The E10 long distance hiking trail. Aaaaaah :)

Since starting my freelance business this October I’ve been putting ALL my time and energy into finding new clients, building my website, dealing with paperwork and putting motivational post it notes on my mirror. And while it’s been really exciting (not to mention pretty draining), I’ve been really craving those longer hiking trips I was able to do in the last year and a half. The simplicity of days outside, walking from A to B, eating a warm meal and falling into my sleeping bag. I’ve been thinking a lot about the Malerweg hike in particular, and how much I loved discovering a natural area close to my (sort of) new hometown. And since I can’t afford a week-long long distance trail right now, I decided to try and get the effect of long distance walking in as little time as a weekend! By packing up everything I need for a night, setting longer stretches to walk and booking accommodation for a night along the route (or of course camping), I get that holiday feeling for WAY less cash. It’s an all-round win!

Here’s a lovely route I found that’s completely accessible from Berlin by public transport. The first day is 24km and takes about 6.5 hours so you’ll want to get an early start in winter time to get to your overnight spot before dark. Enjoy!

The Route

Day 1: Rheinsberg to Strasen, 24km

Starting off in the small town of Rheinsberg, the walk leads though the Schlosspark before reaching the E10 route, which most of the hike follows. Along this route you’ll pass though tall woods with beautiful mossy woodland floors, and a few lakes along the way. Half way through the day’s walk you’ll reach Zechlinerhütte, were we were quite surprised to find NO restaurant open in November. So if you’re planning on having lunch en route do make sure to call in advance. The second half of the day’s route is fairly straight on side woodland tracks, including a rather exciting border crossing into the German State of Mecklenburg Vorpommern. Fun!

Strasen is a small village of roughly 220 inhabitants in the Mecklenburger lake plateau, and has a few accommodation options available in the summer months. In November we found the hotels were all closed for the season or a private event (probably a hunting party of which there were a few around), so we stayed at a small guesthouse where we were able to ask the owners to make us hungry hikers dinner, and had enjoyed a beer with the locals in their breakfast area.

We were lucky enough to chat with a local huntsman who I got to quiz about local wildlife. He showed me a picture of a wolf that had been taken nearby on a surveillance camera the night before. So cool. Here’s a map of the Day 1 route.

Day 2: Strasen to Fürstenberg, 24km

Day 2 of this weekend walk takes you from Strasen to Fürstenberg/Havel, via the village of Neuglobsow which is right on the banks of the Grosser Stechlinsee, which my friend and I visited last year. The walk leads along smaller lakes and curvier woodland trails, with amazing autumnal foliage. Neuglobsow has a cafe, a very sweet tourist information and local crafts shop, and a bus stop with connections to Fürstenberg should you decide to call it a day early! Do make sure to stop in the tourist information though as they need to call the bus for you. Welcome back to Brandenburg, folks!

The last stretch of the walk picks up north again along the Peetschsee and towards the small town of Fürstenberg, where you’re the most likely to find a warm meal and definitely a supermarket. From Fürstenberg you can catch a train back to Berlin Gesundbrunnen Station with the RE5.

You can find a map for the route here (note the description is in reverse).

Getting there

Regional train RE54 stops at Rheinsberg, so find the best connection to reach it from central Berlin. There’s also a bus number 7864 from Rheinsberger Tor, which you can reach with the RE6 train from Berlin.

Accommodation

Make sure to book your stay in Strasen in advance. There are a few options which are all listed on this here handy tourism website. Also be sure to ask whether you can eat dinner at your chosen abode, and bring your own food along if not.