Beeskow: Historic town centre, St. Mary's Church and castle
• Kersdorf: Kersdorf lock
• Berkenbrück: Lido
• Fürstenwalde: Cathedral, lighthouse, town museum and brewery museum
• Between Fürstenwalde and Hangelsberg: Große Tränke weir
• Mönchwinkel: Mönchwinkel Spree bridge

Refreshment tips:

• Alt Schadow: Tschinka forest lodge
• Ranzig: Landfleischerei
• Beeskow: Stadtcafé, Genuss Werk Stadt, cucina verde Burgcafe
• Raßmannsdorf: Landhaus Alwine
• Neubrück: Eiscafé Hartmann
• Berkenbrück: Landgasthof Spreetal, Strandidyll
• Fürstenwalde: Zunfthaus 383, Bischofsschloss
• Hangelsberg: Spree-Curry
• Hartmannsdorf: Holly's Galerie Café
• Burig: Gasthof Falkenhorst
• Erkner: Eiscafé Bürgerle, DEKAFFEE coffee roastery

Maps / literature:

• Cycling brochure ‘Your bike. Your break. Your flow.’, Seenland Oder-Spree online shop (available in German and Polish)